The Bride Goes Rogue (The Fifth Avenue Rebels #3)(85)

“I’m fresh out at the moment. Tell her it’s Mr. Clarke. She’ll see me.”

“Come in and I will inquire as to whether she is available.”

When Preston tried to step in, the butler held out an arm, stopping him. “Your feet, sir.”

He glanced down. Right, the mud. Bending, he ripped off his boots, left them on the stoop and walked in. The butler appeared scandalized, but Preston didn’t care. He didn’t have time to waste.

“If you’ll wait over there, sir,” the man said with a sniff and waved Preston toward the drawing room.

Once inside, Preston paced and awaited Katherine’s arrival. She owed him answers. After last night, after everything they’d shared, she’d snuck out of his lodge and disappeared this morning. Hadn’t she realized the danger? Hadn’t she cared that he would be worried sick about her when he woke up?

When had his reinette become so reckless? So inconsiderate? This wasn’t like her at all.

“Well, this is a surprise.”

Preston turned at the deep voice and found Lloyd in the doorway. Katherine’s father was staring at Preston oddly—and not because of his bootless feet.

“Lloyd,” Preston said by way of greeting. “I am calling for Katherine.”

“Yes, that’s what my butler said. What I don’t understand is why.”

Preston gnashed his teeth together. He didn’t owe this man an explanation. Furthermore, it was still working hours. Why was Lloyd even here? “To check on her well-being.”

“I see.” Lloyd strolled deeper into the room, closing the distance between them. “I heard you were out of town this week. You weren’t up at Lake George by any chance, were you?”

“I don’t see what business it is of yours.”

“It’s my business when you have clearly ruined my daughter, Preston. Do you plan to do the honorable thing?”

Honorable. He nearly snorted. “Don’t lecture me about honor as if you’re familiar with the concept.”

“Whatever my transgressions, I never ruined an innocent girl. Do you really think this will stay quiet? That no one will find out about you following her up there?”

“This is between Katherine and me, no one else.”

“Wrong. None of us exist alone, Preston. Not even you. Do you think the Manhattan Sureties of the world will do business with you if it gets around? These companies value family and respectability. Trustworthiness. Do you honestly think you’ll convince any of them to work with you if I let it be known what you’ve done?”

“Is this . . . ?” Preston pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Are you blackmailing me?”

“No, I’m stating facts.”

“Jesus Christ. This is low, even for you. Do you think she’d forgive you for forcing us together like that? You’ve already caused her enough grief by springing your engagement on her. Did you ever once consider how such news would affect your daughter, you selfish piece of shit?”

Lloyd’s face turned red. “Selfish, right. I’m the selfish one for committing to the woman I care about. Just so we’re clear, Clarke, I planned on telling Katherine myself but my sister got overly excited and shared the news before I could. I love Katherine. I would never purposely hurt her. Can you say the same?”

“I don’t want to hurt her, either.”

“And yet you have. You let your greed and ambition get in the way of her happiness, not to mention your bitterness. If not for your misguided opinions of me, you would marry her.”

“They’re hardly misguided,” Preston snarled. “I know exactly what kind of man you are, about your greed and ambition.”

Lloyd’s nostrils flared, his gaze turning hard. “Yes, I was so awful that I carried your father, ignoring his gambling problem and covering his losses, for eleven years. Eleven years, Preston. However, I did it because I cared about him and I knew he would lose everything once I stopped. At the time, you were still young and incapable of taking over, so I had to wait until you got older. When I was sure you were competent, that’s when I dissolved the joint business and distanced myself from Henry.”

“You make it all sound so benevolent. Why not try to help him instead?”

“Do you think I didn’t try? Your father wouldn’t listen. I went to the usual haunts and told them not to lend him any more money. He just found others who would. It was like trying to stop water running through a sieve. I did the best I could until you were older.”

“You couldn’t wait two more years until I graduated? I was in my sophomore year at Harvard, for God’s sake.”

“There wasn’t time. Your father knew he was sick, and began gambling even more. He wanted to win it all back before he died, except he had terrible luck. Another few months and it all would’ve disappeared.”

“Fine, that explains why I had to quit school. But why bid against me on every parcel I tried to buy? If not for Forrest’s loan, I would’ve lost the house.”

“I thought it was best if you learned to handle things on your own.”

Preston dragged a hand down his face. “Thank you for that. You abandoned Henry and me, then tried to sabotage me at every turn.”

“I never sabotaged you. I wanted to force you to learn what it takes to survive in such a cutthroat and dangerous business. Sometimes the only way a man can make his way in this world is by making it.”