Page 109 of A Viscount's Bet of Seduction

Silas wasn’t put off by Percy’s cold accusation. He laughed, and then

Silas held up the paper with the coordinates. Percy went pale, his eyes widening in first anger, then fake shock. He recovered quickly, however.

“What is that?”

“This is your handwriting,” Silas said. “Is it not?”

Percy merely shrugged. He folded his arms, clearly trying to figure a way to worm himself free of this situation. Both Mr and Mrs Stalton were looking curiously back and forth between their son and Silas.

Mr Stalton put on his spectacles, squinting at the paper. “That is certainly your hand, my son. Where did you find it, Lord Thornbridge?”

“I found these coordinates in your desk, Percy,” Silas said. “I also found the same coordinates among my father’s things after he died.” He waited for a moment. Percy said nothing. “When I went to the place, I found it all dug up. Whatever was buried there has been taken by someone else. Someone who had gotten the coordinates from my father’s study.”

“I couldn’t think who—” Percy began, still continuing the weak farce. Silas cut him off. He had no time to suffer fools.

“I found this in your desk. Not to mention, I definitely recall running into you leaving my father’s study the weekend of the party. You claimed that you were looking for a pen and ink, however, I believe that you stole these coordinates from his things.”

When Silas glanced over at Percy’s parents, they both looked exhausted. He knew that he would soon find assistance from their quarter.

“You lie,” Percy hissed. “I would never—”

“Percy!” his father thundered. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, Father! Silas has had it out for me for a very long time,” he claimed. “He thinks that because he’s viscount that he’s better than me and can accuse me of stealing when it suits his needs.”

“Percy!” His father’s look of stern disapproval stopped Percy in his tracks. “Do the right thing, for once in your life, my son. Don’t make it worse, when Lord Thornbridge clearly has hard evidence proving that it was you. Or, so help me God, I will disown you and call the constables myself. Then they can get to the bottom of things.”

“Disown me?” Percy’s eyes widened. Clearly this was the one thing that would have gotten the truth out of him. He swallowed, his gaze slipping to the floor. Silas waited.

“Yes, I will disown you.” His father shot him a glare that spoke to just how fast he would have it done. Mr Stalton was one of London’s best businessmen. He was known for his decisive actions and killer instincts.

Percy seemed to deflate almost instantly.

“Very well. I dug at the coordinates,” he admitted. “I unearthed a small wooden box, which contained the deed to land and a house near Thornbridge Manor, along with a letter saying that the land now belongs to whomever had won the treasure hunt.” He shifted awkwardly. “It had the late viscount’s signature on it. It was also addressed to you, Silas.”

“What did you plan to do with it?” Silas asked. “Pay off your debts?”

To his surprise, Percy shook his head.

“I was going to take it for my own. I was going to go there, live off the land. Start over and live a life that actually meant something.”

“When were you going to go?” Silas’ mouth had gone dry. It had been several months, for Percy to have already done this. Silas was so many steps behind.

“I haven’t had it notarized yet,” Percy admitted. “I’m not the legal owner.”

“You will return the deed to Lord Thornbridge,” his father ordered.

“I found it!” Percy snapped. “It’s mine.”

“You took the coordinates,” his mother pointed out. “You didn’t find it in a fair manner.”

“Mother.” Percy seemed to deflate even more. All of the fight went out of him as he stood there, with both of his parents giving him looks of disappointment.

Percy scowled, then stalked over to the bookcase. He pulled out a large leather tome and opened it up, pulling out a folded paper from its pages.

“Thank you,” Silas said, bowing to all three Staltons.

“You’re certainly welcome. We apologize for not being able to do anything about it sooner. If I had known, I certainly would have made him return it,” Mr Stalton said, glowering at his wayward progeny. “We’ll talk later, Percy.” Both Mr and Mrs Stalton left, both of them walking towards the parlour and leaving Silas and Percy alone.

---