Page 51 of Ironvine

Charles blew out a breath.Punishing husbands.

Even though their father had a mistress living at their house whilst their mother was there, he was still very possessive of his wife. And even though he’d allowed her to live elsewhere, he had strictly forbidden her from taking lovers.

Charles knew this because he’d heard his father threatening his mother every time she visited them. Threatening her in unforgettable punishing ways that sickened him to this day.

Charles’s arm and head pounded with pain. Dizziness swirled in his head, and he fought to breathe enough air. After all, the Duke made lovers he no longer favoured disappear, did he not?

A knock at the door shook him from his riotous thoughts. Georgina opened the door.

“Malcolm, at last. This way.”

Malcolm inspected the body. “He’s been bludgeoned.”

“Yes,” said Charles. “Whoever it was grabbed this small statue from the table and–”

“That would do it.”

Georgina handed Malcolm a glass of brandy and he drank.

“Imagine, a ridiculous dancing monkey brought down my brother,” muttered Charles.

“We only just saw Hugh,” murmured Georgina. “He was alive, he was… What is happening, Charles? What is happening?”

“I don’t know. Hugh had no debts, no outstanding insults, no enemies, only William at the end. Then again, I did not know about Amanda, did I? What did I know of my brother? The past few years, he spent most of his time with the Duchess and Oakley’s inner circle of friends.”

“It’s true then? Hugh and the Duchess of Oakley were lovers?”

“It’s true. Being in town together these past months was the first time Hugh and I had lived together in several years.” A heavy sigh dragged from his lungs. “Perhaps he did have enemies and debts.”

“Or perhaps those debts were not financial,” said Georgina.

“Indeed. Excellent point.” He rubbed his injured arm. “I do not wish his manner of death to be made public. We will say that William got a shot in as well. That Hugh came home straight away and died from his bleeding wound.”

Georgina squeezed her hands together. “Malcolm?”

Malcolm wiped the blood from his hands. “Is that what you wish, Charles? Because whoever did this is out there.”

“That is what I wish. This way, the duel takes care of the mess cleanly.”Hugh’s mess.“There will be no questions, no inquiry. It will be accepted as these things are: two gentlemen having claimed their fucking honour.”

Malcolm rose. “Very well. We shall say he was shot in the belly, lasted an hour, and died.”

Charles glanced down at his brother’s lifeless corpse. “Is that a painful way to die?” He twisted the Ryvves signet ring from his brother’s stiffening hand, his cold fingers splattered with ink.

“It is, in fact. Quite painful.”

“Good.”

* * *

Black ribbons were pinnedto the front door. The wool shroud for the corpse had been sent for. The drawing room had been cleaned.

Charles had dressed his brother’s body. He didn’t want anyone to see the actual wound. He encased the corpse in the horrid shroud, and now Hugh lay on the dining room table, lit candles on either side of him.

Charles and Georgina stood together, taking in the still unbelievable sight. “I have no fiancé any longer,” she breathed.

“You now have a choice to make, Georgie. Once the news of Hugh’s death reaches your family tonight, or on the morrow, your brother will arrive here to take you back. Is that what you want?”

“That is not what I want, but now I have no other choice.”

---