“No,” Finn said curtly. “I wasn’t transported but I served five years in prison.”

Wyeth scoffed. “Naturally. Our father is not known for going beyond the bare minimum—”

“He’s not our father,” Aiden said.

The viscount’s scrutiny was long and assessing, but Aiden never averted his gaze. Rather he met it head-on with an assessment of his own. He saw very little in this man’s mannerisms reminiscent of the earl’s, found his concern, loyalty, and devotion for his mother to be redeeming qualities.

“No, I suppose he’s not.” Wyeth tossed back his scotch. “Be grateful for that. Your records regarding how much you gave him are probably far more accurate than his regarding how much he took from you. Send me the figures and I’ll see that every farthing is returned to you.”

Aiden exchanged a surprised glance with Finn before looking over at . . . his mother. He supposed he could refer to her as that without feeling guilty about not reserving that particular affiliation for his mum. The countess seemed rather relaxed, with a small smile playing over her lips as though she was enjoying watching the exchange. “I was under the impression that the earl’s financial situation is a . . . challenge.”

His brother—his full brother—grinned. “His is. Mine is not. Whenever he and I would get into a row regarding the near empty coffers, he would give me a portion of your payment in an effort to bring me to heel, so I would learn how difficult it is to manage money. In addition, to punish my defiance, he placed the running of the estate into my hands so I would see how far the coins would not go. He, however, taking very little interest in my affairs, remained unaware that some friends and I are very keen on investing. And we’re quite good at it.”

The last was said very simply. A fact. Not a boasting. And Aiden realized he could come to like this fellow very much indeed.

Lord Wyeth leaned earnestly toward him. “You should not have been required to pay him to see to his duty regarding his son. I have lived my life with the rumors that he has over a dozen bastards. That he spread them around London as one might manure. He is not a man who commands respect among his peers, which made me all the more determined to be one who does. I believe in paying my debts. I would not be living as comfortably now as I do if not for what you paid him. To be honest I should have sought you out some time ago, but I wasn’t quite certain you’d welcome the one he kept.”