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“We share a similar sense of justice,” he noted.
This time, Satrine pegged him with her eyes.
And she agreed, “We absolutely do.”
When she gave him this, Loren made a decision, set his fork down and straightened in his chair.
“Winnow Dupont, the madam of the bordello running the extortion scheme, ruined lives. How frank would you like me to be?”
“As frank as you can,” she invited.
He accepted her invitation.
“Farrell perhaps gave in to a moment of weakness, regardless, he behaved poorly. He had a favorite, and he assured me his intent in being there was to say good-bye to her prior to his nuptials.”
He lifted his hand when she opened her mouth to interrupt.
Then he carried on.
“Agreed. He could have done that in a café. But he did not. And we both know why. He bears responsibility. But in that scenario, two hearts were broken by Dupont’s greed, not simply one. And then there are others. Some who should not have been unfaithful to their wives. Some who simply have proclivities that are no one’s business. She made them the business of people who were in the position to react and had the power to do something about it. Men lost wives, loves, but also employment, status, stature, not to mention quite a bit of money. I carry no judgment as to how a man finds his pleasure. Others, sadly, do. If he enjoys being tied up, or the company of another man, or a woman taking control, this means nothing to me. But men have slunk away in shame, and at least one took his own life, because it means something to others.”
“Took his own life?”
Loren nodded.
Satrine let that settle before she angrily stabbed at her eggs, asking, “Are the police involved in taking down this scheme?”
He knew the word “police,” he’d just never heard it used in that manner.
They had constabularies and constables. If reduced to slang it was bobby or copper.
The verb was to police, not the noun.
As this was more than likely another indication of how she used language unexpectedly due to the fact her circle had been egregiously small her entire life, he didn’t remark on this.
“Yes. It’s my understanding Dupont is currently awaiting her own trial. But even in jail, people can scheme and issue orders. With the money she earned, she can buy quite a bit of loyalty.”
She swallowed her bite and asked, “Is it true what Marlow said? About you leaving this loose end because she’s a woman?”
“Darling, I think you understand now when I say the others who confronted me that night were neutralized. So yes, I draw the line at doing that to a woman.”
“That’s sweet,” she whispered.
He smiled at her.
“And totally short-sighted.”
He frowned.
She speared more egg, and before putting it in her mouth, announced, “We have to defuse her.”
His voice was dangerous when he asked, “We?”
She swallowed, opened her mouth, and…
“Jolly good!” Ansley decreed, strolling in.
They both turned in his direction and watched as Loren’s father went direct to Satrine, bent and kissed the side of her head.
“Dear daughter, good morning,” he bid. He turned to Loren. “Son. You look well this morning. Very well. Considering.”
Before Loren could reply, Ansley turned and headed to the covered dishes on the sideboard.
“Your grace, I—” Satrine began, and Loren took in the pink tingeing her cheeks, and he knew it was about the dressing gown…and how that referenced Loren’s earlier creativity.
Ansley scooped eggs and declared, “This is the best start to the day I’ve had in six months, maybe a year. Coming upon two people I love at my breakfast table.”
Satrine’s eyes came to him, her cheeks pinker, but Loren sensed they were now thus for a different reason.
She’d had a detestable father.
And now she had Ansley.
Loren settled contentedly in that knowledge as Ansley finished his plate and sat at the round table with them.
“That was a lovely thing to say,” Satrine told him.
Ansley reached for the coffeepot, his regard on her.
“What is mine is my son’s, and it’s soon to be yours, and I enjoy sharing it.”
Loren suspected, even if his father was regarding Satrine, that remark was, in part, aimed at Loren.
The next definitely was.
“So I hope Loren doesn’t go about the realm buying his own properties where we already have them so you both can be at home in your homes and keep me company well into the future when we’re near to each other.”
“And that’s even lovelier,” she replied.
Ansley poured coffee. “I’m further pleased at your demonstration of patience and loyalty, my dear, but I hope a certain someone at this table learned his lesson last night.”
Loren sighed, sat back, and reached for his own cup.
“I did my best,” Satrine chirped, looking at him and winking.
“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered.
“Son, a lady is in our midst,” Ansley admonished.
“Father, my intended not only enjoys my foul mouth, she has one of her own that I feel it’s safe to say I enjoy far more.”
