Page 110 of The Duke's Wicked Widow
He shrugged helplessly, and Fawkes stopped trying to fight it.Shite.
“Fooking hell,” he muttered, and stepped forward, his hand out.
The other man—aye, his cousin—eyed the peace offering. “Fawkes?”
“Aye,Thorne?”
With a little twitch of his lips, Thorne grasped the hand. “Cousin?”
“Dinnae push yer luck,” growled Fawkes.
“Fair enough.” Still, the arsehole was grinning when he shook, as if he’d won a prize.
Ellie moved to stand over their clasped hands. “Thorne, did you really come all this way on Christmas evening in the snow just to punch Fawkes?”
The other man winced, then withdrew his hand. “I stopped at Endymion first, to update Demon on Hangcok Hill and discuss the latest developments, since yer uncle is back in London.”
“Yes, we knew he would return, after my father’s death.” Ellie was practically vibrating with excitement as she latched onto Fawkes’s arm. When he tucked her up against him, Ellie leaning happily into his chest, Fawkes saw the other man’s brow twitch in interest.
Aye,cousin, she’s mine. And I’m hers.
“Thorne,” Ellie blurted in excitement. “I’ve solved the code.”
The blond man’s eyes widened, gaze shifting to Fawkes, who nodded. “Aye, just this afternoon. She broke the key, and figured it out. She’ll need the original papers to be certain, but she did it.” Fawkes glanced down at the tiny woman in his arms. “Because she’s fooking brilliant.”
Thorne sighed, but it was impossible to tell if it was relief or something else, and beat his hat against his thigh. “Then it’s a good thing I traveled this far today. Nay, Danielle, ye’re right, I didnae come all this way just to punch Fawkes, although it was supremely gratifying, what with all the secrets the bastard’s been hiding.”
“Still no’ a secret,” Fawkes interrupted.
But Thorne ignored him, unbuttoning his coat and reaching into his pocket. “I came to deliver this,” he declared in a serious voice.
And Fawkes knew what it was.
Unconsciously, he glanced over his shoulder, toward the closed door to the sitting room, glad Mother wasn’t here. Glad she hadn’t seen that blow from Thorne, glad she wouldn’t witnessthis.He’d tell her, but not today.
His hand didn’t shake as he took the eviction notice from his cousin, but only through dint of will. How in the fook was he supposed to tell Mother she’d have to find a new home? Before Hogmanay?
His throat was dry as he opened it.
And stared.
Chapter 19
“Fawkes?”Ellie had watched as the blood drained from his face as he stared at the paper in his hands. “Fawkes, what is it?”
There was only one explanation. This was the news the MacMillans had been dreading.
With her hands planted on her hips, banishing Father’s voice sneering about how she’d make wrinkles on her favorite yellow gown, she whirled on Thorne. “Howcouldyou?”
The blond man seemed taken aback. “What?”
“How could you show up here on Christmas afternoon, strike your host like that, and thenevicthim?”
“Evict him?” Thorne repeated incredulously. “I’m no’ here to evict him.”
Ellie scorned. “Hangcok Hill is the only home Fawkes has known, the home his mother has lived in since he was born. His father—the Duke…” Good heavens, Fawkes’s father had been aduke. She turned back to him, confusion having stolen her words.
The Duke of Death.
