Page 57 of The Haunted Duke

“The hour grows late, and let us be honest, Ingram, I would rather spend the night with my wife than you,” he said with a shrug. “No offense, Evander.”

Ingram’s look of annoyance grew into a disgusted sneer.

“I thought you were a man, Mason. Not one to be yoked by his woman,” he said with distaste.

“Clearly, you do not know how delightful it is to be yoked by a woman, then, Ingram,” Damien spoke up as he put his cards down and rose from the table. “I am out as well. As Adrian said, I would rather spend the night with my wife than with your ugly mugs.”

Evander did not even try to hide his smirk as he watched his friends’ barbs land hard on Ingram’s delicate ego.

“Give my love to Bridget and Caroline,” Evander called to his friends as they left the room with Jeremy.

Lord Ingram looked over Evander’s shoulder to watch the other men go, the disappointment in their departure clear on his face.

“Should we shuffle the deck and start a new hand?” Evander offered, tapping his brother’s cards.

Lord Ingram’s eyes flicked to him and narrowed.

“I do not much feel up to playing with you, Your Grace,” he said bitterly. “Respectfully speaking, of course.”

Evander’s lips twitched as his rage slowly slithered back into his veins. He was very much looking forward to what was about to happen.

“That is fine,” he said, pushing the cards to the center of the table. “I do not feel much like playing with you either. I would rather discuss something far more… lucrative.”

The annoyance on Ingram’s face shifted quickly to curiosity as he sat up a little straighter in his seat. Evander wagered that the man responded to money, and by the way he quickly shifted temperaments, he was right. He had also wagered that the man knew how well his investments were doing and would not turn down the opportunity to be brought into it.

“Lucrative, you say?” Ingram asked.

“Indeed,” Evander agreed, forcing a charming smile. “I have heard good things about your trade ships. You were partners with the late Lord Robinson, were you not?”

Ingram nodded his head eagerly.

“That is right, and though I do not mean to speak ill of the dead, it was my routes and trade plans that made our joint venture the success it was,” he replied, his chest puffing with pride.

Evander knew it was a lie. What little his sources had gathered for him indicated that. The proof was in the paperwork he had received, and it was clear that Helena’s father’s ideas and actions made their ship routes so profitable. And even though he knew parts of their business were shady, Evander understood this was a mystery to solve another time.

“Yes,” Evander agreed calmly, crossing one leg over his knee. A glint of metal caught his eye, but he did not dare look at it. Not yet. “I heard you have even taken care of Mrs. Robinson and her children after your business partner’s unfortunate passing. I find that quite admirable. Not every man would be willing to take on such a burden.”

Ingram’s smile was cocky as he leaned forward, braced his forearms on the table, and pressed his palms. At once, Evander noticed the deep scratches on the man’s knuckles and the back of his hands. Evander’s eye began to twitch as he thought of how Ingram surely got those scratches, and what he had done to deserve them. Helena and her mother had fought, and even though he was near his point of consuming rage, Evander felt pride for his bride-to-be.

“It is a heavy burden,” Ingram went on. “But it comes with advantages.”

Disgust joined Evander’s rage, but after years of learning how to hide his pain, he put on a mask of debaucherous interest.

“Do tell,” he encouraged, subtly sliding his hand down his calf, his fingers inching toward the bit of metal showing at his ankle.

“Women of their caliber…” Ingram readily explained. “Women so used to being spoiled and rich are willing to do anything to keep themselves in the lap of luxury.”

Ingram leaned forward a little more, his smile positively wicked as he splayed his hands on the table. “And I mean anything.”

Evander perked a brow, showing just enough interest to keep Ingram talking.

“Are you telling me you convinced Lady Robinson to let you into her bed?” Evander asked.

“Oh, not just the mother,” Ingram replied enthusiastically. “Soon I shall have the daughter as well.”

Evander’s grip tightened on his calf, his fingers biting and bruising his own flesh so as not to give himself away too easily.

“Miss Robinson is willing to do that? Even as she is about to be married?” Evander asked. “How on earth did you persuade her to do so?”