“Excuse me?” Keith said.
“Oh, shush, darling.” Violante waved a hand.
“Traitors and thieves.” The count surveyed the small group of astonished people like a ship captain who was facing mutiny. His gaze stopped on Sir Nigel. “You worm. Forget our deal. Ashford is going to get it.”
Sir Nigel’s face regained colour.
The count pointed a finger at him. “Ashford was brave enough to challenge me to a duel to protect his wife’s honour. You didn’t have the courage to face me or to protect Diana’s honour. You ran away when your name came out. You have no honour or respect. I can’t do business with you.”
Violante shuffled her feet and exchanged a glance with Keith. The news was so stunning she couldn’t celebrate. Besides, the way the count had decided had nothing to do with his approval of Keith’s idea.
“I can’t believe you agreed to make a deal with these criminals,” Sir Nigel said, shaking with anger.
“Criminals?” The count scoffed. “Don’t throw accusations around. You aren’t in the position to.”
“Not accusations, but facts.” Sir Nigel waved at someone at the gate, and a tall man stepped inside.
Violante’s stomach lurched. Keith tensed. It was George the Blade.
“Who’s this man?” the count asked. “What’s happening?”
“Violante isn’t Keith’s wife,” Sir Nigel said in a smug tone. “Their servants told me. There was never any marriage.”
“Don’t drag us into this chaos,” Mrs. Collins said.
“We have nothing to do with anyone here,” Murray said.
Keith hissed. The count rubbed his forehead. Violante exhaled. Paul looked confused. The countess stared at Violante.
“But there’s more. The fake marriage is but the beginning.” Sir Nigel beckoned George closer. “This is George, an associate of mine?—”
“Associate?” Violante recovered from the shock. “He’s a mobster. My lord, George is the head of the rookery’s mob.”
“I’m confused.” The count drooped his shoulders.
George removed his flat hat and pointed a meaty finger at her. “That woman is Fleet-foot Vi, a thief and a fraud. She got her nickname because she’s the fastest thief in the rookery. She stole my wife’s ring, and I can claim she isn’t married to that man. She comes from the gutter. She’s nothing but a thief. She and her fake husband are deceiving you.”
“Is that true?” the count asked no one in particular.
Violante took a tentative step towards the count. “The situation is complicated, but if you give me the chance to explain it to you, everything will be clear.”
“Is it true that you and Lord Ashford aren’t married?” the count asked.
“Well, yes,” Violante said at the same time as Keith said, “It’s as if we were though.”
“They live in sin, so they do, my lord,” Mrs. Collins said.
“We had to call this woman my lady,” Murray added.
Everyone started talking together. Paul asked Violante and Keith why they’d deceived everyone. Violante begged the count to listen. George threatened to kill her.
“Enough!” The count raised his voice, shaking a fist in the air. “I don’t want to hear anything. I’ve had enough. No more deals with anyone. You can all go to hell and rot.” He crossed the field with long, angry strides.
Somehow, Violante believed they all deserved his scorn.
“You are not leaving.” Lady Diana stopped her husband, and surprisingly, he didn’t protest. “We must get to the bottom of this story.”
He huffed as if he didn’t care one way or another.
