Page 19

CHAPTER 19

E dwin was enveloped by chaos as soon as he pushed open the door with his right hand and stepped into the gambling hell.

Contrary to the bright afternoon he had just stepped out of, the gambling hell was dimly lit, and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust and see clearly what was happening around him.

It did not matter the number of times he had spent in the establishment; he could never quite get used to it. This was rather ironic, since he was, in fact, a major investor.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he spotted gentlemen huddled together in corners as they played cards and other games. The tables were littered with beers and whisky, and they indulged as they played.

He carefully made his way through the throngs of men.

It was truly a marvel how the gambling hell never ceased to attract customers. Even though it was early afternoon, it was already packed with patrons.

He had only just gotten to the end of the hall when he heard a loud, gruff voice protest, “Let me be!”

Edwin did not need to see the man’s face to know that he was drunk.

“Do you know who I am?” the man slurred.

When Edwin heard scuffling, he finally gave in to his curiosity and looked at the man.

His fine clothing showed that he was a noble, and yet, in his drunken state, he was no better than any scoundrel on the streets of London.

This was one of the reasons why Edwin made sure to never drink too much outside his home. He would never be able to forgive himself if he ever woke up and found out that he had made a fool of himself because he had gotten drunk on some cheap whisky.

“I am a marquess!”

A burly man he recognized as one of Magnus’s guards pulled the drunkard out of his chair. “You must leave, Sir.”

“I do not have to leave. Do you know…”

Judging from the way none of the other patrons spared a look at the exchange, Edwin assumed that it was a frequent occurrence. He tore his gaze away from the spectacle as he rounded the corner.

He did not knock before he stepped into Magnus’s office. His friend, on the other hand, did not seem quite surprised to see him.

“You received my letter,” Magnus said simply.

Edwin nodded.

He rarely went to the gambling hell during the day, but after he received Magnus’s letter so early in the morning and read it, he canceled all his earlier plans and made the journey to his friend’s establishment.

“I just saw your guard throwing out a man who would not stop claiming that he is a marquess,” he said.

“Ah, that would be Granby!” Magnus chuckled. “He is a regular, and once he gets drunk, he would begin to gamble until he loses all his money. I fear that he will gamble away all his fortune someday.”

“I see.” Edwin nodded as he took a seat.

This was one of the inconveniences of running a gambling hell. Many noblemen would get drunk until they could no longer think clearly, and then they would gamble away all their fortunes.

“Instead of taking advantage of his drunkenness and plying him with more alcohol and games, I simply ordered that he be kicked out.” Magnus shrugged.

Edwin understood his friend.

“You are a fair and honest man. A less honest establishment would have been all too happy to take advantage of the drunken man.”

Moreover, Magnus had started a gambling hell to save his family from ruin. His father had squandered the family’s fortune before his death, and he had to rebuild it from scratch. Perhaps this was why he was so particular about running the establishment with integrity and not taking advantage of anyone, even when they were too drunk to notice.

“I am certain the man will be grateful when he sobers up and finds his fortune still intact.”

Magnus shook his head. “Not quite. He will be back tomorrow and attempt to throw away his money, again.”

Edwin could not help but feel relieved that Magnus was handling the day-to-day running of the gambling hell. He did not quite possess the patience to deal with such people.

“Now, about your letter,” he prompted.

Magnus sobered up. “You may need alcohol to help you soften the blow of the news I am about to deliver.”

“News?” Edwin blinked rapidly, confused. “I thought…”

Magnus hit the bell on his table, and one of his men immediately entered the office. “Bring brandy.”

Edwin waited for the man to leave before he said, “I thought you said you had news about Wilbury.”

“Indeed.” Magnus nodded, his lips pressed in a thin line. “But you must know that this is far bigger than Wilbury.”

His man returned with a bottle of brandy and poured each of them a glass.

Edwin immediately took a swig and felt the alcohol warm his chest. “Now, speak,” he urged, fiddling absent-mindedly with the scar on his palm.

The wound had healed fast, in only a matter of weeks, thanks to Ava’s tender care. But a scar remained, reminding him of the night he had been lucky to survive an attack, with only a gashing wound on his palm to show for it.

“I am not quite certain how to bring this up,” Magnus sighed.

“Just spill it out!” Edwin snapped, growing rather impatient.

Why had his friend sent him a letter telling him that he had gathered more information about his attacker if he knew he would be too scared to share the news?

“Fine.” Magnus raised his hands in surrender. “But you must know that I did not want to do this. In fact, if I knew my discovery would be so dire, I would not have even investigated the matter.”

“I assure you, Blackmore, I am prepared for anything you may have discovered.”

Magnus sighed. “Fine, I warned you. You know I promised to hire men to follow Wilbury so we can gather evidence that he sent the man who attacked you.”

Edwin nodded. “Indeed, you did.”

“My men followed him every day for two weeks.”

“Two weeks? Then they must have seen something during that time.”

“Two men followed him every day—one in the day and one at night. And you will find it interesting that they both reported the same thing.”

“What is that?”

“They never saw him meet with any thugs.”

“Oh…” Edwin was rather disappointed. “I suppose I was wrong, then.”

“By the time I am done, you might change your mind.”

Edwin perked up. “Did they discover something noteworthy?”

“You may call it that. You see, the men reported that Wilbury enjoyed staying at home, hunting, and then visiting friends.”

Edwin furrowed his brow. “That is not so odd for a man of his status.”

“At face value, it might not seem so. However, I told them to monitor the frequency of his visits to his friends. And guess what they found out? He would often spend the night in one house in particular—sometimes even three nights in a row.”

Edwin sat up.

Now, that is unusual.

“He spent the night in a friend’s house three times a week?”

Magnus nodded.

“Then that is not a friend.”

“Then, one day, as he was leaving that house, my men caught a glimpse of a lady waving goodbye to him.”

Edwin’s lips twisted. “Ah, old Wilbury has a mistress, doesn’t he? Well, while that is quite a morsel of gossip—and I am certain the idle housewives of the ton would love to hear this news—it does not quite get me any closer to uncovering my attacker’s identity.”

“But you don’t know yet who his lover is—and believe me, I had no choice but to look into it.”

“I do not care. She is probably a light skirt leading an affluent lifestyle thanks to his generosity. If I believed in blackmail, then I might have used that information against him.”

“I assure you, you’ll be happy I looked into it. Out of mere curiosity, I checked the records book of London.”

“Then you must have found the house registered in Wilbury’s name. Why these noblemen take mistresses is simply beyond me. And they spend a fortune on these women, too.”

Magnus shook his head. “That is where I got confused. The house was not registered in Wilbury’s name. Rather, it was registered in your name.”

“My name?” Edwin blinked rapidly, confused. “I have quite a number of properties in London, but that?—”

“That house is currently inhabited by the Dowager Duchess of Gillingham.”

Edwin gasped. He closed his eyes as the room suddenly spun around him and his ears started ringing. He pressed his fingers to his temples as they began to pound.

That was a name he hadn’t heard in so long—and he had hoped to keep it that way.

He struggled to open his eyes before he spoke. “Blackmore, that is my mother.”

Magnus nodded, his face just as grim as he felt.

“Are you saying that my mother is Wilbury’s lover?” Edwin asked.

He simply could not believe his ears.

“I know it is difficult, finding out that the man who may have ordered your death is your mother’s lover,” Magnus continued.

Edwin nodded and took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. “How could they possibly have met? Why are they together?”

“I assure you, I have asked myself these same questions. And aside from the obvious companionship they offer each other, I think something else had pushed them into each other’s arms.”

Edwin’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“ You ,” Magnus replied.

“Well, my mother certainly does not hide the fact that she despises me, and Wilbury does not like me either, not after I took over the business…”

Realization suddenly dawned on Edwin, and his eyes widened.

What his mother and Wilbury had in common was their hatred of him.

“At first, when I had Wilbury followed, I thought he simply hated you because of business. But now that I know he is your mother’s lover, things might be more complicated.”

Edwin chuckled, not out of amusement but rather shock. “This is not the first time my mother has tried to kill me,” he said in a low voice.

It was Magnus’s turn to be shocked. “Tell me that is not true.”

Edwin shook his head. “I may have only mentioned my father’s cruelty to you, but my mother was more cruel. She has hated me from the moment I was born, and she finds great delight in torturing me. In fact, I would say her cruelty left me with more scars than the war did. She even revealed, upon my return to London, that she forced me into the military because she could not stand my presence. She moved out of the house soon after—she simply could not stand being under the same roof as me.”

“I cannot believe a mother could be so cruel.”

“Then you have not met my mother.”

“What if… What if she and Wilbury planned the attack together?” Magnus rubbed his chin.

Edwin nodded. “I already considered that possibility; it seems the most plausible one. My mother and her lover, who also happens to be my competitor, are trying to kill me.”

“What will you do, Gillingham?” Magnus asked. “What if they send another thug after you? What if the attack is deadly this time?”

Edwin pondered on his friend’s words.

He was not afraid of being attacked. Just like the last time, he was certain he could hold his ground. He may sustain some injuries, but no scoundrel off the streets of London could take him out.

“I assure you, I will be ready this time.”

However, as the words left his mouth, he realized with a pang that it was not so easy.

Ava.

Just like the last time, what if he was attacked when she was with him? And unlike the last time, what if she got injured instead of him?

Edwin closed his eyes and attempted to shake off the thought. He simply would not forgive himself if Ava was harmed because of him.

The mere thought of her being attacked made his heart sink with dread.

“What if they attack Ava? I must protect her.”

“Damn right, you must. You are now responsible for her safety.”

Edwin nodded as he rose to his feet. He knew what he must do. “I must pay my mother a visit.”

Magnus gave him an understanding smile.

With that, Edwin hurried out of the gambling hell, his mind set on his destination. He told his driver where to take him and then settled back in his seat, deep in thought.

He knew his mother hated him, and yet he could not help but wonder if her hatred was truly so strong that she would gladly kill him.

However, as he tried to convince himself that she would not do such a thing, he remembered a time when he was far younger and had yet to leave for the military, when she had attempted to kill him.

If she had tried to take his life when he was only a harmless boy, then certainly she would be inclined to do it again, especially now that he was a grown man who could pose a danger to her.

His mind drifted to Ava once again. He could not help but fear that her life was now in danger just because she had married him.

He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.

He was relieved when moments later, the carriage rolled to a stop. He hopped out and stood in front of the house his mother had moved into after his return from the war. It was one of the many houses he had inherited, and he had been more than happy to steer clear of it ever since.

He could not quite prove it, but he was almost certain that his mother had not quite expected him to return from the war when he had. She would have certainly been happy if he had been one of the young boys who succumbed to death.

He drew in a deep breath before taking assured steps towards the front door, where an elderly butler awaited.

“His Grace, the Duke of Gillingham!” the butler announced as he entered the house.

Edwin looked around the foyer. It was far smaller than the one in his house. However, he was certain that his mother preferred living in the smaller house alone, where she could entertain her lover whenever she wanted.

“If you will follow me to the drawing room, Your Grace, while I fetch Her Grace,” the butler urged, scurrying after him.

Edwin shook his head. “Thank you, but I shall wait here for my… for the Dowager Duchess.”

He could not quite bring himself to call her his mother. How could he, when she was the reason he now feared for his wife’s safety?

“I shall inform Her Grace of your presence, then,” the butler said.

“You do not need to inform me. I am already here,” a familiar voice called from the top of the stairs.

Edwin’s head snapped up, and he caught a glimpse of his mother.

The Dowager Duchess was wearing a maroon dress and a hat of the same color. As she descended the staircase, Edwin could not help but note that she seemed not to have aged much. The only sign of aging he could see was the new wrinkle at the corner of her left eye.

She is certainly taking care of herself. For her lover, perhaps.

“Edwin,” she said stiffly as she stopped in front of him.

“Mother,” he returned in the same tone.

Even though his mother was far shorter than him, he still could not deny the power that she wielded. Just her mere presence filled him with dread.

“To what do I owe this visit?” she asked, regarding him with cold eyes. “I suppose you do not expect me to believe that you have only now decided to pay your dear mother a visit.”

Edwin kept his expression neutral, determined not to let any emotion show. He knew his mother would take pleasure in wringing an emotional reaction from him. She might have even orchestrated the attack on him just so he would pay her a visit.

Instead of responding to her question, however, he decided to take a leaf from her book.

He walked past her, further into the foyer, and looked around, a disdainful look on his face.

“This house is rather small, don’t you think?” he remarked.

He saw it, just the slightest twitch in her eyes. She was annoyed.

Good.

He knew the only way to coax the truth out of his mother was to annoy her, and he was determined to do just that today.

“Why are you here?” she asked again. There was an edge to her voice.

“I just cannot help but wonder why a duchess would choose to live in such a small house when she can live in a grand estate with her son—the estate she had spent the better part of her years in.”

Her face contorted into a frown.

“How many rooms are here? Five?” Edwin shook his head as though he pitied her.

“If you only came here to ridicule my home, then I’m afraid I will have you thrown out,” she sneered.

“Thrown out?” He gave a dramatic gasp. “I would certainly love to see you do that. I suppose you think your servants’ wages and the money you spend on your wardrobe just magically appear.”

Now, she was truly annoyed.

“Fine! Take it all away. Take it away and see if I will suffer or want for anything.”

Edwin laughed. “Now, let us not get ahead of ourselves, Mother. I am not taking away your servants or your allowance. But even if I did, you would not be so bothered now, would you?” He took small, deliberate steps towards her. “After all, you have Wilbury to take care of you.”

She let out a small gasp, and her face paled in shock.

Edwin smiled in satisfaction. He did not wait for a response before continuing. “I cannot help but wonder what the ton would think if word gets out that the respected Dowager Duchess of Gillingham is conducting a passionate love affair with the married Lord Wilbury.”

“Lower your voice!” she hissed, her eyes darting around frantically. “Or do you want the entirety of London to know?”

Edwin shrugged one shoulder. “I suppose I would not mind. Who knows, I might even give the newspaper a hint of where to hide so they can see the good Earl leave your house at dawn. You would love that, wouldn’t you?”

“Edwin,” the Dowager Duchess said in a calm voice.

Her face was back to the tauntingly calm expression she had on when she descended from the staircase earlier.

Edwin was not daunted. He knew that a storm was brewing beneath her calm exterior, especially now that he had revealed her secret.

“Now, would you tell me why you are truly here?” she pressed. “We both know if you wanted to hint to the newspaper about my affair with Wilbury, you would have done it already, instead of coming to my house and engaging in a rather meaningless conversation.”

Edwin shook his head. “You do not know that I will not reveal your secret.”

The Dowager Duchess laughed. “I know if you wanted to do it, you would have.”

“Are you calling my bluff?”

She nodded. “Indeed, I am. Now, tell me what you are here for, or leave my house this instant.”

Edwin threw his hands up in surrender. “You are right. I would never go to the newspaper. You are my mother, after all, even if you do not possess any motherly instinct.”

His mother smiled. Edwin knew she took his last statement as a compliment.

“I would rather casually mention your affair at the next ball while standing next to some of the ton’s most notorious gossips. I am certain the news would reach Lady Wilbury before daybreak.”

Her lips thinned.

Edwin knew she was now distressed. “Imagine the field day the gossip rags would have. It would be the scandal of the century.” He gave a dramatic gasp. “ The Dowager Duchess of Gillingham taking a married earl as a lover in her old age .”

“You may expose me, but you must remember that we are family,” the Dowager Duchess said. “Whatever ridicule I face will certainly affect you and your offspring. It is the way of the ton.”

“Indeed, we are family, and I would have certainly given it some thought. And yet I can’t help but remember—you did not seem to care that I was your blood before you tried to have me killed.”

The Dowager Duchess rolled her eyes. “Is that what this tantrum is all about?”

Edwin was taken aback by how easily she admitted to it. “I am surprised you did not try to deny it.”

“If this is about my forcing you into the military when you were only a boy, then I should be impressed that you finally seem to have developed feelings.”

The military?

“You think this is about you forcing me into the military?” He was rather amused.

“What is this about, then?” She looked genuinely confused that he was almost inclined to believe that she truly did not have an idea what he was talking about. “I simply cannot keep track of all the grudges you hold against me, Edwin.”

“I am talking about the man you and your lover sent to attack me. I will not allow you and your lover to harm me and my wife,” he snarled.

“What!” His mother staggered backward.

Edwin was confused.

“I would never send anyone to kill you.” She shook her head fervently. “I may not like you. In fact, I despise you, but I would never do anything of the sort.”

Could she perhaps be telling the truth?

Edwin was at a loss for words. He had come to his mother’s house with the belief that she had tried to get him killed. However, now that she had denied it, he was not sure how to proceed.

As he studied her shocked expression, he realized she was telling the truth.

The Dowager Duchess was a lot of things, but she was certainly not a liar. If she truly had a hand in the attack, she would have been too happy to admit to it. She would have even gloated about it.

Edwin laughed bitterly. “Then I suppose I should be happy that you are, for once, dallying with a man who is far more cruel than you could ever be.”

His mother’s eyes hardened. “Are you suggesting that Wilbury ordered the attack?”

“Why do you look so surprised? Your lover does not inform you about every single one of his criminal activities?”

“If you were wrong about me having a part in the attack, don’t you think you might be wrong about Wilbury, too?” she argued. “I can imagine that you have plenty of enemies in the ton.”

“I assure you, I am not wrong.” Edwin shook his head vehemently. “Your lover is the only person who hates me enough to tell anyone who would give him an inch that I have made a business deal with the devil. Besides, I only just snatched a profitable business from him, and he is rather bitter about it.”

The Dowager Duchess nodded. “Wilbury can be sensitive when it comes to his business,” she admitted.

“Are you saying that you took this man as a lover even though you knew he is less than honorable?”

“Oh, please, Edwin. I had no idea he was a violent man. I simply assumed he was passionate about his business and would do anything to protect it. I did not know he would kill for it.”

“And now that you know, what will you do?” Edwin asked. “Now that you know that your lover attempted to take your son’s life, what will you do?”

For what might be the first time ever, his mother’s eyes softened, and she looked remorseful. For a moment, he even thought he saw tears in her eyes.

“Now that you have told me what kind of man Wilbury is, I know what to do.”

She had not said it in plain words, but Edwin understood what she meant. She would break things off with the Earl.

He felt a rush of gratitude, but it only lasted a moment before he remembered all the horrible things she had done to him and how he had suffered because of her.

His gratitude was instantly replaced by an intense wave of disdain.

This single act cannot make up for the years of torture I suffered because of her.

“I am surprised you wish to cut things off with your lover,” he taunted. “Have you suddenly grown a conscience, Mother?”

“Edwin!”

“I must tell you, though. It is rather too late. A cruel mother such as yourself would?—”

Whack!

Edwin felt the sharp sting on his cheek before he registered what happened. He went still, stunned for a moment.

The sound of a familiar gasp snapped him back to the present, and his eyes darted around in search of its source. He was dumbfounded when he spotted Ava standing by the door, her eyes wide in surprise.

His wife had just watched him get slapped by his mother.

“Ava!” he called as he rushed towards her.