“Who was it?”
“I...” The valet hesitated. “I could not say, sir.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t believe I knew the man.”
“Don’tbelieveyou knew him?”
“That’s right, sir. I didn’t recognize him. He wore a mask.”
Nathaniel reared back. “A mask?”
Connor nodded briskly. “Yes, sir. Never did I see the like.”
Fury seethed through Nathaniel like overfermented ale. The man was a coward, whoever he was. He asked, “Did Lewis call him by name?”
Connor shook his head. “I heard no names spoken, sir. Only insults.”
“What insults?”
Connor’s eyes flashed. “Mr. Lewis said the man was no gentleman—that I did hear.”
Nathaniel clenched his jaw. “Did this man even follow the rules?” Illegal though dueling was, gentlemanly conduct was expected. He continued, “Was no apology solicited? Did his second not offer you a chance to reconcile your masters before a shot was fired?”
The young man frowned in confusion. “I... No, sir. Not that I knowof.”
“Did you not recognize his second either?”
“No, sir.”
Nathaniel scoffed. “Was he masked too?”
“No, sir.”
Nathaniel crossed his arms. “He did have a second?”
“Of course. But I didn’t know him. Never saw him before.”
“How had Lewis offended the man’s honor?” Nathaniel realized he assumed Lewis had been the one to cause offense. Guilt plagued him at thinking ill of his poor brother.
Connor squirmed. A valet was expected to be discreet, to keep his master’s secrets. “I don’t exactly know, sir. Something about a woman, I believe.”
Yes, that would be it.Nathaniel flopped into a chair. “Tell me what happened next.”
“The other second and I inspected the weapons. Then they paced off and—”
“Not very many paces, by the looks of it. The surgeon said the shot was made at close range, judging by the wound.”
“I did try to negotiate for more than twelve paces, but the man was adamant. And Mr. Upchurch too proud to insist.”
“Was the duel fought to first blood?”
Connor paled further. “Yes.”
There were two other options, normally negotiated by the seconds—until one man could no longer stand, or to the death. “What then?”
“Well, like I said, the men paced off, turned, and shot. Mr. Upchurch fell.”
