Halbridge really was here. How he had found Verity and arrived before him didn’t matter. Whatever he might have said and done, Tristan would fix it. He would tear the man to shreds if hemust. The mere thought of a threat against Verity was enough for him to desire nothing but violence.
“You.” Halbridge spat at his feet. “What are you doing here?”
“This is my home.”
“It is not.”
Tristan stepped forward. “Where she goes, I go.Sheis my home. Whether we are together or apart, she is still with me, and I am still with her. Do you understand me?”
“What, that you set her aside for Cassandra?”
“Cassandra is gone,” Tristan corrected the madman sharply.
Verity sucked in a sharp breath, just as Halbridge swung his fist at Tristan, eager to cause harm. But Tristan jumped back quickly, the blow barely grazing him. He didn’t even feel it as he shoved the man away.
Except Halbridge was determined. He cursed loudly and swung again. Thankful for the wrestling and boxing he had enjoyed with his friends at university and during his years in the army, Tristan dodged him once again.
“Tristan!” Verity cried out when Halbridge suddenly kicked him hard in the leg, nearly throwing him off balance.
It was a brief tussle before Tristan had Halbridge pinned against the mantelpiece. They breathed hard, glaring at each other. Fury surged through Tristan like nothing he had ever known. He grappled with his emotions more than with the man, trying to keep his senses.
“I warned you,” Halbridge hissed, spittle flying from his mouth. “You took her from me.”
“She died of her own foolish mistakes,” Tristan corrected him. He spoke low and tight, never raising his voice. “She cared little for her health. She always took the wrong risks. You knew this once. I know you did. A mere cold can turn into something worse. If I had known in time that Cassandra was ill, I would have ensured she received proper medical care. But she told no one. Not you and not me. The fault does not lie with either of us, Halbridge. And it certainly does not lie with my innocent wife.”
Halbridge dared to shift his gaze to Verity. Tristan pressed his forearm harder against the man’s windpipe. His grip on him was firm, easy to maintain. He relaxed his shoulders and focused on the man he had once called his cousin.
“You are not welcome here, do you understand me?”
“I don’t––”
Tristan flexed his arm, nearly choking him. “Do you understand?”
A growl of frustration escaped. After fidgeting and wheezing for a minute, however, Halbridge went limp. He huffed and glared, but at last, he nodded.
“Let me make myself clear, in case you’re hard of hearing, Halbridge,” Tristan hissed. The hardest part was restraining himself. But he forced himself to stay put, to keep talking. “You are not welcome in this house or this county. While I may not have the power to force you out of London, I can make sure that you never step into a ballroom ever again.”
“You can’t!”
“I can do anything, Halbridge. You blamed me for your cousin’s death long enough. I suggest you go on a very long trip to reconsider your conspiracies. Never again will you talk to us, greet us, or send us correspondence. In fifty years, I do not care if you have had a change of heart. Because I won’t.
“The next time you see me, I want you to turn around and walk out. The next time you even think you glimpse my wife, I want you to turn around and walk in the opposite direction. Because if you ever come near her again, it will be the last thing you ever do.”
A weak wheeze escaped Halbridge’s lips. His eyes bulged, and Tristan pulled back his arm just a little.
“Fine!” Halbridge wheezed.
“Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes! Now, let go of me!”
“I will. But first, you will beg for my wife’s forgiveness, give her a proper bow, and leave us for good.”
Halbridge gagged before Tristan stepped back. He glared the man down, watching as the menace wavered on his feet for a good minute.
Eventually, though, he was able to pull himself together enough to straighten up. Then, he turned to Verity. He kept a safe distance, glancing warily at Tristan every few seconds. While his bow was hardly satisfactory, no one stopped him from hastily taking his leave.
It wasn’t as though anyone was watching him. Tristan had turned his gaze to Verity to find her already looking at him.
