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“Oh… more than justsomething, I assure you.” The Duke of Ash grinned at him. “But you better bathe and get yourself cleaned up. I would rather discuss the information in my possession with a member of the civilized world.”

“Damn you, Ashton.”

Daniel’s reply was a mere grin. “Thank you for the compliment. Now, get yourself cleaned up. You have a viscount to take care of.”

CHAPTER 35

Seated in his chair with a new glass of brandy, freshly washed, shaven, and immaculately dressed, Ethan had never felt a more intense need to plant his fist in someone’s face at that moment—particularly the Viscount Dexford’s.

Has the man no redeemable qualities at all?

According to Daniel, he did not, which was just as well because Ethan was not planning to give him any quarter after everything his friend had told him.

“When looking for these sorts of things, answers can most often be found in less reputable establishments,” Daniel told him with a wry smile. “Imagine my surprise when I found a familiar name coming up inmybusinesses all over the city.”

Most gentlemen would never openly admit to owning a gambling hell, but Daniel was not most men. Unlike Ethan andthe other Wolves, he had not grown up with the privilege of a title and was more familiar with the dark underbelly of London.

Gambling hells, whorehouses… he knew them all. Once he had acquired enough funds, he opened his own as well.

“From there, it took very little effort,” he continued. His eyes flicked up to Ethan’s. “The man hasnothingto his name. He is barely hanging onto his current estate. He owes everyone we know money. Hell, he even owesmemoney.”

Ethan sucked in a harsh breath. “That means that his betrothal with Phoebe?—”

“Was most probably for her dowry. The man barely has anything to rub together. Certainly not money.” Daniel raised the glass of brandy to his lips. “He is very good at hiding it, though. If you do not look too closely, you would hardly be able to tell.”

“But you saw right through him?”

Daniel flashed him a grin over his glass. “Desperation has a certain scent that I am most familiar with.” He set his glass down and stood up. “What you do with this information is up to you. My wife cautions you to plan your next steps carefully, though—they are not too pleased with you.”

I can only imagine…

“I know.” Ethan winced. “I am not too pleased with myself either.”

“A word of advice, then, if you will—catch him with his own words. Vermin like him are more likely to gloat once they think they have won.”

“He has not,” Ethan growled.

His friend shrugged his broad shoulders. “Not yet, at least. It all depends on what you do next.”

Much later, after Daniel had left him alone to his thoughts, Ethan finally got up from his desk and rang for Morton.

“Prepare the carriage,” he instructed.

He swore he saw the butler’s eyes light up. “Will you be fetching the Duchess, Your Grace?”

Ethan shot the man a warning look, but Morton did not even flinch.

Barely a quarter of a year as a duchess and she already has the loyalty of the servants…

But what was so unusual about that? Phoebe had even capturedhisheart, which presumably ceased to exist a long time ago.

She simply had a talent for making the impossible very much possible.

Ethan could not help but smile with pride when he thought of her once more.

“I will do my best, Morton,” he promised. “But before that, I will need to take care of some things first.”

His first stop was, of course, Dexford House, that sprawling, ostentatious piece of property that was the residence of none other than the Viscount Dexford.