“A man who is used to getting what he wants then,” Allan observed.
“Exactly.” Gerard pointed at him. “Arrogant, determined, and entitled. Those things daenae mix well together.”
“Are you saying that this is why he has been going after Freddie?” Allan mistakenly used his nickname for her. Stephen and Gerard jerked their heads toward him, but to his relief, neither of them commented on it.
“I’m saying that a man who feels as if life just falls his way may nae accept a woman’s rejection very well. He may do whatever it takes to make sure that life does fall his way,” Gerard said uneasily, levelling a firm gaze at Allan.
Slowly, Allan nodded; he understood what Gerard was trying to warn him of.
He will not be a man who will take being beaten easily.
“He may deny having anything to do with her disappearance then,” Stephen said. “Just as long as he gets the outcome he wants.”
“Exactly.” Gerard nodded. “We need to be careful how we handle tonight.”
It didn’t take long to reach the club though perhaps because Allan’s mind was racing the whole way there, the journey felt short. When they arrived, Allan jumped down from the carriage first with Gerard and Stephen following closely behind.
“Excuse me, sir,” a footman from the doorway stepped in Allan’s way. “This is a member’s only club.”
“Out of my way,” Allan snapped at the young man. The man’s eyes widened, but he refused to move.
“Let me handle this,” Gerard said smoothly, stepping in the way. He whispered something in the man’s ear. Whatever persuasion he was giving the man, Allan didn’t wait around to hear it.
Instead, he looked impatiently at the door, just as a familiar face he had not been expecting to see came out.
It was Lord Campbell, Frederica’s father. He looked happy and must have won some cash at the gambling table, for he was patting his pockets, checking they were full. When he saw Allan, the smile dropped from his cheeks, and he came to a stumbling stop.
“Lord Padleigh?” he said in surprise.
“You!” Allan snapped and moved toward Lord Campbell. Before he could get anywhere near the Earl though, Stephen had taken hold of his shoulder, holding him back. “Did you know? Did you help him orchestrate it all?”
“Orchestrate what?” Lord Campbell blinked. There was utter confusion in his expression, a confusion so strong, he could not have been acting.
“You do not know?” Allan muttered. “You do not know that your favorite friend, Lord Wetherington, has orchestrated my wife’s disappearance?”
“What!?” Lord Campbell spluttered. “That can’t be true.” He shook his head repeatedly. “No, no, you must have this all wrong, My Lord. It cannot be. I had nothing to do with such a thing.”
“Strange.” Allan narrowed his eyes. “You have not asked after your daughter. Your first thought when faced with an accusation is not to ask after the health of your daughter but to defend yourself.”
Lord Campbell blinked, still in that confused and dazed state.
He doesn’t see what is wrong with this.
“You have made your daughter afraid of her own shadow,” Allan spat with anger, shrugging Stephen off his shoulder and moving forward, towering over Lord Campbell and making the man retreat. “You have refused to think of her happiness and only of your own self-preservation and advancement, time and time again.”
“Wh - what do you mean she’s gone? Are you two… getting a divorce?”
“No!” Allan practically barked the word in Lord Campbell’s face, figuring it wasn’t a lie as, technically, Frederica had asked for an annulment. “Out of my way.”
Allan tried to sweep Lord Campbell aside as Gerard beckoned to him, showing him he could now go inside.
“But —” Lord Campbell tried to move in the way again.
“You will never be welcome in our house unless you realize what you have done to Frederica, and you apologize for it. What sort of man cares for his own advancement more than he does the health of his daughter?” Allan didn’t think his words had gotten through to Lord Campbell, but other men moving in and out of the club had certainly heard him.
Lord Campbell blushed beetroot purple and did his best to avoid all of their scrutinizing looks as Allan swept past him into the club.
“Allan, maybe you should try and calm down a bit?” Stephen pleaded, following Allan into the club.
