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McDermott nodded slowly. “He’s let most of the servants go. There’s just an old couple left who do everything. When I heard that, I thought it might pay to do a bit of investigating inside, so I slipped in one night.”
He exchanged grins with Luc. “I expected to find the house had been stripped. Figured he let the servants go to save money. I was right in that there wasn’t anything there of value but not because it’s been recently stripped. You’d usually see marks on the walls where pictures had been removed, that sort of thing, but there’s nothing like that. Looking at the furniture and everything, I suspect there’s never been anything of value there. Not for a very long time. Used it as a place to send all their old stuff, I think.”
“So you didn’t find anything of use.”
McDermott’s lips stretched into a wide smile. “Depends on what you reckon is of use, my lord. I can tell you for a fact he is in debt. One of the drawers in his desk held a large pile of papers. Turned out they were bills—lots of bills going back a fair while. Also vowels—from the number, he’s got a bad gambling habit. I only got as far as the first drawer. Heard someone coming, so I had to scarper, and I can’t tell you the amount, but it was a lot.”
McDermott scratched his head. “Apart from that, well, no one comes to visit. Danielson doesn’t seem to have any friends. Even those he meets in the inn don’t seem that friendly with him. Goes to the taproom, you see, so not his sort of people. Just drinks and gambles with whoever is there, no one in particular. Mostly loses too. I can’t hardly ever remember seeing a worse gambler.”
McDermott shifted on his seat, moving forward slightly. “He’s leaving for London this morning. Told the old people he won’t be back for a week or two. Do you want me to go to London?”
“It will be interesting to see what he does there. His movements could prove quite telling.” Luc tapped his fingers on the desk. “Can your brother watch him in London?”
McDermott nodded.
“Then stay here and await Danielson’s return. In the meantime, you can continue to investigate his activities here and keep an eye on the ladies at the manor.”
“Yes, my lord. I’ll let Liam know. He will do a fine job.”
Luc was certain he would. McDermott’s younger brother was also a former boxer. Since their retirement, they handled delicate jobs for a very select client list drawn primarily from London’s ton.
Luc had yet to figure out how they were able to blend into the background and be invisible when the occasion warranted it. Although not tall, they were very well-built men. Patrick McDermott’s broken nose should also have made him memorable, but somehow people just didn’t seem to notice.
Leaving the estate office, he pondered Danielson’s absence. His going to London was convenient as there was only so much business Luc could attend to from a distance. There were pressing business matters in the capital he needed to see to but hadn’t wanted to leave Ria. He could also check on his solicitor’s investigation into Danielson.
He gave a heavy sigh. It would be so much easier if Ria would tell him what was going on. He could think of only one reason that she hadn’t. His stomach clenched as he finally admitted the truth to himself.
She didn’t trust him.
It hurt. A lot. But he couldn’t blame her. Not with his past behavior.
He walked into his bedchamber where his valet was putting shirts into one of the drawers. “Mitchell, we are going to London on the morrow.”
“Very good, my lord.”
In the open drawer, he caught sight of Persephone’s garter. She’d left it behind in her rush to leave. He picked it up and lifted it to his nose. There was still a faint trace of lavender. After one last glance, he tossed it aside.
With a small tsk his valet picked it up. “What shall I do with this, my lord?”
“Dispose of it.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Without a backward glance, Luc left the room.
20
London, February 1814
Looking out at the London street from his town house window, Luc could hardly believe it was only a week since he had left Little Bridgeton. It seemed longer. But his business affairs were now in order. There was nothing to keep him in town.
During the day he had conducted business, while most evenings he’d gone to White’s where he caught up with those of his acquaintance who were at the club. Most of his friends were out of town, but there were still enough around for him to have an entertaining time. If that was what he’d wanted.
He always had a pleasant enough time at his club, but whenever they’d left to go elsewhere, he had declined and gone home. To bed. Alone.
He knew why. Now he had to decide what to do about it.
He left the room and had just reached the foot of the stairs when the front door knocker sounded.
