Any lingering amusement vanished from her face. “What does that mean?”
He looked at the floor to gather his thoughts and then said, “It means I’m going to the Crown and Sceptre tonight to confront Avalon about his real reasons behind that card game. I feel it was a distraction for something else.”
Determination lit up her green eyes. “I’m going with you.”
He was going to sound like a cad, especially since he’d relied on her assistance before, but when it came to Avalon and his personal interest in the lady, he couldn’t risk her safety any further. “No.”
“He’s my brother!” she cried. “I told you that I wasn’t going to stand by. I have every right?—”
He gathered his jacket and shrugged it on. His glare was hard when he looked at her. “Be that as it may, my word is final.”
She appeared as though she wanted to argue the point further, but as she spun around and quit the room, Drake exhaled heavily. He’d had a tough decision to make, but then, at some point, everyone did. And he knew, in this instance, he’d made the right one.
* * *
“I would sayI’m surprised to see you, Porter,” came the low drawl behind the desk as Avalon spun his chair around and faced Drake within the Crown and Sceptre pub. “But, to be honest, I thought you might have approached me earlier today instead of waiting until dusk.” He lifted a dark brow and rubbed the back of his hand along the short dark stubble on his chin.
Drake crossed his arms and widened his stance. “I thought I would give you time to come up with a plausible excuse.”
Avalon snorted. “I don’t need one. I was performing a service for a friend.”
“If you are speaking for Miss Wilson, no doubt you have performed many services for her.”
“Tsk, tsk, Porter. No need to be crass,” he admonished. “Such lewd comments don’t endear you to my corner.”
Drake’s gaze narrowed slightly. “I find I am no longer in need of your assistance. I may have already discovered who wishes me harm.”
“Have you?” The reply was silky smooth. “You know the villain who started the fire?”
“Nearly,” Drake hedged, not wishing to give too much away. “It is only a matter of time before I can securely point the finger of blame.”
Avalon inclined his head. “I do wish you the best of luck in that regard.” He tilted his head to the side. “Now, about Flavian Davies. What is it that you wanted to know?”
“How much is he indebted to you?”
With a grin, Avalon retorted, “What makes you think he lost?”
“Because I have partnered him and I know how clumsy he is at cards.”
“Ah.” The other man’s lips tightened. “Eight hundred quid.”
Drake closed his eyes to gain his fortitude and then he asked, “Where is he now?”
“Licking his wounds with Harriette.”
Drake wondered if that were true considering they hadn’t yet returned home by that afternoon. “And how long does he have to recoup his losses thatyouwere kind enough to allow?”
Avalon’s dark eyes glinted with warning. “Again, Porter, you dance rather close to that line that isn’t meant to be crossed. I don’t care to have suspicion and dark accusations tossed at my door.”
“Then perhaps you should have acted with more decorum when you were well aware that Flavian isn’t capable of containing his vices.”
“That isn’t my concern,” Avalon said with a careless shrug. “He should have refrained from the invitation if he wasn’t able to accept defeat.” He rose from his chair. “To answer your query, he has a sennight to get the funds to me or I will be forced to call in his markers.” He stopped a few feet in front of Porter. “I will be glad to wipe his record clear, should you care to take on his debt for him.”
Drake could tell that he was being goaded. He didn’t like it but he had no choice but to hear the choice he was being offered. For Fleur’s sake. “What are your terms?”
Avalon’s lips twitched. “Flavian shall have the freedom to leave London with his name and reputation intact. In return, I would ask for his losses to be paid to me and in return for my generosity in allowing you to assume his debts, you also relinquish your lovely house guest to me.”
Drake clenched his fists at his sides. “Never.”
