Without a word, the greasy man put a hand on the door and pushed it open, forcing her to take a step back to maintain the distance between them. “I asked if I could help you,” she repeated, refusing to retreat any farther, no matter how much she wanted to back away.
“We hear that Billy-boy is back in town. We want a word with him.”
She flicked her gaze over their shoulders, hoping to see Thomas. “There is no Billy here. I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong room.” She went to close the door, but instead of leaving, the greasy one pushed past her. Her heart, which already beat as though she’d been dancing for an hour, quickened.
The one she’d seen before—William’s army friend—followed the greasy one in. He refused to meet her eye and fidgeted with a button on his ill-fitting coat.
The big one stepped into the center of the doorframe, arms crossed, filling it and essentially blocking any escape route.
Will’s apartment, which had already felt cramped, now felt like there was not enough air inside it for everyone.
The greasy one crossed to where Will was slumped back in his chair, face pale, eyes closed, shirt still open.
“Leave him alone.” Charlotte lunged forward, but the soldier grabbed her by both arms. She struggled, but his hands dug tight into her flesh.
“Billy-boy.” The small greasy one grabbed Will’s face in his hands, but Will didn’t react.
Charlotte tried to wrest herself free and failed.
“Billy-boy, we’ve come to collect.” He slapped Will across the face. Her brother’s eyes fluttered open, but his expression remained slack and there was no sign he knew what was happening.
“Oh, shit,” the man said, letting go of Will and letting him slump to the table.
Charlotte sank an elbow into the ribs of the boy who held her and broke free, rushing to her brother’s side. She checked to see if the impact of his head against the table had caused any cut. After assessing that he was well—or at least no less well than he’d been when the men arrived—she turned back to them.
She stood, arms akimbo, ready to give them the dressing down they deserved. She was done being a lady. She was sister to the Duke of Wildeforde, niece to the Duke of Camden, and cousin to the king. They had no idea who they were dealing with. “What do you want?”
“Billy-boy owes us some money.”
“My brother has been serving in the military for the past four years. He doesn’t owe you anything. Now leave.”
They made no move to go. Instead, the greasy one took a step toward her. “That’s incorrect, my pretty one. He owed us back then and a lot of interest can accrue in four years. His debt is five thousand pounds, and he has a month to pay it before these wounds of his are the least of his worries.”
Charlotte’s jaw dropped open. That was an immense sum of money. It was more than her pin money was in an entire year. Where was she possibly going to get such an amount?
“He doesn’t have five thousand pounds.”
The man stepped forward, leaned past her, and grabbed the necklace that was still clasped in Will’s hand. He held it in front of her face. “Do you think we don’t know who you are? His brother is a duke. A duke could pay that amount five times over and not even blink.”
Drat.“William and His Grace are estranged. There is no money coming from there.”
He sneered at her. “Well then, you’d better find some other way of getting us the blunt or your brother is going to pay the cost.” He pulled out a card from his inside coat pocket and flicked it onto the table.
She snatched it, letting the corners of the thick card dig into her thumb and finger. It was strangely high quality for the man she was dealing with. It had a name and address. “You’re Mr. Brunel?”
The giant in the doorway chuckled. The greasy man shook his head. “No. That’ll be my boss, and that address is where the money can be delivered.”
Above the address on the card was a club’s name—The Lucky Honeypot. “Is this a gambling den?” she asked. Drat William and his consistently poor judgment.
“That’s where he lost the money. That’s where he’ll pay it back. Or where you’ll pay it back. Feel free to join us any time if you think you have better luck than your brother.” He placed a small token on the table in front of her and then turned on his heel and left the room, whistling.
The former soldier looked at William, his expression filled with regret. As it should be. The two had served together. How dare he betray her brother in such a way?
As the door closed behind them, Charlotte sank into the empty chair, knees shaking. How the hell was she going to get William out of this mess?
Chapter 14
By the time the hack dropped Charlotte off down the street from her house, fear had given way to the Wildeforde family’s bullheadedness. Those men had meant serious business and if she didn’t find some way of paying them the money that Will owed, he was going to be hurt or even worse.
