Page 74 of Wedded to the Deviant Duke

“It’s not a perfect solution, I admit.” Gabriel frowned slightly, and it was the first time Thalia noticed that he, too, fiddled with his fingers. He seemed to notice, quickly producing a small pocket watch from his vest and rubbing its surface instead. “While the deeds to your estates have been burned, that fool left himself a massive paper trail leading back to the crime. My lawyers will have no problem adding the estates under the Stonewell name, and afterwards, I’ll simply sign them back under your name.”

“And… Giles is…?”

“He has nothing left, Thalia. No money, no reputation to fall back on.” A hand gently grasped her chin, and she allowed Gabriel to tilt her gaze to meet his. “He has ruined himself completely, and will no longer cause you anguish.”

Thalia swallowed past a growing lump in her throat. “I just… can’t believe it. To think, he’d truly go as far as he had…?” Her sentence faded into the back of her throat. Unfortunately, that seemed entirely like something her cousin would do. “How on earth did you find that paper trail at all?”

Gabriel sighed, suddenly looking far more tired than before. “That was your brother’s doing, actually. He entered Oslay Hall while the little marquess was out and about and discovered it.”

“H-He did?” Thalia wasn’t sure why she sounded so surprised; it absolutely sounded like something Robin would do. “Then, is that where he’s been?”

* * *

This was it. The moment Gabriel had been dreading. He had to tell her, of course; that he had lost touch with Robin, that their last agreed-upon deed had fallen through, and he was entirely uncertain where the younger Sutton was. He opened his mouth to speak, to fully explain himself and hope that, somehow, Thalia would forgive him.

“You didn’t tell her where I was this entire time?!”

Gabriel didn’t often find himself at a loss for words, but this happened to be one of those instances. His head swiveled towards the kitchen doors, where a rather furious-looking Robin stood, hunched and jabbing accusatory fingers like some horrific creature who had risen from the sewer’s depths. He certainly played the part well, appearing disheveled and trash-laden, oozing a puddle of some unfortunate-smelling liquid beneath his feet.

“Robin Alexander Sutton–!” Thalia immediately slid off the countertop, running toward her brother before stopping a good five feet away. She gagged, hand covering her mouth before nearly falling over; Gabriel managed enough sense to rush up behind and catch her. “What on earth have you been doing?!”

“Oh no; I’m not going to be played off as the bad guy!” Robin pointed a finger Gabriel’s way, and the duke couldn’t help but curl his nose at the putrid stench. “You were supposed to tell her what happened!”

“Tell her what? Your explicit instructions were to keep your dealings secret!” Gabriel wrestled to keep his tone from a snarl, helping Thalia to her feet before pointing his own accusatory finger Robin’s way. “And on that note, where have you been?”

“Breaking into Oslay!” Robin snapped angrily. “What else would I be doing?!” He shook his arm free of filth, scattering flecks of grime across the kitchen floor as Gabriel resisted the urge to gag.

“Why?!” Thalia cried out, having since found dinner napkins and handed one to Gabriel for use.

“To help you!” Robin exclaimed. “Or, what, did you think this useless excuse of a man would have managed as much as he had without–”

“What is all the yelling for?!”

Gabriel wasn’t sure how he’d missed the thundering of footsteps, but it was impossible not to hear the outcry of his friend. Christian and the others stood huddled around the door, expressions of shock and anger all twisting to abject horror as the smell overtook everyone at once.

“G-gracious—what is that?!” Charlotte gagged, grasping the nearby wall for support. “Louise, get out of here—that smell can’t be good for the baby.”

“What is causing that vile odor?” Christian cried out, having undone his vest in an attempt to cover his mouth with his shirt.

“I’m not a ‘what’,” Robin snapped. “And how did no one get my message? I specifically told Mr. Cooke to find someone from Stonewall, or from the Orions!”

Gabriel could feel a pounding headache begin to form in the back of his head. “Enough! Charlotte, help Louise to her room.”

Charlotte needed no further prompting, taking Louise’s arm and leading the rather green-faced woman away from the scene.

“Christian, go wake some servants and help them draw a bath for Mr. Sutton.”

“Mr. Sutton—is that walking blob of fetid muck Robin?!” Christian gasped.

“Christian–!”

“Right, of course!” As Christian vanished around the door, Gabriel did his best to inhale as little stench as possible. “As for you–” He jabbed a finger Robin’s way, holding fast to Thalia as he felt her legs threaten to give out. “Start talking. Now.”

* * *

It was well past five in the morning when things finally settled at Egerton Hall. Layers of filth had finally revealed themselves as Thalia’s brother, and he somehow managed to talk during the entire process. About his meet-up with his Whitechapel friends, about the increased security at Oslay and how they had planned to break in through the sewers, given their familiarity with the routes. How they’d run into problems and, as far as Robin knew, Mr. Cooke was still working within Oslay. That whatever maid or servant he’d spoken to would have passed the information his way.

“Figures Giles would’ve fired him,” Robin grumbled, face still bright pink from all the scrubbing he went through. He scowled darkly, arms crossed and fully sunk into one of the reading chairs within their guest room. “I’m sorry, Thalia—if we didn’t get stuck behind that wave of garbage, I would’ve come back myself and told you.”

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