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“King! It’s your father. He says he won’t leave until you speak with him. He says it’s urgent.”
Simon swore violently. “I beg your pardon,” he offered.
Emma blinked rapidly to contain the sudden well of tears over her disappointment at the interruption. Slowly, reality returned. It must be important if his father has paid a call.
“You should go discover what is so urgent,” she mumbled, looking away from him.
“Stay here,” he urged her and then kissed her softly. “This won’t take long.”
SIMON CLOSED THE FALLS of his trousers and then pulled his shirt over his head. Seeing the look of disappointment in her blue eyes all but killed him. He’d be damned if Albert Kingsley would take more than a minute of his time.
Slamming the door to his private rooms behind him, he found Riley standing in the corridor with a scowl lining his face as he noticed the state of Simon’s clothing. The look of derision on Riley’s face confused Simon. It was hardly the first time his second in command had caught him with a woman in his bed.
“Sorry, King, he refused to give me more information.”
He inhaled and then released a long breath. Glancing up at the hulking man who stood a good four inches taller and broader, Simon said, “Indeed.”
“Shall I take her home?”
“No, this will not take long at all. But stand guard and do not let anyone inside.”
“Of course.”
By the time Simon reached his office, he was incensed. Once again, Albert Kingsley had ruined something. He hurled the door open so hard it thumped against the wall.
Albert Kingsley turned with a glare and then a look of relief, which he quickly masked. He’d been staring down at the gaming room, which had only a small number of early gamblers ruining their lives. The slight man had a perpetual frown on his face and was now almost completely bald and gray.
“What is so bloody urgent that you couldn’t wait to see me?”
Albert looked him over. “Did you just now wake? On the wrong side of a whore, I suppose.”
“I have been up since nine and have already conducted two business meetings.” And should have collected rent on the buildings he owned but was distracted by an innocent fair-haired lady. “Now, why are you here, Albert?”
Albert returned to staring down at the gaming room. “How is business these days?”
The idea of murdering the man popped back into his brain. “It is quite well. But I rather doubt that you decided to pay an urgent social call on me to find out how my business is doing.”
“I heard there was an incident with a carriage near Seven Dials,” Albert said, still looking away from him. “I know you tend to drive through the area this time of the month. I thought it might have been your carriage.”
The man seemed to hesitate in asking the question on his mind. Odd. Odder still that Albert knew when he collected rents. “Yes, I heard about that.”
“It was your carriage, wasn’t it?” Albert’s face went pallid.
Simon debated telling him the truth. Normally, Albert would have been gloating and stating that it was a dreadful shame that the rock had missed. “Yes, someone hurled a rock at my carriage. Now since the incident happened only an hour ago, how exactly did you hear about it so quickly?”
He hesitated before saying, “I saw it happen. I was returning from the bakery. Was your passenger injured?”
“No.”
“Thank God,” he whispered as some color returned to his face.
Simon folded his arms over his chest. “What exactly do you know about this, Albert?”
Albert looked away. “Have you been infested with cheats lately?”
“Yes.”
Albert nodded. Raking his fingers through his gray hair, a layer of flour dust floated to the floor. “It is as I feared.” He turned and faced Simon. “Any chance you might offer me some of that fine whisky?”
