Page 12 of A Duchess to Unravel (The Devil’s Masquerade #3)

CHAPTER SIX

“ J olly good effort there, old boy,” Dominic praised, clapping Alistair on the back.

“Effort?” Hugo chortled. “He obliterated. He obliterated all of us.”

“Not me,” Everett pointed out, slurring as he poured himself another drink. “I remained seated with my drink as I knew I stood no chance.”

Alistair, along with Tristan, Hugo, and Dominic, all chuckled as they poured their sore, sweat-soaked bodies into chairs.

He’d been invited along to box with them after a day spent in meetings.

They’d warmed up all together, then matched.

Dominic with Tristan, Hugo with Alistair.

Tristan and Hugo first lost, then again when Tristan switched to oppose Alistair and Dominic to oppose Hugo.

Twice defeated, Hugo and Tristan then sat out as Dominic and Alistair went their rounds.

Alistair noted their differing styles. Hugo fought more from the heart. Dominic, his most intense opponent, fought with both head and heart. He was also closest in size and had nearly bested Alistair. Nearly.

Tristan was the most logical and calm with his punches- even though Alistair picked up a sense of fury straining to be withheld.

Even though the man was keeping it well hidden, Alistair had seen emotion flicker through the man’s eyes when he’d thrown his punches.

He suspected that the man was not as at-ease with how Alistair went after Theo the other night as he wanted to seem.

Alistair could not blame him for that. He did not exactly operate as a gentleman that night. Even he had been surprised at his own forwardness with her. There was just something about the woman that brought out a side of him that he was normally so good at keeping under control.

“I appreciate you all including me this evening,” Alistair stated presently, accepting a drink from Everett, “It is good to get a row in every now and then. Keeps the head clear.”

“Indeed, it does,” Tristan agreed his tone clipped. He waved off a drink from Everett as he toweled off his sweat, then stood and reached for his shirt.

“You are not leaving already, are you?” Everett asked him, looking at Tristan as if he’d betrayed him.

“I must,” Tristan sighed, getting dressed.

“The eligible gentlemen I invited were all put off by my sister’s behavior last night. So now I must try to devise another way for her to find a suitor.” Alistair detected the annoyance, perhaps even desperation in Tristan’s voice.

“They were not decent men anyway,” Alistair stated, trying to put Tristan at ease.

“You do not know them,” Tristan scoffed.

Alistair chose not to take offense to the man’s tone, chalking it up again to stress, and replied, “I know enough just by the way they conversed about business last night. They were all too eager to make the other look less impressive. It is why I will not be doing business them.”

Tristan paused, as did the other men at the table, and looked at Alistair in surprise.

“We are the only ones to be a part of this deal with your brewery?” Hugo asked.

“I have another deal I want to make with Banfield, Curtis, Green, and Fenwick,” Alistair explained, “But I will not conduct business with any others.”

“You seemed so eager to widen your social circle,” Dominic said, a subtle shake of his head, “I do not understand.”

“This circle is wide enough,” Alistair responded, gesturing around the table. “I want a small group of men I can entrust with my businesses once I return to Scotland, not anything beyond that.”

“Those were good men at the party. They would have been assets to you,” Tristan stated.

His tone was too defensive for Alistair’s liking, as was the hard stare Tristan was giving him. He was far from the cordial man who had welcomed Alistair into his home last night, but Alistair was not surprised. He’d suspected that had just been a mask.

“They can be assets to someone else,” Alistair replied calmly, meeting Tristan’s gaze. “Just like they can court someone else other than your sister.”

Everett suddenly cleared his throat as Tristan sneered, and Hugo and Dominic snapped their eyes to their friend.

“Ease back there, old gent,” Everett warned.

“Tristan can be quite protective of--”

“I can speak for myself,” Tristan bit out, shocking his friends.

Alistair stood. It was unfair, really, as it made Tristan have to look up at him, which was obviously only darkening his mood further. He sneered at Alistair, but Alistair kept his expression calm as he walked around the table to speak to Tristan face to face.

“Easy,” Dominic said slowly.

“You do not know my sister. Do not dare try to speak for her,” Tristan said quickly, ignoring his friend’s warning.

“I would not dare,” Alistair replied. “I am, however, stating that I would wish to be considered as a suitor to her.”

The look of surprise on Tristan’s face was genuine and it almost made Alistair laugh.

“ You?” Tristan asked in disbelief.

“What is so strange about that? My business and money are good enough but my hand in marriage is not?” Alistair asked.

“No,” Tristan responded, shaking his head. “You just said that you were moving back to Scotland, which would mean Theo would leave too. She is the only family I have left I cannot allow her to move out of the country.”

“Not exactly,” Alistair replied, “I need a marriage of convenience, as does she. When I leave, she may stay behind if she wishes. It would solve both of our problems.”

“She is not a means of convenience!” Tristan snarled.

“Is that not why you are trying to marry her off?” Alistair countered. “You want the convenience of not having to worry about her anymore?”

A growl erupted from Tristan’s throat as he lunged at Alistair, who did not flinch as Everett, Hugo, and Dominic all flew to their friend to hold him back.

“Tristan, calm down!” Hugo commanded.

“What has gotten into you? Alistair is our friend now, and business partner,” Dominic stated, his tone urging for logic.

“Do not worry about that,” Alistair replied, “I am not a man who makes emotional decisions or is easily offended. This little … interaction will not interfere with our business relationship.”

As if Tristan was remembering for the first time they were now indeed business partners, he loosened his tense stance and gave a furtive look to his friends to let him go. They looked at him dubiously but obliged.

“Apologies, Alistair,” he said tersely, “My friends are correct. I do tend to get a bit protective of my sister.”

Alistair nodded and took a step back. When he did so Tristan returned to getting dressed as he said, “Which is why, though generous, I am politely declining your offer to marry her. No offense at all, but she has shared with me that she finds you quite loathsome.”

Alistair’s lips twitched. He could detect a hint of truth in Tristan’s statement but even so, he was sure the man was saying so to get one last swipe at him.

“Of course, well, we would not want her married to someone she finds loathsome, would we?” He replied, getting his own swipe in.

Tristan’s eyes darkened as Alistair said ‘we’, but he nodded.

“Indeed,” he agreed.

“Come in. What is it?” Alistair called, shrugging out of his shirt.

It was late, and he had just arrived home from the club.

After Tristan had left, Hugo and Dominic, even Everett, had felt the need to apologize repeatedly for Tristan’s outburst; stating repeatedly that it was not like him.

Alistair had assured them over and over that their new business was not in jeopardy, but it was only after he’d bought them multiple drinks and gotten them thoroughly foxed that they had finally let the issue go.

“Apologies for the interruptions, Your Grace,” Robert, Alistair’s butler replied, opening the door. “But there is a lady downstairs for you, insisting that she speak to you right away.”

Alistair’s brow rose with intrigue, then he frowned. Robert had told him that there had been several callers seeking his audience. All of them older ladies, leaving him messages to consider an outing with their daughters.

God, do not let it be another mother, he silently prayed.

“What sort of lady?” Alistair asked.

“Young. Comely. Small scar under her eye.”

Alistair’s agitation vanished and he could not help but smirk. If Tristan only knew where his sister was, he’d be losing his mind.

“I shall see her,” Alistair replied, already walking toward Robert.

“Your Grace, wait,” Robert said hastily, holding up a hand, stopping him, “You cannot go downstairs like that!”

Alistair chortled and walked around his butler.

“She is the one who has come to my home in the middle of the night, Robert. I am not the one that needs to worry about propriety.”

His smirk grew into a satisfied smile as he jogged down the stairs toward a wide-eyed Theo.

“Well, well, look who has decided to take me up on my--”

Alistair’s words were cut off as a ball of paper hit him directly between the eyes. It didn’t hurt, but it stunned him into silence. He looked down at the crumbled thing at his feet, then back up at Theo, who was no longer wide-eyed and blushing, but staring at him in rage.

“Clearly you are not that impressed,” he said dryly, folding his arms over his broad, muscled chest.

“Why would I be?” She quipped back. “You are clearly not that impressive.”

Alistair raised a brow as he took a step toward her. Theo immediately took a step back, her forest green cloak swaying from the quickness.

“That is not what you thought at the Masquerade,” he answered sarcastically.

“Theo’s eyes widened then narrowed, her anger radiating off of her like waves of heat. Alistair dropped his laissez faire attitude, held up his hands in surrender, and took a step back.

“Pray, Miss Theo, if it is not to take accept my offer, tell me what brings you to my home,” he paused for a moment before adding, “alone and so late.”

Theo pulled an arm from her cloak and pointed to the crumpled paper on the floor, still glaring at him.