A Little Bit Sinful(13)

Justin knew, though, that while George did frequent his establishment, he played billiards and the occasional game of hazard, and he was always lucky. He might have debts somewhere else, but certainly not at Rodale’s.

Perhaps that was the truth. Perhaps Wilbanks gambled more heavily at a less reputable hell and he hadn’t wanted to tell her the truth. Either way, Justin would wager Wilbanks never expected Clarissa to attempt to pay his debts on her own.

Over the years, even though he no longer had a connection to her family, he’d followed the gossip about Clarissa Kincaid out of curiosity. Or, more to the point, the absolute lack of gossip. Clarissa’s reputation was as spotless as a chandelier at one of the Ton’s parties. At least, it had been until the moment she’d stepped out of the carriage and onto the doorstep of his gaming hell. No one could have predicted she would do something so reckless. So brazen. But Vivian March, now Vivian Kincaid, had worked her particular form of magic and salvaged Clarissa’s reputation. Of course, that was unless someone had seen her arrive at his townhome earlier that evening. He’d wager not, she’d kept herself pretty well hidden in that cloak.

“Clipps, I want you to find out what you can on George Wilbanks.”

“Interesting,” Clipps said. He absently rubbed at the thick stubble on his chin.

“In what way?”

Clipps shrugged. “I thought we were done with that issue. You see Lady Blue-eyes again?”

Justin couldn’t help but smile. “I did. And she is in that wager book downstairs. If the man lied to her once, he’ll likely do it again. I merely want to uncover any other secrets he might have and give her all the information possible so she can decide to marry him knowing his faults as well as his merits. I’m suspicious that he prefers to spend the bulk of his coin at a different establishment. One not as acceptable as ours.”

“Probably right. There are lots of those places willing to take wagers on all manner of things.”

Justin leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his abdomen. “I want to know everything though. What he plays, who he plays with, how much he wagers, side wagers, all of it.”

“Consider it done.” Clipps nodded, then stood to leave.

“Have you discovered anything about the other matter I asked you to look into?” Justin asked.

Clipps rocked back on his heels. “Another dead end, I’m afraid.”

Justin nodded and Clipps slipped out the door.

“Bloody hell.” Another dead end. This was the third one in the last two months. His father had told him he would never discover his mother’s real identity, and damned if the man hadn’t been right. But Justin refused to give up. The right evidence had to be out there, he merely needed to find it. While he looked into his mother’s identity, he would also do his best to ensure Chrissy was protected from making a huge mistake. Everything Justin knew about George right now indicated he was quite similar to Justin’s father. Selfish and dishonest. The last thing he’d want to see is Chrissy married off to someone like that.

…

The following day Justin decided it was time to pay a call on his half-brother. Some days being the brother of the Duke of Chanceworth had its benefits. The man knew practically everyone in town. While Clipps was looking into what Wilbanks did outside of Rodale’s, Roe might be able to give Justin information as to the man’s reputation in Society.

The ride to Roe’s townhome gave Justin enough time to consider the current situation. What he needed to decide was to what lengths he would go to deter Clarissa’s intent to marry Wilbanks. Distracting her with kisses might only take him so far. It would seem that no matter what the plan it would require him to return once again to proper Society. Ever since Vivian had seen to it that he’d been invited to some parties a couple months before, the invitations continued to arrive. He politely sent declines, but perhaps now he should accept a few.

He glanced up at the townhome before him. Five stories of brown bricks and white arched windows. Justin owned a similar one now, but this one definitely came with memories.

He remembered being a boy in their father’s house. They’d had a ball once when Justin and Roe had been home from school for some reason or another. The duke had coldly instructed Justin to stay upstairs out of sight, since he was not truly a member of their family. The duchess had been mortified, gone to Justin’s defense, but her words had fallen on deaf ears. Justin had spent the evening hiding at the top of the stairs, listening to the music and the party guests laugh. He’d even seen a couple sneak into the darkened spot behind the stairs for some heated kissing.