Page 19 of Her Scandalous Rake (The Worthington Legacy #8)

H eavy clouds filled the night sky, making the evening appear darker than normal as Tristan walked to the men’s club where he and his brother, Trey, visited frequently. Although Trey would probably not be here, he enjoyed more spending time at home with his wife. Their good friend, Dominic, Marquess of Hawthorne, would probably be playing some card game, and winning. Tristan almost hoped to see his brother, Trey tonight. It would be easier to explain what was going on if both Trey and Nic were in the same room.

He hurried inside and gave his overcoat and top hat to the footman. Tristan strolled into the main room in search of his brother. Most of the tables were surrounded by men drinking and visiting. At first nobody looked at him, which suited Tristan just fine. Finally, one gent sitting at the closest table met Tristan’s eyes. The man gasped and nearly spilled his drink as it fell from his fingers.

“Lord Tristan.”

The trickle effect was rather astonishing. Once Tristan’s name was spoken, gasps exploded around the room—his name on most everyone’s tongue. Soon whispers overrode the gasps until the room buzzed with Lord Tristan. Surprised faces stared dumbstruck at him as if he’d risen from the grave. This expression was very familiar to Tristan since many had looked that way when he returned from the dead not too long ago.

He inclined his head briefly, but didn’t say anything. As another footman walked by carrying empty wine glasses, Tristan said, “Excuse me, but can you tell me if Lord Trey and Lord Hawthorne are here?”

“Yes, my lord. They are in the blue room.”

“I thank you.” Relieved to hear his brother was here as well as their mutual friend, Tristan flipped a gold coin to the man before hurrying in that direction.

When he entered the parlor, his younger brother and Dominic were in conversation with two other gentlemen. Each man held a glass of wine. Tristan found it odd that they all wore the same, sour expressions.

When Tristan stepped further into the room, the floor boards groaned beneath his feet. Trey was the first one to snap his attention in Tristan’s direction. His brother gasped, then sprang from his chair. The piece of furniture tipped over behind him and fell to the floor in a loud crash.

This sparked the other men into spinning around to look at Tristan. Their jaws dropped as shock registered on their wide-eyed expressions.

“Tristan!” Trey wrapped Tristan in a hug. When Trey pulled away, he glared through hooded eyes. “Where in the blazes have you been these past few days?”

Forcing himself to chuckle, Tristan walked to the table. It touched him to know his brother cared so much. Dominic jumped to his feet and shook Tristan’s hand heartily.

“Thank the Lord you are back safe, my good man. Please tell us what happened. There was so much gossip we didn’t know what to believe.”

“Forgive me for worrying you all.” Tristan glanced at the other two men and nodded. “Lord Gilbert. Lord Caldwell.”

The men stood and shook Tristan’s hand.

“I see you are not playing cards.” Tristan motioned to the table. “It’s not often I see Trey and Hawthorne in the same room without cards in their hands and a stack of bills in front of them.”

“Tristan,” Trey said with irritation in his voice. “Quit skirting around the question. Where were you?”

“We heard you had been kidnapped,” Caldwell said.

“Indeed I was, Caldwell.” Tristan sat then the other men followed as they gathered around the table. He studied Gilbert and Caldwell. The older men were friends of Hawthorne’s family and had been kind to Tristan’s mother. At times he wondered if these men were interested in her, yet they never let their feelings show. Tristan really didn’t know if he trusted them enough to tell them what truly happened.

Clearing his throat, he drummed his fingers on the table. “I was kidnapped by a woman who thought to exact revenge when I had nearly ruined her reputation a few years back.”

All eyes widened in disbelief. Seconds later, Dominic snorted a laugh and Trey shook his head.

“You must be joking,” Trey muttered.

“I’m gravely serious, dear brother.”

“How did you escape?” Hawthorne asked with a smirk on his mouth.

Tristan wagged his brows. “I charmed my way out if you must know.”

He waited for their reaction, but it didn’t happen as quickly as he figured it should. But within moments, they all barked with laughter. Grinning, Tristan relaxed in his chair.

“Who is the lady?” Gilbert asked.

Tristan held up his hand and shook his head. “I have already ruined her reputation enough. I shan’t do anymore damage.”

Caldwell arched a thick, white eyebrow. “I see you escaped unscathed.”

“Indeed, I did.”

Trey released a heavy sigh. Sitting back in his chair, he linked his fingers together and rested them on his mid-section. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear you have returned home at the most unfortunate time.”

Studying his younger brother, Tristan tapped his finger on the table. The sour look was back upon Trey’s face—just as it had been when Tristan first walked into the room. “Why do you say that?”

“Because there has been another death—our cousin, Elliot. His life ended pretty much the way Hollingsworth had.”

Tristan gave his brother a blank stare. “And pray tell, what does this have to do with me?”

“Have you forgotten? You are still one of the magistrate’s suspects for Hollingsworth’s murder.”

“So.” Tristan shrugged.

Dominic leaned toward Tristan and shook his head. “The suspicion has grown now that Lord Elliot has been killed. Several witnesses reported to the magistrate that they saw you and Elliot arguing a couple of nights before he was murdered.”

Tristan scratched his chin. “But you were there, Hawthorne. You had to take me home from the card game because I was foxed. You know the argument didn’t mean anything.”

Dominic nodded. “And I have already told the magistrate this, but because you disappeared the night before your wedding and nobody knew where you were, you are still a suspect.”

“Lord Tristan,” Lord Gilbert spoke. “My cousin is one of the men working with the magistrate on this case. He informed me that your name is high on the suspects list. Unlike Hollingsworth, Lord Elliot didn’t have that many enemies, but because you are linked to both men, the magistrate is going to start searching for more clues. Since your so-called kidnapping happened a day before the killing, that makes the magistrate more suspicious.”

“What?” Tristan jumped out of his chair, standing above the other men. “My so-called kidnapping, you say? Indeed I was kidnapped. I didn’t plan that, and I certainly didn’t have any reason to kill Lord Elliot.”

Lord Gilbert nodded. “I believe you about the kidnapping, but the magistrate will want to know who you have been with these past few days.”

“I was with the lady who kidnapped me.”

“Are you willing to give them her name?” Gilbert tilted his head, his eyes narrowing with distress.

Tristan scowled. “Of course I won’t give them her name. As I’d mentioned before, I shan’t cause scandal to her again.”

Trey grasped Tristan’s arm and glared into his eyes. “By not giving them the information they seek, that might be the very reason you’d get arrested.”

Confusion swam in Tristan’s mind. He understood the dilemma, but… No, he couldn’t ruin Diana any more than he had already. “Then that’s a chance I’ll have to take.”

“You are willing to be arrested for a crime you did not commit?” Trey’s voice lifted in irritation.

Tristan nodded. “If that’s what it takes, yes. I can only pray the magistrate will seek to find proof before they have a trial, because I can assure you, they will not find any.”

Gilbert scrubbed his jaw. “I wish the higher courts believed in such a thing.”

Across the table, Dominic released a ragged sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.

Trey groaned, rubbing his forehead and met Tristan’s stare. “Then we need to have our older brother, Trevor, hire that well-known solicitor after all because I fear you will need him soon.”

Dread squeezed Tristan’s heart. Sadly, he knew his brother was correct this time.