Christopher’s brown eyes sparkled with intrigue. There was only a specific sort of person Christopher knew, and while they came in varying class statuses, they all had one thing in common: they all wanted to make money through gambling. Most were addicted to, and they were often willing to accrue the means necessary to do so in questionable ways. Christopher was happy to provide the chance for them to gamble their money away, no matter how they came by it, as long as a membership fee and discretion were given.
“If you are asking me for help I am assuming this particular gentleman is not a law-abiding citizen of the Crown?” Christopher drawled, leaning back in his chair.
“I do not believe so,” Tristan agreed.
“Who are we looking for?”
Tristan gave him the name and description, and Christopher’s features darkened with disgust.
“That one,” he grunted, opening the account book atop his desk.
“Not your favorite customer?” Tristan asked.
“He is on our black list,” Christopher explained, running a finger down the lines of debts. “Racked up a sizable debt from the house then disappeared. I have my own men looking for him as well. Like you, I am having trouble finding him.”
Tristan grimaced, but took slight comfort in knowing that he was not the only one looking for this ‘Mister Benedict Perley.’
“I will give you five-hundred pounds if you find him and bring him to me before you deal with him,” Tristan offered.
Christopher’s dark brows rose, but asked no questions. It was one of the things Tristan liked about the man. He kept to his own business, very much like Tristan did.
“Consider it done,” Christopher replied, standing up to shake Tristan’s hand.
Tristan rose and accepted it.
“Shall you stay for a while? Have a bit of gamble and a show?”
“Another time,” Tristan promised, “I have one more source to go to.”
“Be well, old friend,” Christopher replied in farewell.
“You as well,” Tristan returned, then left.
He had one more set of records he could go through to try to find Mr. Perley, in a file well-hidden in his home office. The file that listed the members of theDevil’s Masquerade.
CHAPTER SIX
“God in heaven,” Ophelia muttered, jumping so high her tea spilled from the cup in her hand and the saucer on her lap tumbled to the floor.
“Ophelia!” Theo laughed, leaning over to hand her a white cloth napkin. “What has gotten into you?”
Tristan raised a curious brow as he and Ophelia locked eyes, waiting for her answer. When she didn’t answer Theo, he tilted his chin, giving Ophelia a warning look.
After he’d discovered that Mr. Perley was also a member of the Masquerade, he’d found himself unable to sleep. The man had been close,veryclose, and he’d never noticed. Now he was certain he knew Tristan’s true identity and was using it as the source of his blackmail.
He’d tried, in the early morning hours to focus on his work. After several failed attempts, Tristan had decided to give up and joinhis sister for lunch at her home; hoping for a distraction. He’d been as caught off guard by Ophelia’s presence as she had been with his when he’d walked in, but it was Ophelia that lost her nerve.
“N-nothing,” Ophelia stammered, quickly looking away from him. “I think something bit me.”
“Bit you?” Theo questioned, roaming her eyes over Ophelia’s pristine gray-blue day dress. “Where?”
“The leg. Yes, it was the leg,” Ophelia stated, leaning down to brush her skirts.
Tristan almost laughed, knowing that she was lying. She had not been bitten, she was just startled. It was the first they’d seen another since their little night of discovery.
“Perhaps you should take a bath when you get home,” Tristan said, taking a seat beside Theo. “Wash off any filth you might have contact with.”
Ophelia’s nervous look shifted into a glare.
