“The Landons’ ball is the first of the season. Everyone attends it, so the lineup of carriages with passengers waiting to disembark gets long,” Daniel pointed out. Hoping to calm him, he leaned out the window to inspect the number of carriages remaining before they would be able to disembark, and sighed his relief as he sat back in his seat again. “There are only two carriages left ahead of us. We shall be able to alight presently.”

Richard grunted at this news, but rather than relax, tensed even further and muttered, “I am counting on you to keep me from killing my bastard brother before he confesses all.”

“Of course,” Daniel said solemnly, not doubting for a moment that Richard was struggling with the desire to pummel the man on sight. Certainly, George deserved it for what he’d done. However, killing him before he confessed all and Richard was assured of regaining his title and position again would not be good. It was why they’d decided to have the confrontation here at possibly the best-attended ball of the season. They needed to startle George into a confession and with as many witnesses as possible. Fortunately, they’d arrived in time to attend it, barely. The ship they’d returned on from America had only set anchor that morning and then they’d had to arrange for the appropriate clothes for both of them to attend.

“Finally.”

Richard’s heartfelt murmur drew Daniel’s attention to the fact that they were now pulling up in front of Landon House. The other man waited just long enough for the carriage to roll to a halt, but could restrain himself no further and immediately opened the carriage door and burst out before it could be opened for them. Daniel followed, offering an apologetic nod to the footman Richard had nearly trampled in his hurry to escape, then rushed after his friend.

Once inside the house, there was a line of people all awaiting their turn to be announced. Daniel wasn’t terribly surprised when Richard bypassed the line and walked alongside it to the ballroom entry. Richard had no desire to be announced. They could hardly take George by surprise if the man heard the announcement of the name he’d usurped and been using this last year, and their plan depended on being right in front of the imposter when he realized Richard was not dead and his grand scheme was about to collapse on his head. Bypassing the line, however, stirred a sudden rush of whispers from those waiting. It also caused the servant announcing arrivals to stutter in surprise as Richard and Daniel sailed past. That didn’t slow either man, however, and they jogged quickly down the short stairs to the ballroom floor before stopping to survey the crowds in search of one George Cainan Fairgrave, imposter to the Radnor earldom and attempted murderer.