Zane reached up and struck his fist against the roof of the carriage. “Faster,” he yelled.
Minutes later Zane and Harry rushed into the taproom of the Brass Bull. It was dimly lit, noisy, and smelled of dried ale. “Do you see him?”
“The bearded man sitting alone at the corner table.”
Zane’s hand curled into a fist as he strode toward the man. He wanted to jerk him up by his neck and pound his face, but he had to think about Robert. This needed to be handled with a well-tempered head.
It would be difficult. He would manage.
He pulled on the lace cuff of his sleeve and calmly strode toward Remick. The tall, robust man slipped a watch back into the small pocket of his waistcoat and rose. In his mind, Zane had imagined Remick an older, shorter, and more rotund man with small eyes. To the contrary of all Zane thought, the man’s clothing and air of superiority might suggest to some he was a gentleman.
“I’m impressed, my lord,” he said and bowed. “Your man did his job well.”
The man’s pleasantness only angered Zane more.
“You made it here in seventeen minutes,” Remick continued. “I was of a mind to give you more than the twenty indicated.”
Zane didn’t want to be reminded of the time. Brina, his uncles, and sister were probably arriving at his house right now and would be wondering where in the hell he was.
“How much do I owe you?” Zane asked in a clipped voice.
The man chuckled, showing white even teeth. “Now that you are here, there’s no hurry.”
Oh, but there was.
“I’ll pay whatever Robert owes and your fee for holding his debt.” He glanced over to Harry. “Find the gaming controller and ask him to come over with quill and paper.” Turning his attention back to Remick, he said, “I’ll write a promissory note that you can have exchanged for pounds tomorrow. How much do I owe you?”
The man chuckled again and eased himself back into his chair. “Sit down, Lord Blacknight. It’s going to be a long night. Do you really think I’m going to just accept payment for Mr. Browning’s debt? Don’t tell me you thought it would be that simple?”
“Paying another man’s gambling debts is never a simple matter. If you were a true gamester, you would know that.”
Remick’s shoulders twitched. “I think you and I are about to find out. Ever since I’ve been in London, I’ve heard you’re skilled at cards. One of the best, but I’ve never seen you play. I was looking forward to matching my skills against yours. Then I heard about a certain wager you had with a lady.”
This man wasn’t making it easy for Zane to remain calm. Mentioning Brina was the wrong thing for him todo. He’d never challenged a man to a duel, but now it looked as if he might have met his first. But for Brina and his love for her, he was going to give the man another chance. “None of that concerns the matter at hand. Robert has a debt and I’ll pay it. We can settle it with money or we can settle it at dawn with pistols.”
The man chuckled again and Zane wanted to yank him out of the chair and rip his head off.
“That’s not how we settle things in America. I’ve heard enough about you to know I’d be a fool to go against you in a duel of any kind—except cards. You’re going to play games with me. If you want to pay Mr. Browning’s debt, you’re going to have to win it one hand at a time.”
Zane took a step toward him, his gaze dead on Remick’s. So he was a card marksman who dealt in the underworld of crimping too.
“I’m not.”
“Then I guess your cousin will end up on a ship heading to Singapore after all. A promissory note won’t change that.” He picked up his glass of port and took a sip, but he never let his gaze leave Zane’s.
“Singapore?” Zane’s hand made a fist again. “That’s halfway around the world.”
“That’s why it’s difficult for boarding masters to find young healthy seamen to make the voyage. It’s long and arduous. So many don’t make it there. Or back.” He put his glass down on the table with a clunk. “I want to match my skill against yours. I don’t want your money. I already have enough wagered that you will gamble before midnight tomorrow night.”
“You bloody thief. I’ll see you in hell first. You deliberately allowed him to fall into debt to you.”
“It’s a dirty business but a lawful one. He could have paid me what they owed and walked away at any time. He doesn’t know anything about hard work but he’lllearn. And, should I go to hell, I’ll be sure to say hello to Mr. Harper Tabor while I’m there. He’ll be on the same ship with Mr. Browning.”
Zane’s heart slammed against his chest. “You bloody fool, I’ll choke their whereabouts out of your—” Zane lunged for Remick but was grabbed by the shoulders. He struggled against Harry and another man, trying to shake them off, but they pinned his arms behind his back.
“No, Zane,” Harry said. “Calm down. Think!”
He couldn’t think. The man held Robert and Harper captive. What was he going to do? He’d promised Brina he wouldn’t play. He was little more than twenty-fours from keeping his bargain with her.
