Three Nights with a Scoundrel (Stud Club #3)(101)

“Oh, God,” Lily said. “That’s so horrible.”

Horrible, Julian silently agreed. Also despicable, cowardly, and nauseating. But all too believable. He’d grown up on the streets. He’d seen such beatings before.

Faraday tapped the flat side of his fist against the carriage wall. “Such a stupid reason for a good man to die. That’s the hardest part to move past, the senselessness of it all.”

He’d taken the words from Julian’s mouth. Others had insisted all along that Leo’s death was the result of random violence. Julian just hadn’t been able to accept it. Not only because of his own secrets and fears, but because he hadn’t wanted to believe Leo was taken from this earth for no earthly justification, save some brigands’ drunken sport. He wanted a reason.

But there wasn’t one. There never would be. Damn it all to hell.

Faraday sighed. “I can only imagine you must blame me. I blame myself. When Leo ended it, I didn’t take it well. First I lost my token to Morland, out of spite. I heard the two of you making plans for the boxing match. I don’t even know why I came that night. I just couldn’t stay away. When I found Leo with a woman … I went a little mad. We argued in the alley. I stupidly accused him of lying and cheating and a slew of other unfair things. When I finally gave him a chance to explain, he told me he’d decided to finally marry. Do his duty to the title and produce an heir. He’d picked up the whore with hopes of warming to the idea, but so far he wasn’t warming in the least.”

Faraday looked away for a moment. “He couldn’t stop thinking of me, he said. Didn’t think he could marry anyone while he was still in love with another. So we ceased arguing and began … reconciling. And then those two brutes came out of nowhere.” He punched the cushion in earnest. “Damn it all, if only I hadn’t been caught so off-guard. Ordinarily, I can hold my own in a brawl.”

Julian didn’t doubt it. He’d watched Faraday dispatch those two convicts with cold, ruthless ease. And now that the man had stopped feigning injury, he moved with unquestionable strength.

“Leo was knocked senseless almost instantly. That left me outnumbered. You saw them. They were big. By the time Miss Dunn rounded the corner and screamed, I’d given up fighting back. My only goal was protecting Leo’s body with my own. We were down and defeated, and still the bastards kept kicking.” Faraday wiped his eyes. “I hated leaving Leo there, but there was nothing I could do to save him. Vengeance was my only thought. I needed to follow his killers. Learn anything I could, even if only which direction they’d run. You can both understand, I hope, why there could never be a trial.”

They nodded in response. If Stone and Macleod had been brought to answer their charges in court, they would have exposed the truth of Leo and Faraday’s relationship. All England would have learned of their affaire.

“Leo valued his privacy. I couldn’t do that to him. No, I needed to mete out justice myself. And I did. Though not in quite the way I’d hoped.” Faraday sighed heavily. “It will have to be enough.”

Lily began to cry. Julian pulled her into his arms. He drew her to his chest and held her as she wept, stroking her back and pressing a kiss to her crown. Her hair smelled like home.

“It’s so tragic,” she said after several minutes. “And so horribly, horribly wrong. You’re right, the senselessness is the hardest thing to accept. But it’s some comfort to have answers at last.”

Yes, Julian silently agreed. Yes, that was some comfort.

She sat up straight and said to Faraday, “Those men were vermin. Villains. The Devil’s own spawn. You mustn’t blame yourself for what they did. I don’t blame you, and neither does Julian.”

Faraday looked to Julian, eyebrows rising in unspoken question. Don’t you?

He shook his head. “See here, I’ve only just stopped blaming myself.”

“Yes. About that …” Faraday leaned close. “You do understand, it was my assignment to investigate all the club members thoroughly.”

Julian narrowed his eyes at him. “How much do you know?”

“Everything.”

“Who else knows?”

“No one.” Faraday’s voice was firm. “I didn’t include it in my report. But no one’s out for you. If someone were, I would know it. What’s more, I would take care of it. You were a good friend to Leo.” His gaze slid to Lily. “And you, my dear. Even though we’ve only just met, I can’t help but think of you as a sister.”

Lily gave him a tearful smile. “I’ve missed having a brother.”

“Well, now. That’s an unexpectedly lovely end to this day.” Clearing the emotion from his throat, Faraday shot a glance out the window. “We’re coming up on Charing Cross. I’ll get out there. After today’s events, I’ll need to see to some paperwork.”

He signaled to the driver with a rap on the carriage roof. As the coach slowed to a halt, he rose from his seat. “Oh, yes,” he added, pausing in the open door. “Do send my regards to Lady Claudia, and kindly send me word of how it goes. I’ve grown quite fond of that girl.”

And then he was gone, having disappeared into the crowd. The man was rather good at that—disappearing.

The carriage thrust into motion again, and Julian let his head fall back against the tufted leather. What a day. He had answers to Leo’s murder. He had the assurance that no one was trying to kill him.