Page 48 of No Match for Love (Regency Love Stories)

Colin had closed down the club before Lucas arrived. Except for Sundays, Colin never shut the thing down. It ran into the early hours of the morning then reopened in the late hours of the morning each day, like clockwork.

But now, there was no one within. Lucas walked with careful steps through the large interior. It seemed almost ghostly in its emptiness, illuminated only by the thin moonlight filtering through narrow windows.

Shouts came from Colin’s office, and Lucas abandoned stealth for speed.

In seconds, he flung the door to the room open and joined the fray within.

Colin was trading blows with one man, while another circled the desk to join the fight.

Two against one was the oldest version of unfair. It made Lucas’s blood boil.

He grabbed at the back of the broader man’s shirt and threw him against a wall. His pudgy face registered surprise before Lucas clocked him with a flush hit to the jaw. His flat, squashed nose was not the result of the hit, but it was definitely made worse with Lucas’s second punch.

Within minutes, the lord and the Scot had the two thugs in the corner of Colin’s office, hands bound and scowls wiped from their faces thanks to their blissfully unconscious states.

Colin wiped at the corner of his mouth then glared at his hand as it came away bloody. He spat on his floor. “Imbeciles,” he muttered. “Comin ta a man’s place a business. Dirty imbeciles.”

Lucas was more worried about what this meant for their overarching problem. “Why did you close the club down?”

Colin spat blood. “Another man was attacked. I dinnae wanna risk it.”

Lucas nodded, his gut twisting at the thought of another person hurt because of his venture. “Did you discover who is running the Heatherdown Canal Company?” he asked.

“Some blasted lord,” Colin said, wiping at his mouth again. He glanced up at Lucas. “Apologies.”

Lucas shook his head. “No need. But we already knew it was a lord. Do you know which blasted lord? London is full of them.”

“The one who seems to be sending the imbeciles goes by the name of Colbert.”

Lucas’s head snapped up. “Colbert?”

Colin nodded.

“We need to pay the man a visit.”

A grin spread across Colin’s face. “And here I thought tonight would be a boring old Tuesday. What should we do with these guys?”

“Do you have someone nearby you trust to keep an eye on them? Or should we send for Bow Street?”

Colin shook his head. “I’ve a couple of men here. It’ll be faster tha’ way.”

“Good. Grab your men, and let’s be going.”