Page 79 of The Duke of Lies
“I don’t like my father very much—or at all really. But I never imagined he’d be guilty of actual crimes. And for what? So he can have an extravagant life and buy his way into Society. Wealth and position have always been his passion.”
If he didn’t practically despise the man, Kit would have pitied him. “We can’t prove any of this right now.”
Lifting her chin, she stared at him with hardened eyes. “We must. I won’t allow him to interfere in my life any longer, Kit.”
God, he loved her so much. “You’re beautiful when you’re enraged.”
She cocked her head to the side and flattened her lips, causing him to chuckle softly. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I’ll talk with Simon about how to proceed. We may not have the evidence we need yet, but perhaps Simon can help decipher the codes in Cuddy’s ledger.” The sideways cross, the number twenty-two, and the letter G.
She nodded with enthusiasm. “That’s an excellent idea. There must be a way to tie my father to the embezzlement. Should we go in person to tell him we won’t be extorted?” She pressed her lips together. “On second thought, I don’t want to see him. Did you say he’s sending you a contract?” At his nod, she continued. “Let’s return it with a note telling him we won’t give him a farthing.”
He inclined his head. “I bow to your discretion.” His tone was light but now, he looked at her with gravity. “Verity, I want you to make the decisions about this. You’ve had far too much stolen from you—by your father, by Rufus, by me.”
She pulled on his hand, and he inched closer to her on the bed. “You haven’t taken a thing—you’ve given me, and Beau, so much.”
“I want to give you both the world. If you’ll let me.”
She smiled softly. “I just want you.” She launched herself forward and as he caught her, he held her close, looking down into her face.
“There is one other thing. I expect to be accused of fraud—for impersonating a duke. Your father will surely lead that charge.”
She didn’t even take a breath before saying, “I will say you did so to protect me and Beau and Beaumont Tower from my father’s crimes. If not for you, we wouldn’t have discovered the embezzlement.”
“We have to prove it first.”
“We will,” she said firmly. “You must work on your optimism.”
He laughed, drawing her close. “How you still have a wealth of it is beyond me.”
She curled her arms around his neck and pressed against his chest. “I credit you. You came from nowhere and gave me and Beau something we never had—love and family.”
He felt precisely the same. “No, you gave it to me.”
She laughed softly. “We gave it to each other.” She kissed him then, her lips molding to his and easing the anxiety rioting through him. Pulling him, she fell back onto the mattress and brought him with her. Her eyes were dark with love and desire. “This will all come out right. You’ll see.”
He wanted to, but right now, he saw charges of fraud and a potential prison cell. “We have to find proof of your father’s crimes.”
She gazed up at him reassuringly. “We will. He’s guilty, and the truth will win out.”
Kit wanted to believe her, but with that came the dread that he was guilty too.
* * *
The contract arrivedthe following day while Kit and Verity were at the park with Beau. As soon as they arrived back at Simon and Diana’s town house, Randolph handed him an envelope, and he and Verity exchanged a knowing glance. They went upstairs to their sitting room and promptly wrote a note telling Horatio they’d burned the contract.
Then they burned the contract.
That afternoon when Simon arrived home, Kit asked if they could speak in his office. After grabbing the ledger from upstairs, Kit informed Simon of all that had transpired.
Simon now sat behind his desk, his eyes wide with disgust. “Her father’s a right son of a bitch. But I shouldn’t be surprised. Diana’s father is equally so, and theyarebrothers.” He let out a rather virulent curse. “It’s amazing to me how two such abominable men fathered such wonderful women.”
“Now you see why I’d like you to help me find evidence that will keep him out of our lives for good.”
“I can see that, all right. I only wish I could do the same for Diana’s father. Not that he’s tried to communicate with us since I tossed him from Lyndhurst back in January.”
Kit opened the ledger and set it down in front of Simon. “Do you see him here in London at all?”
“No, but I imagine he tries to stay clear of me. He would if he’s smart, and honestly, I don’t know if he’s that smart. He may just be lucky.” Simon brought the ledger closer. “Let’s see how we may provethisKingman is a scoundrel of the criminal order.” He studied it for a moment, slowly turning a few pages, his brow furrowed. “The CS is your steward?”
