she takes the children out of the country, I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to get them back.”
“Of course, you will,” Niall reassured him on instinct, even though he had no idea of the laws of either the United States or Great Britain where custody of children was concerned. “I doubt it will come to that anyhow. Didn’t you say that Annamarie wanted to be a duchess and lord it over English ladies? She can’t do that in America.”
Blake hummed in consideration. “I’m not sure that’s what she truly wants now. Now that she knows….” His words faded and he glanced out the window nearest his desk.
“Somebody somewhere must have seen her.” Niall took things in hand once more. “A duchess traveling with three children under the age of ten will be noticed. Even if she is traveling with a lover. Have you hired investigators? Notified the police?”
Blake glanced back to Niall with a guilty look. “The police haven’t seen hide nor hair of her. I didn’t think to hire an investigator, though.”
“We could do that .” Niall nodded, taking charge. “I know of a few men who might be of help in London. We could telegraph them, and someone would be on the case by tomorrow at the latest.”
“Good,” Blake let out a breath of relief, more tension draining from his shoulders.
Niall felt a burst of pride at being able to put Blake’s mind at ease, even though he rejected the sentimental notion. He hadn’t come to renew things with the man who had callously left him; he’d only come to sort out his mess.
“We’ll send a telegram to David Wirth as well, asking him if he knows anyone in The Brotherhood who might be looking to invest in a dilapidated country estate,” Niall went on.
“The Brotherhood?” Blake blinked in puzzlement.
Niall was just as confused. “Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of The Brotherhood.”
Blake shrugged and shook his head. “Is that some sort of secret fraternity of estate buyers?”
Niall almost thought he was joking. “It’s an organization of men like us,” he explained, still incredulous that someone of Blake’s position had never heard of them.
“Like us?” Blake stared at him.
“Homosexuals.”
Blake flushed dark red, glancing to the doorway and windows, as if their conversation might be overheard. “How is that even possible?”
Niall’s jaw dropped. Blake couldn’t be that ignorant. “Possible for homosexual men to form an organization to promote their own interests and to look out for each other?”
“It can’t be very popular.” Blake flushed deeper, rolling his shoulders awkwardly.
“It has hundreds of members, Blake. Possibly thousands.”
Blake’s eyes went wide. “There are that many men who—” He snapped his mouth shut.
“God, you’ve been alone too long.” Niall nearly laughed. Until the truth behind his casual statement hit him. He stared hard at Blake. “You’re not alone, you know. Did you think you were?”
Blake’s astounded look and the way he sat heavily in his chair was all the answer Niall needed.
“Oh, Blake.” Niall walked around the desk and sat against it, close to Blake. “Don’t tell me you’ve been isolating yourself all the way up here out of some sense that you’re an anomaly.”
Blake didn’t answer. He merely glanced sheepishly up at Niall. “I know I’m not an anomaly as such, but I thought….”
Niall waited for him to finish his thought, but he didn’t. He stood and stepped back around the desk. “You need to spend more time in London. People are more open about things down there, and with a population of greater than five million, there is more than enough room to blend into the woodwork. But that’s not what we need to focus on. We’ll make a trip into town to send a telegram to David. He can help with both the estate and finding an investigator.”
“Perhaps someone at the party tonight knows who Annamarie’s lover is.”
Niall froze at Blake’s words, as though someone had poured ice water down his back. “Party?”
“Yes.” Blake rose, the look of false cheer back on his face. “Lady Inglewood has invited me to supper tonight. You’ll accompany me, of course.”
Niall turned slowly to face Blake, clenching his jaw. He felt as though he’d stepped into a trap. “I have no interest in attending supper at the house of a Lady Inglewood, or anyone else.”
“You have to go with me.” Blake leapt forward, edging around the desk to grab Niall’s arm. “I haven’t been out in company since Annamarie left. All of my friends and neighbors know what happened. They’re hungry for