Tristan was about to say something, but George wanted to lead the meeting.
“No, my lord. Easthollow is the last of our problems,” George said. “I’m more interested in knowing about your involvement with the anarchists.”
Winchester worked his jaw. “Excuse me?”
“You were seen in the company of the Russian anarchists days before the attack at Aldersgate Station,” George said.
“Aren’t the Montcrests those who have a history of high treason?” Winchester asked with a snarl.
“Take that back!” Tristan shot up.
Winchester rose as well. “How dare you come here and throw accusations?”
“Do you deny having met the anarchists?” George insisted.
Winchester clenched his fists. “That’s none of your business.”
The door opened, and Effie stepped inside. “Papa, I heard voices, and I was worried—” She gazed from her father to Tristan and closed the door behind her.
“My lady.” George bowed.
Tristan bowed his head, too, wishing she weren’t there to witness his short temper.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t be present during this conversation.” Winchester waved her off.
“Why?” George asked before Effie could talk. “Are you afraid of your daughter’s reaction at knowing her father is involved with the anarchists?”
“What?” She let out a half chuckle. “Nonsense.”
“George,” Tristan said.
“I’m not involved with the anarchists!” Winchester shook a fist. “Fleet is suffering from a delusion.”
“Will you deny having met the anarchists in front of your daughter?” George asked calmly. “You told Lady Effie you’d visited your son in Greenford the day I saw you with the anarchists. You lied because you didn’t want her to know you’d met with them.”
“I don’t understand where you’re going with these accusations.” Winchester’s voice rose.
Instead, George’s voice was cold and low. “Let me explain it to you. You ordered the bomb planted at Aldersgate Station.”
“This is absurd!” Winchester reddened.
Effie gasped. “How can you accuse my father of something so despicable?”
Tristan rubbed his temple. He shouldn’t have listened to George. They didn’t have a shred of evidence against Winchester, and he didn’t believe the earl was involved with the anarchists to start with. “George, we should go.”
“No,” George said.
“You’re making a fool out of yourself,” he said, moving his lips as little as possible.
“I want the truth. Winchester wanted to destroy our company, and he ordered the anarchists to bomb our locomotive.”
“That’s a lie.” Effie shook her head.
Tristan took George’s arm and gritted out, “We should leave.”
“Tell the truth.” George shrugged himself free and stepped closer to the earl. “You almost killed your daughter because you didn’t know she was at the station. You thought she was safe and miles away from London, but no, she was so very close to the danger.”
Tristan regretted having given that information to George.
