Toby found his friends at a table in the corner where they would not be overheard. Searching the interior, he only found two others, both locals. He dropped into the empty chair.
“Whiskey,” Jamie said, nudging it toward him.
“Now tell us everything,” Anthony said, leaning closer.
Deep in the pit of his stomach, he now knew that Michael was involved in this entire business, and he planned to find out what. He then told Jamie and Anthony everything he knew, including what Liberty had told him.
“Opium,” Anthony said. “Well, that actually makes more sense.”
“It does,” Toby agreed.
“And that Michael could be involved does not surprise me. We know that man is a bastard,” Jamie said. “Plus, he’s capable of manipulating Liberty to get her on his side. What he doesn’t realize is how close you and she are now.”
“We need to visit Landon,” Toby said throwing down the last of his whiskey.
“Are we to ride up to the front door of Landon’s house and ask to look through his telescope?” Anthony asked.
“I don’t see why not,” Jamie said.
“We don’t really know the man,” Anthony protested.
“But he’s got a telescope, and we, three titled peers, wish to look through it,” Toby said. “It is as good a reason to visit him as any.”
They left then and were soon mounting and riding away from the village. Toby was still seething with rage over the fact that Michael had come after Liberty.Bastard.
“That kiss certainly confirmed what we already knew,” Anthony added. “She is the perfect wife for you, my friend.”
“I love her.” Toby suddenly needed to say the words out loud. Words he should have spoken to Liberty first.
“Well then, there is no more to be said,” Jamie added.
“I believe now that Landon will have somewhere on his land that holds the barrels, like you said, Anthony. He and Michael run the entire operation from there, I’m sure of it,” Toby said, pushing Liberty out of his head.
“I can’t believe an entire village has allowed this to happen,” Jamie said. “Why have they not stood up to them before now?”
“Because they were involved originally. If they went to the authorities, then they would also be in trouble… in fact, more so, as the magistrate would likely blame them over any noblemen involved,” Toby said.
His friends were silent, thinking over his words for a while.
“I believe you could be right there,” Anthony added. “So we need to find the evidence, and who is involved.”
“Michael,” Toby said.
Jamie growled low in his throat, sounding like a rabid dog.
“Agreed. Let’s make him pay,” Anthony said.
Landon’s property was a fifteen-minute ride from Bidham following the coast road.
“There appears to be another entrance there,” Anthony said, pointing ahead of them when they arrived. “It could be worth investigating later and may hold what we are looking for.”
“Landon’s property will border the cliffs and have a view back to the village,” Toby said when they rode through the gate.
“And with the telescope, they can monitor the comings and goings of sea vessels and watch the unloading. Bidham is under constant surveillance,” Jamie added.
“Be alert as we ride up,” Toby warned.
“What are we going to say to Landon?” Jamie asked.
