.
Rachel heard the invitation, and knew she could go, because it was clear that she couldn’t control herself where he was concerned. “I already have plans.” And she truly did. There was a dinner party she’d been invited to. Aunt Esther was coming with her, though such events were the worst for people who could hardly hear.
Reuben’s next words stunned her. “You already gave me your word that you would come.”
She removed the rag and looked at him, his hand now cold and clammy, but still between hers. “You told me to stay away from you.”
“But Lady Esther would enjoy the trip much more than a dinner party, and I’ve always liked that woman.” His calm green eyes gave nothing away, but she could hear the honesty in those words. It was likely that he was in fact, doing this for Aunt Esther.
She reached for the bandage and slowly began to bind him, as she thought. She didn’t have to think long. “I’m sorry, but I must attend the dinner.” She would take her aunt another time— a time when she was sure Reuben would not be there. With his hand bandaged, she stood. He stood as well, but she refused to meet his eyes as she moved to the door. “I’ll go say my goodbyes, and then head home. Good day, Lord Eastridge.” He didn’t stop her, and she ignored the pain as she wished her friends goodbye, and promised to keep Alicia in her prayers, before leaving.
REUBEN REMAINED in the room, deciding to tend to the window, rather than join his family in Alicia’s office, but not just so he could see that Rachel, Rose, and Alexandra made it safely into her carriage, but also, because of the man he saw approaching the door. The hired guard allowed Barney into the house. The dragoon walked swiftly to Reuben and handed him a note, speaking as he did so.
“Lord Eastridge. This is from Lord Jasper.”
Reuben took the note but frowned. “Jasper gave this to you? How did he know we knew one another?”
Barney shook his head. “I have no clue, but the man apparently knew I’d been hired to follow him.”
It was likely that the former military man had simply used the skills he’d learned as a soldier, but it was even more likely that Jasper simply knew everything that happened around his club— even outside of it.
Barney went on, as Reuben broke the seal. “After you left the club, he made some inquiries and may have found something. He gave it to me to give it to you, and to make sure you knew that it didn’t come from him.”
Reuben read the note, and a series of emotions came over him, all hitting him so quickly that he couldn’t tell one from the other. He read the note again and then looked at Barney. “Did he share how he came into this information?”
Barney shook his head. “If you want, you can ask him yourself, but it’s likely he wishes to wash his hands of the mess entirely.”
“Why do you say that?” Reuben asked as he pocketed the note.
Barney’s eyes narrowed. “He seemed anxious, my lord.”
Reuben nodded. “Thank you. Now, I have a new man I wish for you to follow.”
Barney straightened, as if it were possible.
Reuben lowered his voice before he said the name that had been written on the note. “Lord Castell.”
Barney, to his credit, didn’t show an ounce of shock at hearing the royal name. There was a blink and then a bow, before he left to do exactly as he’d been asked.
Reuben had to speak to Jasper, to make sure what he’d just read was correct. Was Lord Castell the assassin?
He remained by the window long after that, until Matthew came, the perfect distraction. Together, they found wood to block the broken glass, until a new one could be ordered and made. They were finished by the time Chris and Nash came to seek him out. They were the last men he wanted to see.
Nash was grinning, in a way Reuben knew the man knew would irritate him. Chris, on the other hand, was expressionless. His dark eyes, their usual calm.
Reuben turned to the only person he didn’t mind speaking to, but sadly, it was only to send him away. “Thank you for your help.”
Matthew grinned and then left.
Chris started speaking the moment they were alone. “We need to discuss what we’re going to do about the Blue Blood Coalition.” His eyes cut to Nash, when he saw the man was about to speak. “A civilized response.”
“Why are we the ones who need to be civil?” Nash began to pace, his fists balled at his side before he thrust them into the air. “It’s not fair.”
“Do you want to go back to prison?” Reuben asked. “Do you want to make Rose and Alexandra cry again? Never see their children grow?”
That cooled Nash, but only slightly. “We have a duty to the children here. We can’t allow these mad men to attack innocent souls.”
Chris’ eyes widened. “Well, then, that’s it.”
Nash’s eyes cut to him. “What’s it?”
We’ll start a campaign on that.” Chris leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets. “We’ll run articles in the paper about the Blue Blood Coalition injuring the innocent, children who’ve already been abandoned, and have little else, but the very lives that the rich terrorize.”
Reuben hummed as he assessed the words. “That will not go over well.” Commoners, and those of the aristocracy who had a heart, would never stand for small children being hurt. “It’ll make the Blue Blood Coalition seem barbaric and very ungentlemanly.”
Nash crossed his arms and nodded. “That should stop any more attacks of this sort, and likely cool the Blue Blood Coalition down for a time, but it won’t stop them all together.”
“No, it won’t,” Chris said. “But it’s a solution for the moment. Now, all we need is to find editors who would be willing to run the story.”
Nash said, “I can ask Lord Iverstone. He knows a few editors.” The Duke of Iverstone was the Scottish lord who’d set Nash free, after Nash had saved his youngest son’s life in prison. Now, Nash worked for the Scottish lord as a boxing instructor, while doing other odd jobs on the side.
Chris nodded at him. “Get on it, then.”
Nash left ,with anger still burning in his eyes.
Once they were alone, Chris turned to Reuben. “Are you all right?”
It took everything in Reuben not to flex his hand, and prevent it from healing quickly. “I’ll be fine… if you two would leave Rachel alone.”
Chris’ expression didn’t change, but he colored. “She caught me off guard.” Just as she’d done to Reuben.
He went over to the couch and sat. He used his good hand to run it through his hair. “It’s not wise for her to dress that way. She attracts enough attention, by her face, alone.” And then there was the note. Reuben stared at Chris. “Close the door.”
His brother didn’t hesitate to act, and then crossed to sit by Reuben. “What’s going on?”
Reuben decided that if there was anyone he could share this information with, it was Chris, because Chris was the only man in the world who knew everything about him, and Reuben knew Chris could say the same about him. They were the eldest in the Smith family, had both witnessed one another at their worst, and seen each other out of it.
Reuben took a breath. “The Duke of Yall hired me to find a man who may be out to assassinate the king. I’ve just been informed that the assassin could very well be Lord Castell.”
Chris did react, then. He stood, but didn’t walk away. Instead, he stared at the door, mute. Then he looked down at Reuben. “Could this be a set-up? Is it possible that you are walking into a trap?”
“To what gain?” Reuben asked.
“To have your title removed from you?” Chris asked. “To see you hanged for treason? This could be the way the Blue Blood Coalition ensures that no one but the blue-blooded ever hold a title.”
“It’s possible,” Reuben confessed. Which meant he’d have to be very careful.
“Does anyone know?” Chris asked.
Reuben didn’t need to inquire on what the question was about. “No one knows that the Duke of Yall is my father, besides you and me. Not even Yall, himself.”