Read Online Mastering a Sinner by Kate Pearce - Free Book Online Page B

the door, and then sat back down. The Demon Club sounded appalling. He had to assume that Harry knew what he’d gotten himself into, but he was still uneasy. His brother didn’t have a hundred pounds, let alone a thousand to pay a single creditor. Was the holder of the debt connected to the woman who had held him at gunpoint? It was definitely a possibility.
    Alistair pushed the problem to the back of his mind and addressed his thoughts to the speech he was writing for Lord Keyes to deliver in the upper house. He’d trained himself never to be distracted from the task at hand, but even he was having difficulty concentrating when his thoughts skipped about from Harry’s problems to the tantalizing opportunity of getting his own back on Diana Theale.
    He snorted as he dipped his pen in the ink. She thought him undisciplined. She had no idea what he was like at all. He had no intention of obliging her by turning up at her command on Friday night, but he almost wished he could....
     
    A knock at the door several hours later had him looking up to see the butler advancing toward him.
    “There is a Lord Blaydon Kenrick here to see you, sir.” Maddon presented a tray with the man’s card on it to Alistair.
    He examined the card, but it held nothing other than the man’s name. “Did he mention why he needed to see me?”
    “No, sir. Do you wish me to inquire?”
    “That’s not necessary. Please send him in.”
    If he was not mistaken, Kenrick was the family name of the Marquess of Killkenny, an Irish peer.
    The gentleman who was ushered in by Maddon was dressed in the height of fashion and about Alistair’s age.
    “Mr. Maclean?”
    “Yes, please sit down. How may I help you?”
    Lord Blaydon ignored the invitation and stood his ground, a calm smile hovering on his lips.
    “You do not look much like your brother.”
    Alistair’s smile disappeared. “We share similar coloring, but that’s about it. How may I assist you?”
    “Your brother owes the Demon Club a thousand pounds.”
    “So I understand. You had the wrong address. I passed your letter on to him.” Alistair met Lord Blaydon’s dark gaze. “That is the extent of my interest in this matter.”
    “I’m afraid that isn’t quite how it works, Mr. Maclean. Your brother used your name when he incurred the debt.”
    “A mistake, of which you are obviously aware, so I cannot see what it has to do with me.”
    “Your name is on the voucher.”
    “And I deny all knowledge of it. Are you done, my lord? I have work to do.”
    “If your brother does not pay us in full by the end of the month, or appear at the Demon Club, you will be required to honor his obligation.”
    Alistair stood up and glared at his visitor. “I repeat. I am not obliged to pay my brother’s debts.”
    “Then you are happy to watch him suffer?”
    “I am not responsible for my brother. He is a grown man.”
    “Be that as it may, if he doesn’t turn up, you will be required to fulfill his responsibility.”
    “And if I refuse?”
    Lord Blaydon smiled. “You will not be given the opportunity to refuse, Mr. Maclean.” He put on his hat. “I wish you a good evening.”
    Alistair let him leave and then sat down again. Damn Harry for dragging him into yet another mess. He had no choice but to go to his brother’s lodgings again and lie in wait for him.
    “Devil take it!” Alistair muttered as he put away his work and tidied his desk. “My brother is going to pay for this!”
     
    He hailed a hackney cab and arrived at Harry’s rooms less than half an hour later. He managed to get into the house, but his brother’s door was locked so he had to find the manager of the property who lived in the basement and get him to open up the place. He also had to endure a tirade about his brother’s wild ways and a threat of Harry being evicted if he didn’t pay his rent on time. It was only after placating the man and offering him a substantial bribe that Alistair was given the spare