Page 76 of Thief Taker

“How very noble of you. Would it help to know that you’re already too late?”

He went rigid. “What?”

“The settlement deeds to Ashbourne Abbey were brought here late last night. Your brother’s stake has been accepted in Le Grand Jeu.”

Kit could feel every beat of his heart thrumming in his chest, the blood rushing through his ears. “No, you’re lying. The solicitor wouldn’t release them without—”

“Then I imagine the solicitor had a change of heart.”

“But—”

“I saw it,” Salter said, lowering his voice. “I saw the deeds myself. Your family’s estate belongs to Marlborough, or as good as. And you’d be wise to let that lie—he and his circle won’t care for your mewling. And they, sir, are the law, so don’t think of running there for redress.”

Kit shook his head, emotion tightening his throat. “You’re lying,” he repeated. “You don’t know Marlborough’s business. You said you don’t know—”

“Of course I bloody know!” Salter snapped. He closed his eyes for a moment, pressed his hands to his temples in an apparent effort to control himself. “Look,” he said, “I’m trying to do you a favour.”

“I—”

“Go home,” Salter said. “Forget this. It’s over and done. I’m not risking my livelihood or my life for you or anyone else.” He made a rueful face. “And since I can’t drop you into the Thames, I’m going to trust you not to do anything rash.”

Kit blinked. “Rash…?”

Salter ignored him because, at that moment, the door opened and one of the footmen slipped inside and murmured something into Salter’s ear. It made him smile. “Very well,” he told his man. “I’ll be there directly.”

Salter’s attention returned to Kit, sharper than ever. “Mr. Duvall, you’re permitted to leave, but should I find you here again it will not go well for you.”

“Is that a threat, Mr. Salter?”

He lifted an eyebrow again. “Yes, obviously it’s a threat.”

Kit bristled. “You don’t frighten me, sir. And if you think I’m leaving here without Elias—”

“I know you’re leaving here without Elias because he and I are having a very interesting conversation. Escort Mr. Duvall out,” he told the footman, then directed words to Kit. “I trust that you and I shan’t meet again.”

Head in hands, Elias sat by the cold hearth. If Salter had told Kit the truth… Well, it would all be over. Everything. Rowsley would find out and Wessex would slip through his fingers once again.

More catastrophically, so would Kit. He’d despise Elias, and rightly so. Elias would be exposed as a deceiver, a fraud. A viper in the nest. Everything tender between them would be destroyed by that bald truth.

Elias didn’t think he could bear it.

Jumping up, he strode to the door and hammered on it. “Salter! I’ll tell you, all right? I’ll tell you what you want to know! Just don’t— Don’t tell him! Salter?”

Silence.

Elias let his forehead thud against the door. Christ, what the devil was the matter with him?

Some minutes later, after Elias had retreated to the cold fireplace, the door opened once more. “Cole?” Salter said as he entered. “I understand you have something to get off your chest.”

Elias rose. “Did you tell him?”

“Not yet.” Salter gave a thin smile. “But of course, you only have my word on that, as a friend of Hal Foxe.”

As a foundation for trust, it was shaky as a plank across the Fleet. But it would have to do. “Then I’ll tell you this much,” Elias said, dropping back into the chair. “I’m hunting the highwayman, Wessex.”

“In town? Unlikely.”

“It’s true, and what’s more I’m close.”