study. Climbing the stairs to his chamber, he began dressing. It wasn’t quite dawn yet, but he had no intention of waiting. He meant to beard the lion in his den, so to speak. His valet entered, sleepy-eyed and clearly concerned by all the commotion of the early morning vandalism.
“May I be of assistance, my lord?”
Winn shook his head as he hastily tied his cravat. “I’m not concerned about whether or not I’m fashionable at the moment. It’s hardly a requirement for beating another so-called gentleman to a pulp.”
The valet inhaled sharply, clearly appalled by such ungentlemanly violence. “Surely a duel would be more the thing, my lord.”
Winn rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to kill him… nor do I have any great desire to be shot myself. No. A sound thrashing ought to take care of it. But thank you for the advice, Smithton. It’s greatly appreciated. Should I ever need clarification on whether blackening someone’s eyes or sending them to meet their maker is the most gentlemanly course of action, I’ll be certain to seek out your wise counsel.”
The valet, giving every appearance of being chastened when nothing could be further from the truth, ducked his head. “Very well, my lord. And should this gentleman manage to thrash you instead, I will have poultices at the ready to treat your wounds.”
“Your faith in me is astonishing, Smithton, and I thank you for it,” Winn said as he headed out the door. Down the stairs and into the darkened streets beyond, he made straight for the set of rooms that Burney kept on Church Street. With his brisk pace, fueled by anger, he actually reached those rooms in time to see Burney disappearing through the front door. If there had been any doubt at all that the man was responsible, seeing him out and about at such an ungodly hour was all the proof Winn required.
Quickening his pace, he crossed the street, all but abandoned at such an hour, and entered the building just behind Burney who was already at the top of the stairs. The other man looked back at him and Winn saw the guilt in his expression. “I’d like a word with you, Burney.”
“Now isn’t a good time, Montgomery. Heavens, I’m only just getting to bed.”
“I wasn’t aware blackmail required such late hours,” Winn snapped. “And it wasn’t a request, Burney. We will have those words and we will have them now… here in the corridor or in the privacy of your rooms. I’ll let you decide.”
Burney hesitated, but only for a moment. He opened the door, stepped aside and waved for Winn to precede him into his small apartment. Once inside, Burney closed the door, and Winn whirled on him immediately. The punch landed squarely, sending Burney stumbling backwards and clutching his nose.
“Were it not for decades of friendship between our families, I would call you out on the spot!” Winn snapped. “You dare to blackmail me? To extort funds from me? Not to mention that you are very likely risking the life of an innocent woman in the process!”
Burney shook his head, still clutching his nose. “I’ve no notion what you’re talking about. But clearly you are upset about something you think I’ve done.” There was panic rising in his voice.
“I think you or some miscreant you hired threw a rock through my window with a note wrapped about it attempting the most ridiculous extortion imaginable… demanding a sum of four thousand pounds or the Duke of Averston will be told that the missing heir to the Averston fortune is acting as governess to my nieces and nephew. Did you really think I wouldn’t piece together that it was you, Burney?”
“You can’t prove it,” Burney denied.
“I don’t have to prove it… and I certainly don’t have to pay you. You’ll not see a pence from this, Burney. I’ll tell Miss St. James myself about her parentage and I’ll see to it that Averston will never get near enough to her to do her harm.” Winn was too disgusted with the man to even want to hit him again. He just wanted to be away from the man. “If you approach me in society, it will go badly for you. Do not think to trade on our friendship or my long-held respect for the remainder of your family. In short, Burney, do not make me embarrass them that way… and stay the hell away from mine. Is that understood?”
“You have it all wrong, Montgomery,” Burney