Page 45 of A Duke to Restore her Memory
He must ride to Hester’s house and confront him before any more damage was done. He would get Daniel to accompany him. His friend would be more than willing and be good back-up.
“I promise I will return to you,” he whispered, reaching out and trailing a finger slowly down the side of her face. “Wait for me.”
Chapter 23
“Please, Your Grace,” stammered the butler, following Sebastian and Daniel as they strode down the long hallway in the Hester’s manor house. “Mr Hester is indisposed and is not receiving callers.”
“The deuce he is not,” growled Sebastian. “He is going to see me whether he wants to or not.” He took a deep breath, gathering his breath. “Walter Hester! Show your face!”
Servants were gathering now, staring at him with mouths gaping like fish as he marched down the hallway, pushing doors open, looking for Hester. His blood was boiling.
The ride from Newquay Hall to the Hesters’ home hadn’t soothed him – if anything, his indignation and anger, the enormous sense of betrayal over what Hester had done to him, had increased.
“Steady,” said Daniel, his eyes flickering. “You do not want to lose your head completely, Newquay.”
“Someone is going to lose their head,” he snapped. “But it will not be me.”
A door opened. Walter Hester stood there, glaring at him. “What is the meaning of this, Newquay? You cannot just barge into my house like this.”
“I already have,” snarled Sebastian, approaching the man and pushing past him into the room Hester had just emerged from. He gazed around. It was the parlour. “You would be best to hear me out, Hester.”
Hester sighed dramatically, turning and following him into the room. Daniel had entered as well, standing behind Sebastian, flanking him like a soldier flanking a general on the battlefield.
This is a battlefield. I am battling for my business and my reputation. And the man before me is my enemy.
“I know what you are doing, Hester,” he said in a low voice, turning to face the man. “I know about your treachery. I know that you were responsible for making that abandoned mine unsafe. And I know you were also responsible for the explosion in my other mine.”
Hester gave a bark of laughter. “You are being absurd!”
Sebastian shook his head in disgust, trying to control his anger, his hands balling into fists at his sides. He wanted to hit the man square in the face, to feel his fist connect with his nose, to release the anger.
“How could you? Sixteen men died that day!” Sebastian took a step closer to the man, grabbing him by the collar. “Have you no morals at all? How could you do such an evil thing?”
Hester didn’t reply. His piggy eyes were shining with anger, though. The tense silence was broken only by the men’s heavy breathing.
“You have no proof of it,” flung back Hester in a scornful voice. “Where is your evidence, Newquay?”
“I am gathering it,” growled Sebastian. “I know that my tenant, Abraham Barstow, is your henchman. I know that you paid him to sabotage my mines.”
Hester’s eyes widened. He looked shocked. Clearly, he didn’t like that piece of news.
“I have confronted Barstow,” said Sebastian quickly. “He admitted everything to me. Your treachery has been revealed, Hester. You may as well admit it, too.”
Sebastian’s eyes flickered to Daniel, who didn’t react to the lie, retaining a straight face. They hadn’t confronted Barstow at all. But Hester didn’t know that – and telling him they had secured Barstow’s confession might just flush the rat out once and for all.
“Very well,” said Hester, in a voice filled with contempt. “I admit it! I paid Barstow to sabotage your mines so that your reputation would be diminished, and you would sell to me.” He glared at Sebastian. “Your way of doing business is doomed, Newquay. My way is the way of the future. You are too sentimental about your workers. It is all about profit.”
A wave of rage swept over Sebastian. This time, he didn’t even try to control it. The man had just admitted his treachery.
He swung his arm back, hitting Hester square on the nose. The man gasped, reeling back and falling onto the floor, clutching his nose, still glaring at Sebastian. Daniel stepped forward as if to restrain Sebastian from attacking the man again, but Sebastian shook his head at his friend.
“Do not worry, I will not hit him again,” he growled, his chest heaving. “The worm deserves to be beaten to a pulp, but I will not stoop so low.”
He shook his head in disgust, staring at Hester, who was squirming on the floor. Blood was pouring from his nose, and he was trying to catch it with his hands. It was spilling through his fingers, all over the man’s pristine white shirt.
“I would rather die than sell to the likes of you,” spat Sebastian. “You have blood all over your hands, Hester, and I vow to you that you will never own my mines. Not in a million years.” He took a deep breath, turning to Daniel. “Come on. We have more work to do.”
He strode out of the parlour and down the hallway, Daniel following in his wake. They mounted their horses, heading to Abraham Barstow’s house.
