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“Thank you, Your Grace,” the Earl gasped, holding the tickets close to his heart as if he were afraid that the dangerous man before him would change his mind.

Daniel merely waved his hand at him dismissively.

“I just have one question, so humor me,” he said softly. “Why did you ever do such a stupid thing when she is already married to me? What did you have to gain by doing such a thing?”

The Earl of Sidmouth hung his head in shame and defeat. Only one soft word emerged from his lips.

“Revenge.”

Daniel raised his eyebrow at that. As if the man could be any more stupid. He really should stop underestimating the idiocy of the rest of the world.

Except Evie, of course. Evie was exceptionally smart, although given to such idealistic notions.

Fortunately, he was there to take care of everything else for her.

“Take him away,” he told his staff with a wave of his hand.

The Earl was finally carted away, with snot and tears running down his face, while Daniel continued to sit there as if in deep thought.

Moments later, he heard the manager clear his throat.

He looked at the man sharply. “What is it?”

“Your Grace, ah… it appears that the, erm, that the Earl of Sidmouth has… well…”

“I did not hire you to stammer in front of me,” Daniel sighed in obvious displeasure.

The manager swallowed audibly and nodded frantically. “It appears that the Earl of Sidmouth has wet himself,” he finally managed to choke out.

“Then rip out the carpet and change the chairs.” Daniel stood up and straightened his jacket. “Keep in mind that we run a reputable establishment—we do not tolerate such unsanitary conditions.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

He walked to the door and then paused and looked over his shoulder.

“Do kindly review the members of the club as well. I believe that there are those who do not need to remain on the list.”

“As you wish, Your Grace.”

In the next few days, there would be an uproar from those that the club would inevitably close its doors to, but that was the price of running a business.

After all, he could not just accept whatever filth came to his front door.

Ashton Hall was empty when he arrived—and not just empty in the sense that it was unoccupied, no.

It was as if all light and laughter had been leached out of his estate. As if not even a speck of joy lingered in its halls.

It was then that he realized that Evie was gone, and with her she had taken all that remained of his humanity.

“Oh, you have arrived.”

He turned to find Caroline standing behind him with her head tilted slightly. Her gray eyes studied him intently, and in them he saw a softness, a sadness that he had never before encountered in his childhood.

It wassympathy, and up until then, Daniel had always thought he had no need of it.

“You look like you could use a nice cup of tea,” she said with a soft smile. “Follow me to the parlor, then.”

He smiled bitterly as he nodded and followed the Dowager Duchess to the parlor, his heart clenching in his chest when he realized that he would not see Evie in that room again.