Unfortunately, there was work to be done. And while he had done his best to soothe Constance’s fears about Granelli, he hadn’t told her that the real threat might not even be located in the East End, but at the heart of the ball itself. Sir Isaacson had been known to converse with thieves in the past, including Luke and Devin, and he didn’t think much had changed in the past five years. The baronet was certainly cutthroat enough to get what he wanted by any means necessary, and a partnership with Granelli would be ideal.
Besides, how else had Granelli come up with the funds to lend Mr. Plainview when he believed the gaming hell was having financial trouble? Devin would bet his own money that Montfree’s wasn’t doing as bad as Mr. Plainview might have imagined in the beginning, but when desperation was at stake, it was easy to manipulate someone into believing that an alliance was the answer, however corrupt, when all it might have taken was a bit more planning to correct the error.
Unfortunately, now it was too late and Drennan might lose it all. Nevertheless, it made sense to Devin that Sir Isaacson was behind Mr. Plainview’s ruin, as it was the sort of business the baronet enjoyed conducting when it came to the suffering of others. The question that bothered Devin the most was why target Montfree’s, and not any of the other hells in London? What made that particular establishment unique?
If he intended to end this charade once and for all, it was one thing he needed to find out.
Donning his shirt but leaving the rest of his formal wear in his room, Devin headed down the hall to pay a visit to Mr. Plainview. It was nearly dawn, so hopefully the man would be awake. If not, he soon would be, because Devin needed answers.
Instead of pushing his way inside the guest room impatiently, Devin forced himself to pause and knock.
“Yes?”
Following the soft command, at least Devin knew the man was awake. He walked inside and the owner of the gaming hell glanced at him warily. “Mr. Blackmore.” He cleared his throat and carefully sat up in the bed. “Good morning. I daresay this is an unexpected surprise.” As Devin strode over and took a seat next to the bed, he added, “Something tells me you didn’t come out of a deep concern for my wellbeing.”
Devin had to respect that. “While I do wish you well, I need some answers and I fear you are the only one who can provide them for me. For instance, considering you appear to be a man who is quite astute, it makes me wonder how you became a target for a ne’er-do-well like Granelli.”
Even though there was still a shocking amount of bruising on Mr. Plainview’s face, Devin didn’t miss the flash of apprehension in his eyes. “You don’t miss much, do you, Mr. Blackmore?”
“Not usually.” Deciding there was no point in concealing his own truth, he admitted, “At one time I was very familiar with these streets. But I made the mistake of trusting the wrong person for the benefit I thought it would bring.” He paused. “It appears you’ve done the same. And my gut tells me that it might very well be the same individual who betrayed me.”
Those blue eyes studied him, and then Drennan said, “You would be correct, Mr. Blackmore.” His gaze shifted and he glanced down at the coverlet on the bed. “I believed that this… person cared for me, but I was duped into believing a lie. I allowed certain… emotions to cloud my judgement. When Granelli came to me with an offer I couldn’t refuse, I accepted because I was desolate. I had allowed the gaming hell that I had been entrusted with to falter because I had been blinded by my own fabrication.”
Seeing the battered face in front of him looking so melancholy, Devin had the need to offer some sort of consolation. “You wouldn’t be the first person who has been deceived. At least now you will know not to gamble on the devil’s bargain.”
“Perhaps,” Drennan conceded in a quiet manner. “But that doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t remain. And now I feel I’ve brought further trouble to my friend’s door.”
“Don’t worry about Constance,” Devin said firmly. “I will protect her with my life if needed.”
Drennan glanced back at him. “Yes,” he smiled faintly. “I believe that you will.”
Feeling as though the conversation might slip into more intimate territory where Constance was concerned, he turned it back to the subject at hand. “I know you may not wish to reveal the name of your acquaintance, but I need to know his name to confirm my own suspicions.”
Drennan’s eyes fluttered for a moment and then he gave a nod. “It was Sir Brooks Isaacson.”
The fist in Devin’s lap clenched. “Tell me,” he said slowly. “When the baronet came to Montfree’s, did you notice anything unusual?”
The other man frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Did it appear if he was looking for anyone? Did he come at a certain time?” He tried to keep his impatience from showing. “Even the smallest details can make a big difference.”
There was a brief pause as Drennan appeared to consider the query, and then he murmured, “I never thought about it before, but yes, he did appear to take a particular interest in the patrons in attendance.”
Devin sat up straighter. “Did he approach anyone in particular? If so, can you describe them?”
After a few more moments of reflection, the other man shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said in defeat. “I can’t recall that much, but then, my focus wasn’t on the hell as it should have been at that point.”
Deciding that there was someone else who might be able to offer assistance, Devin got up. Before he left, he offered Drennan a slight smile. “We all make errors in judgement from time to time. The point is to learn from them.”
Mr. Plainview nodded as Devin took his leave.
He was shrugging on his jacket in the foyer when Luke appeared from the direction of the kitchens. Devin rolled his eyes. “I see you’ve been to visit the cook already. Did you get her out of bed with an entreaty to your growling stomach?”
Luke grinned. “Nope. In fact, she was rather accommodatin’ t’ this ol’ man. Gave me a whole tray o’ tarts t’ myself.” He winked.
Devin stared at him. “You’ll pay for that.”
He started for the door, but Luke stopped him. “An’ where do ye think ye’re runnin’ off to this early?”
