Tristan extricated himselffrom Flick’s irresistible form and made his way out a side door instead of down the wall. The sun was just rising, and he had to get himself washed and dressed before he could return here and have an audience with Lord Alston. If he had to gamble and win, he needed help from the best player he knew.
By the hour of ten, a respectable hour, he was back at Alston house, shocked to find that Alston would see him. In Alston’s study, Tristan took in the blue walls and red oak shelving lined with books.
“You look well,” Tristan said.
“What is this about?” Lord Alston asked impatiently.
Tristan took a chair before the desk then spotted the decanter. “May I?” He nodded toward it.
“At this hour?”
Tristan stood. “This isn’t an easy request.”
Lord Alston raised a brow. His tousled blond curls did nothing to disguise the wicked amusement in his pale blue eyes. “Oh? How exciting. You must need my help.”
Tristan poured a glass of whisky and gulped it down. Highly improper. His father would kick his arse to see him disrespect a goodwhisky by not sipping it and appreciating each flavor. “This is good.”
“It’s twenty years old. Have a care for the quality and sip it like a decent man.”
Tristan grinned as he poured another dram and reclaimed his seat.
“Should Blakewood be here?” Alston asked.
“I need to play a card game, and I need to beat all my opponents,” Tristan said.
“Oh, so Blakewood is useless here. Why are you gambling? Did you lose something? Or is there something you want to win?”
Tristan sipped from the glass and set it down. “If I beat Lord Hugstead, Mrs. Dove-Lyon will clear my debt.”
Lord Alston frowned. “What debt?”
“My brother, rest his bloated corpse, lost our family home on a game of Hazard. He had already burned through the family coffers, and now if I want the house back, I must win it. Technically,” he winced, “Lord Meed won the house, but Mrs. Dove-Lyon intervened and claimed it to cover what my brother owed her. Lord Meed is now trying to buy it from her. If I can repay the debt, she’ll return the deed to me.”
“Even though Meed won it? He can’t like that.”
“He doesn’t, but the woman is a cryptic mystery of madness and genius, and he knew not to threaten her. He’s offering to buy it outright for much more than I can pay.”
“What does Lord Hugstead have to do with this?”
Tristan ground his teeth and sighed. Lord Alston grinned.
“He’s made an offer for Miss Brandon’s hand.”
“And?” Lord Alston taunted.
“If I have my home back, I will offer for her myself.”
Lord Alston slapped his hands on the desk. “There it is.”
Tristan rolled his eyes.
“I knew it.”
“You know nothing.”
“There were signs. You panted—”
“I did notpant.”
