Page 99 of His Accidental Duchess

Lord Downton spluttered. “This is none of your concern, Sirrah.”

Theo chuckled. “Let’s get past that pretense, shall we? Even if itwerenone of my business—and since she is the Duchess and I the Duke, you and I both know that would not be true—I would be able tomakeit my business. That’s a talent of mine, you see. Sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

Lord Downton bared his teeth. “Better be careful nobody cuts it off.”

Theo laughed a little louder at that. He leaned down, bending his knee and putting weight on the foot resting on Lord Downton’s stomach. The man let out a satisfying grunt of pain.

“You mistake me, Sir. When I say I am good at sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, I mean that I am good at finding out things about people. Or, more to the point, some of my close friends are good at finding out things. And I found out a great deal about you, Lord Downton.”

The man’s face paled, just a little.

Theo glanced briefly across the room, noting with relief that the color was returning to Anna’s face and that she was now perched on the edge of an armchair, watching the scene unfold. He returned his attention to Lord Downton.

“You see, Lord Downton, you are a gambler of the worst kind. Your—shall we call them vices?—are likely to repel even the most hardened pleasure-seekers. Society forgives men a great deal, but not everything. I am afraid that it will soon become common knowledge, how you seek your pleasures. Everybody will know that you have gambled away your fortune, and a great deal more besides.”

“You’ll see my children starve in the streets, will you?” blustered the man.

Theo smiled. “Oh, no, heavens. After all, your poor wife and children are victims. A friend of mine paid a visit to Lady Downton. The poor woman was quite at the end of her rope. With a little intervention from him and some money, Lady Downton is now traveling north to stay with her sister. The children, of course, are with her. You know, I doubt they shall miss you.”

Lord Downton paled. “You wouldn’t.”

“I have already done it,My Lord. And I’m afraid there is more. You see, I rather guessed at the hold you had over Lady St. Maur. My mother-in-law, you know, cannot possibly live under the thumb of a man like you. This was even before I knewabout your…” Theo paused, swallowing back bile. “…intentionstowards the Duchess.”

There was a tense pause after that. Real fear was flickering on Lord Downton’s face, and Theo drank it up.

“What have you done?” the Earl croaked.

“Whathaven’tI done, Lord Downton? I have bought your debts. All of them. And I have called them in. With a little investigation, it’s clear that your debts will eat up your entire estate and then some. You are homeless, I’m afraid, and I suspect it is debtor’s prison for you. In fact, the bailiffs are in your house at this very moment. I have it on good authority that Lady Downton was able to take her things away first. It’s only fair.”

He removed his foot from Lord Downton’s stomach.

The man only lay there, his eyes bulging. “You’re lying.”

“I am not,” Theo responded. “I’m many things, Lord Downton, but I am not a liar. You should know that. Go on, look into my face. Look into my eyes and tell me whether you think I am lying. I can assure you I am not.”

Lord Downton stared helplessly up at Theo, his wide eyes searching Theo’s face for a shred of mercy.

He wouldn’t find it.

“Now, if I were you, I would leave,” Theo continued, picking imaginary specks of dust off the sleeves of his coat. “And quietly, or else things will get a great deal worse for you.”

Lord Downton finally managed to heave himself to his feet, staggering like a drunkard, his arms flailing.

“Worse?” he bellowed. “How could it possibly get anyworse? I have lost everything, if you are to be believed, because of these… theseharlots!”

He pointed a stiff, shaking finger in Anna’s direction, his face contorted with hate.

“Say that one more time,” Theo said, voice soft and low, “and you will regret it.”

Lord Downton sneered, too far gone in his panic and rage to make sensible decisions.

“That woman,” he said, slowly and carefully, “is awhore.”

Crack.

Theo’s fist flew out for the second time today. This time, he felt his knuckles split as they connected with Lord Downton’s jaw. But by God, it was worth it.

Lord Downton’s feet rose off the ground. He sailed across the room, crashing into a sideboard that promptly fell on top of him, showering him with broken glass. He was unconscious, Theo knew—he’d watched the light go out in the man’s eyes when his fist connected with the man’s jaw.

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