Page 53 of A Rogue to Forget

“Then there is little to be said.” Henry stormed from the room, too angry to remain civil. He knew exactly where he needed to go.

*

Jules Brown satacross from Henry, his gaze pinning him as he considered the questions he’d asked.

“If I am to be honest.”

“I would expect it,” Henry countered.

Jules’s eyes narrowed. “If I am to be completely honest, I have not decided whether or not I will speak to Hannah again. She believes me to be a murderer. To have killed her father.”

“Or paid someone to do it.”

“My father’s dying wish was to find the box. He told me to question John Kerr.”

“Your father died years ago. Why did you wait?”

Jules looked away. “Because I didn’t consider it important. I was not close to my father. However, I had to find out where the box was. I made a promise.”

After a hesitation, he continued. “I did send someone to question Mr. Kerr. When I found out he’d killed him, I had the killer… dispatched. After Mr. Kerr died, I sent someone to question Mrs. Kerr about it.”

Now it made sense why Hannah’s mother had left so suddenly. It could be that in her own way, she’d hoped to distract the men away from Glasgow.

“Why would you want to continue any contact with Hannah? I can relay the information to her.” Henry cleared his throat. “I have asked Hannah to marry me, and she had accepted. However, now she is worried that any affiliation with you would cause damage, socially, to my family. She broke it off. However, I am fighting to remove any reason for her to not marry me.”

The man’s gaze fell and when he lifted it to Henry, there was anger. “And you come to me and ask that I stay away. I am a blemish.”

“After what you’ve told me, how can I not have a negative opinion of you? Your profession alone is harmful to Hannah.”

Jules stood, poured whiskey into a pair of glasses, and offered Henry one, which he took.

“I will visit my sister one time. To explain the circumstances of her father’s death. After, I will never speak to her again.”

“If I know her, she will want a relationship with you,” Henry admitted. “I do wish things were different.”

“If my…sister is anything like me, she will find a way to make things work.”

In his heart, Henry realized the siblings were alike. Hannah had decided the best way forward was for the marriage to be canceled. To continue life without him.

“I believe you and she will find you do have a great deal in common.”

Under different circumstances, Henry would have liked the man. However, whether or not he accepted it, he’d had John Kerr killed. And surely there were gamblers who continued to be harmed for not paying debts. A man who owned gambling dens was never without being part of wrongdoing.

“I hope you understand why I had to come.” Henry placed his glass down and stood. “I want to protect Hannah.”

Jules nodded. There was nothing else to be said.

*

When he arrivedhome late that evening, his mother and father were in the solarium having tea. He walked into the room and sat across from them. “Hannah broke off our engagement.”

His parents exchanged looks.

“You should not have sent that letter,” his father said to his mother. “The poor girl is probably heartbroken.”

Of course his mother would not waver on her stance. “It is for the best. You will see.” She reached for his hand, but Henry moved it. “Darling. There are so many beautiful women. It will be a bit, but you will find that Hannah was not the one for you.”

“I am moving, I have purchased a townhome in the city,” Henry announced. “Father, I no longer require the loan.”