Just a Little Heartache (The Brotherhood #5) - Merry Farmer Page 0,103
married man, sir,” she told the officers, looking down her nose at them. “And he has sired three children. Everyone knows that that sort of man is infertile.”
Niall’s brow shot up before he could school his expression. He’d all but forgotten that was a common misconception that had existed for centuries about their sort.
“And as for Mr. Cristofori,” Lady Inglewood went on with a cheeky grin. “I wager Miss Yates would tell a different story about his proclivities.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Rumor has it that she spent the evening here after making Mr. Cristofori’s acquaintance at a supper party last week.”
“She was rather nice,” Niall said, grinning, heat rising to his face, but not for the reasons Lady Inglewood or, hopefully, the officers, would suspect.
“What?” Ian barked. “This is ridiculous. And it’s a waste of time.” He turned back to Blake. “Hand over the medallion or you’ll never see your son and heir again.”
“Did you hear that, gentlemen?” Blake stepped toward the officers, fury bright in his expression. “Mr. Archibald has just threatened my son.”
The officers exchanged a look, as if deciding whether to act on Blake’s words.
“It was not a threat.” Ian’s face lost all color, and he backpedaled toward the parlor doorway. “The boy is with his mother. She has every right to take him to visit her family in America.”
“But she has not left yet,” Blake rounded on Ian, marching toward him. “Has she?”
“No, but—”
Ian stopped, seeming to realize he’d tipped his hand at an important moment. Blake looked both triumphant and ready to murder him.
“You will not take Alan out of the country,” he said, marching to stand toe to toe with Ian again and lowering his voice to a hiss. “If you so much as dare to look at a ship, I will move heaven and earth to make your life a living hell. If Annamarie returns Alan to me, I will grant her a divorce with whatever sort of settlement she wants, provided the two of you leave England forever once it is finalized. My children will stay with me. All of them. Do I make myself clear?”
Ian cowered as Blake spoke, but once Blake finished, he straightened and cleared his throat. “I want that medallion. Hand it over now and I’ll have Alan sent back immediately.”
Blake’s confidence faltered. “I don’t know where it is.”
“You…what?” Ian barked.
“It was given away years ago, to a traveling theater company,” Blake admitted. “It could be anywhere.”
Ian gaped at him, his face going red. At last, he snapped his mouth closed and growled, “Then you’d better hope you find it before I do. I’ll trade your stupid boy for the medallion, but if I find the medallion before you do, Annamarie and I will be on the first ship to New York.” He leaned closer to Blake and murmured just loud enough for Niall to hear from where he and Lady Inglewood stood, “And you’d better hope the lad is a good swimmer.”
The threat was so evil that Niall gasped and balled his hands into fists as he surged toward Ian, intent on beating the man senseless. Blake lunged for him, but Ian anticipated the move and dodged out of his way. He didn’t stop with one lunge, and turned to flee from the room as if he knew full well he’d gone too far.
“Go after him,” Blake ordered the police officers. “The man just threatened the life of my son.”
“He didn’t exactly—” the second officer started with a wince.
“We don’t have jurisdiction here,” the first officer said with a guilty look.
“You were threatening to arrest Lord Selby and myself for gross indecency, but you don’t have the jurisdiction to stop a kidnapper?” Niall demanded, marching up to the first officer.
“We were sent with a specific mission,” the man replied, shrinking away.
Niall shook his head in disgust, then turned to follow Blake, who had rushed after Ian as soon as he saw the officers wouldn’t.
Ian managed to stay just enough ahead of them as he dashed down the hall, out the front door, and into the carriage that was waiting for him. Blake attempted to run out in front of the carriage—as though he could stop a team of horses with his bare hands—but Niall pulled him back and held him steady.
“You heard what he said,” Blake roared, attempting to shake out of Niall’s grip. “He intends to harm Alan. And he didn’t even tell us where he and Annamarie are hiding.”