“Of course,” Temple said. “First thing. The moment we saw the paper.”
“And she doesn’t know.”
“Definitely not,” Cross said. “Did she ever give us the courtesy of letting us know that she was going to meddle in our affairs?”
“She did not,” Bourne said with a sigh as he sat. “So we are waiting, then?”
Temple waved to a seat nearby. “We are waiting.”
Bourne nodded. They were quiet for a long moment, all watching Cross spin the wheel again and again. Finally, Bourne said, “It’s less fun when there’s no ball.”
“It isn’t that much fun when there is a ball.”
“I wonder why Chase loves it so much,” Temple said.
“Because roulette is the only game of chance that is entirely random,” Cross said. “You cannot force a win. And so, it is even ground.”
“Pure chance,” Bourne said.
“No calculated risk,” Cross agreed.
There was heavy banging on the door, long and loud and with little threat of giving up. When it stopped, and a door opened, the security team no doubt using all their might to keep the crowds at bay.
Bourne laughed, and the others looked to him, confusion on their faces. He shook his head. “I am simply imagining all those starchy nobs from White’s and Brooks’s, turning down St. James’s, unsuspecting.”
Cross laughed, too. “Oh, they shall be furious with us. As though they didn’t loathe us before.”
“Hang them,” Temple said, his lips curving into a grin. “Never let it be said that The Fallen Angel doesn’t bring entertainment to the neighborhood.”
The statement had them all laughing, each louder than the other. They almost did not notice that Bruno had appeared at the edge of the room. “He is here,” the enormous guard announced.
“I can see myself in,” Duncan said, pushing past the massive man and onto the darkened floor.
The founders stood as one, straightening sleeves – except Bourne, who simply swore again over the condition of his sleeve – each intimidating in his own right, but together, a trio of power more intimidating than most men would be willing to face.
Duncan approached without hesitation.
Bruno watched his back. “Even though I think we should leave him to the crowds.”
“We might well do that,” Temple said.
“Give it time,” Cross added.
“What the hell is this?” Duncan asked, brandishing a small square of paper. “You think insulting me is the way to convince me to rescind the reward?”
Bourne plucked the missive out of his hand and opened it. Read aloud. “‘You are an idiot, wandering blind in the woods.’” He nodded, looking to Temple. “There’s a poetry to that.”
Temple looked rather proud of himself. “Thank you. I thought so.”
Duncan snatched the paper out of Bourne’s hands in exasperation. “Insulting me and then summoning me to your side hasn’t put me in a generous frame of mind. What in hell do you want?”
“You know,” Bourne said, “I once heard you described as a genius.” He looked to Cross. “Except, for a genius, he is something of a lummox.”
“Well, to be fair, he’s in a situation where intelligence does rather go out the window,” Cross said. “I have a theory that women actually siphon off our cleverness during the courting phase, and keep it for themselves. Which is why they always seem to see the endgame before we do.”
Temple nodded, as though the earl had said something tremendously sage.
“That is a very good theory,” Bourne said.
“You’re all fucking mad,” Duncan said, brandishing the note. “I did not come for your insane ideas. I came because you promised me Chase. And looking at the three of you, you lied.”
“Excuse me,” Temple said, affront in the tone.
“We did not lie.” Cross replied.
“Well then?” Duncan asked.
“The reward was a very good move,” Temple said. “It certainly got our attention.”
“Did it get Chase’s?”
“I imagine it did, yes,” said Bourne.
“Then why am I talking to you three instead of him?”
Cross leaned back against the roulette table, folding long arms over his chest. He lifted his chin in the direction of the door at the far end of the room, beneath the enormous stained glass window. Duncan’s gaze fell to the exit, and he realized that he had never in all his years of membership seen that door unguarded.
He looked back to the owners.
“Go ahead, then,” Cross said. “Talk to Chase.”
His brow furrowed. “Is it a trap?”
“Not in the way you think,” Temple said, ominously.
He turned away. “You waste my time.”
“It’s not a trap,” Cross said. “You’ll survive it.”
He looked from one founder to the next. “How do I know to trust you?”
Bourne shrugged one shoulder. “She loves you. We would not hurt you, even if we wanted to.” The words were punctuated by a cacophony of shouting from the street outside – the sounds matching the beating of his heart.
She loves you.
“You have all mistreated her. Abysmally,” Duncan said. “Letting her live this life.”
Temple smiled at that. “That you think we ever let them do anything is a testament to your senselessness.” He lifted his chin to the door. “Chase’s office is through that door.”