Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

A gentleman must always keep his promise. After all, his word is the most important thing.

For that reason, Simon knew that he had to seek out his brother and get to the bottom of things. He had promised Harriet that he was going to sort out this situation as soon as he could.

It was that promise that brought him here. The duke of Atherton stood outside a modest building in a less-than-reputable part of town, his expression one of barely concealed disdain. The establishment before him was one he would never normally deign to enter—a notorious gaming hall known for its questionable clientele and even more questionable activities.

It was a place he knew his brother, Tobias, frequented.

“Do you think he’ll be here?” asked Anthony, scanning the entrance with great curiosity.

Simon had decided that he was not interested in undertaking this search on his own, and had, therefore, invited his friend to come with him.

Simon sighed, casting a disparaging glance at the building. “I suppose we won’t know until we look.”

“Are you certain the baby is his?” Anthony pressed. “I have to say that this place is a bit too seedy, even for my liking.”

“Knowing Tobias, it’s entirely possible. He’s never been one to heed advice or think about consequences.”

The two brothers shared the same blood, but that was the only thing similar about them. Tobias had never been one to follow rules, and always stirred up trouble wherever he went.

When they were young boys, their father had hired a set of tutors to teach Tobias discipline.

Of course, it had not done him any good. If anything, Tobias had found boys exactly like himself there, and gotten even more reckless.

On the contrary, Simon had always been one to value principles above all else. He felt as though he had a duty to those around him, and always tried his hardest to help whomever he could.

You’re an old man, Tobias would say to him. Just because you will eventually inherit the dukedom does not mean that you need to be so stiff.

What you call stiff, I call disciplined, Simon would argue back. But it would always fall on deaf ears.

Tobias never really understood the concept of duty. He looked at it with contempt, if anything.

So it would not surprise Simon if he had a child and then abandoned it. As unfortunate as that was, it was entirely in line with the kind of man his brother was.

As they entered the establishment, they began to look around. Clouds of thick smoke from cigars and hookah pipes filled the room, and Simon spotted more than one scantily clad lady running about.

“Ah, your brother is quite the character, isn’t he? Reckless and carefree,” Anthony chuckled, amused by the whole scenario.

“That’s one way to put it,” Simon replied dryly, his patience already wearing thin at the thought of his brother’s antics. “Irresponsible brat is another.”

The gaming hall was a far cry from the dignified halls and proper society functions to which Simon was accustomed. As a duke, Simon valued decorum, responsibility, and duty above all else— traits his younger brother seemed to lack entirely.

Even being spotted here could be a stain on his otherwise spotless reputation.But he had to do it if he was going to track Tobias down.

“Let’s get this over with,” Simon sighed, straightening his posture as he led the way inside.

Once they entered one of the inner rooms, it felt like they were in a different world entirely. The air was filled with the clatter of dice, the shuffle of cards, and the low murmur of conversation punctuated by the occasional raucous laugh or shout of triumph.

Wild behavior. A retreat from the otherwise proper norms of high society.

Men of varying ages and status were gathered around tables, engaged in games of chance that promised fortune or ruin. A group of musicians played lively tunes in the corner, providing a backdrop of entertainment.

“What do you think?” Anthony nudged his friend. “Shall we start coming here on the weekends?”

Simon rolled his eyes, the disgust evident in his expression. “I would much rather be impaled by a stake in broad daylight.”

“For once, I would have to agree with you,” Anthony laughed, grabbing a glass of whiskey from one of the trays being served by the waiters. “It’s a wonder really — how different you both turned out to be.”

“I would suggest you redirect your curiosities into finding my brother instead,” Simon advised.

The thought of interacting with the people here filled him with a sense of disdain. He did not relish the thought of Tobias being entangled with these sorts.

They moved through the room, pausing at various tables to inquire after Tobias. Simon approached a group of men engaged in a game of hazard, his expression polite but firm. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but have any of you seen Tobias Wylde recently?”

One of the men, a portly fellow with a ruddy complexion, looked up from his dice with a furrowed brow. “Tobias, you say? Haven’t seen him in a spell. Used to be a regular here, but he’s not been around lately.”

Simon exchanged a glance with Anthony, his concern deepening. “And you’ve no idea where he might be?”

The man shrugged, rolling the dice with a practiced flick of his wrist. “Heard he’s been keeping different company these days. Don’t know where, though. Sorry, Your Grace.”

Simon nodded, suppressing his frustration. “Thank you for your time.”

“Different company?” Simon repeated once they were out of earshot. “Now what in heavens is that supposed to mean?”

“I do not think it can get any worse than this,” Anthony chuckled. “So perhaps little Tobias has finally changed his ways. Maybe he keeps better company now?”

“I doubt that those men knew much,” Simon noted in his frustration. “Tobias was one to keep many friends — but always kept them at an arms distance. I do not think he would be discussing his next moves with anyone here.”

Anthony placed his hands on his thigh, “Well, what other choice to we have? Any other place we can look?”

Simon pressed his lips together in a tight line. “Unfortunately, this is likely our best bet. Let us keep asking around.”

They moved through the different tables; each person had a different thing to say. Some of them too inebriated to give straight answers, but would always try to when they realized that they were speaking to a duke.

By the end of it, both men were beginning to feel rather stumped. They had been searching for him for the better part of the last hour, but had made almost no progress.

“Your brother certainly knows how to elude us,” Anthony remarked as they moved to a quieter corner of the room to take a little break.

“It’s a talent he’s honed over the years,” Simon replied with a wry smile. “He’s always had a knack for finding trouble and then slipping away when it suits him.”

Anthony laughed, clapping Simon on the shoulder. “You sound like a disapproving father.”

“Sometimes I feel like one,” Simon admitted, glancing around the room once more. “As such, I can’t help worrying about him. He has a tendency to make poor choices.”

“You know he respects you, Simon,” Anthony said, his tone sincere. “Even if he doesn’t always show it.”

Simon did not respond to that. His relationship with his brother was strained. It was not out of any enmity for one another, but rather, the trouble that Tobias always got himself into made for some really tense conversations between them over the years.

“Perhaps we should try our luck tomorrow?” Simon suggested, sighing in defeat.

He thought back to Harriet. How she would ask him if he had made any progress on the subject, her eyes wide and expecting.

He almost did not have the heart to disappoint her once again.

“Perhaps so,” Anthony nodded in agreement.

But, just as they were about to leave, a tall, lean man approached them, his features shadowed by the dim light. He looked at Simon with a mixture of curiosity and recognition. “You’re looking for Tobias, aren’t you?”

Simon straightened, his attention fully on the newcomer. “Yes, I am. Do you know where he is?”

Perhaps they were finally making progress.

The man nodded, glancing around as if to ensure they weren’t overheard. “He hasn’t been here for a while, but I might know where he’s at these days.”

“Then, you should let me know immediately.”

A smile appeared on the man’s face. “Ah, I would love to. But such information doesn’t come free, Your Grace.”

Simon raised an eyebrow. “Are you suggesting I compensate you for your knowledge?”

The man shrugged, a sly smile playing on his lips. “Information is a valuable commodity, especially when it concerns a gentleman like your brother. I’d say it’s worth a fair sum. If you truly want to know, that is.”

Simon suppressed a sigh, knowing that haggling over information was part and parcel of dealings in such places. He reached into his coat pocket, extracting a small pouch of coins. “How much do you require?”

It was not like him to give into people’s requests for bribes. But this felt like a useless fight — he needed the information, and this was likely the quickest way to obtain it.

The man eyed the pouch, considering his answer. “Twenty pounds ought to do it.”

Simon frowned at the audacity of the demand. “Twenty pounds? You must think me a fool.”

The man shrugged again, unperturbed. “It’s a reasonable price for ensuring your brother’s well-being, wouldn’t you agree? After all, his whereabouts seem to be of considerable interest to you.”

Anthony, standing by Simon’s side, watched the exchange with interest. “Isn’t there room for negotiation, sir? Perhaps ten pounds, and we’ll consider it a fair trade.”

The man’s eyes darted between Simon and Anthony, weighing his options. Finally, he nodded, relenting slightly. “Fifteen, then. But I cannot go any lower than that.”

Simon reached into his pocket, extracting a few more coins and placing them in the man’s palm. “Fifteen it is. Now, where can I find my brother?”

The man pocketed the coins, satisfied. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice.

“Your brother might be attending a cockfight that is to take place next week at Lord Mason’s estate,” the man whispered.

“Lord Mason?” Anthony jumped into the conversation. “Why, he is an acquaintance to me. We can get an invitation easily.”

Simon nodded, finally pleased to know that they were making some kind of progress. “What else can you tell me? Do you know what sort of company he is keeping these days? Is he courting anyone?”

“Courting?” the man laughed. “Your Grace, you know better than anyone that your brother does not court. He simply conquers, and then moves onto his next conquest.”

Simon wanted to put the man in his place at once for being disrespectful. Troublesome as his brother might be, they were still related by blood and he would not stand for him to be discussed like this by a total stranger.

But he composed himself, knowing it would not cause him any benefit to make a scene in a place like this.

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion. Only what you may know,” Simon said in a low tone.

The man flashed him a grin, his crooked and gapped teeth on full display.

“I already told you what I knew, Your Grace. Your best bet is to locate your brother at the cockfight.”

Anthony sensed the tension rising and stepped in immediately.

“Well thank you for your service, but we shall we taking our leave now.”

As they walked away from the establishment and towards their carriage, Anthony put a hand on his friends shoulder. He could see the duke was a lot angrier than he had been going in.

“Do you think we should trust that man?” he asked.

“Absolutely not,” Anthony replied. “But men like him can be bought easily. Since you paid him, I have reason to believe that he gave us the correct information. I shall confirm with the lord as well, and we can go to his estate.”

Simon nodded, still reeling from the experience that they’d had that evening.

“I have a feeling that the gossip papers are going to have a new topic tomorrow…” he sighed.

As much as he liked to keep his family matters private, it would only take one chatty mouth for news to get out that the duke was looking for his brother.

“What will they will say? You only came here looking for Tobias. That is hardly some kind of a scandal.”

“You know how they twist things,” Simon replied. He remembered the scandal that he had been involved in with Harriet.How everyone had run with the news that the duke was having some kind of an affair with her.

There was little in this world that he hated more than gossip. He found it to be one of the lowest acts.

“Well then, you shall deal with that as it comes,” Anthony said as they got into the carriage. “For now, I believe that you have more important things to worry about.”