William Tinker held his last few coins in his hands. He clinked them together as he watched the others at the gaming table in silent concentration. He had a good hand but it wasn't good enough to win against the people at the table. The group waited for William's decision. He looked at his cards and then at his coins. He paused for dramatic impact and threw them both calling for a raise. He watched as each one looked at him and folded and hurriedly left the table. His smirk only lasted long enough to rake the pot into his coin purse.
The man that sat down across from him only startled him for a few seconds and it all made sense as to why the others got up and fled so quickly. Two large men sat on either side of him. They both placed a large hand upon William's shoulders making him look even leaner than his true stature. They were body guards for his new companion at the table, there to make sure that he wouldn't try to leave.
The man across from him spoke after a long pause. William knew it was to intimidate and it was working. "Do you have my money?"
"I thought I had a few more days."
The loan shark leaned forward over the table. He showed his pockmarked face under the candle light and sneered. "I'm calling your debt due."
William paled and his palms started to sweat. He knew he shouldn't have got a loan from Gerald Vancleeve. He was the most notorious loan shark this side of London for always getting paid one way or another. "I don't have it yet." His voice came out as a squeak.
Vancleeve snapped his fingers and both of the large body guards stood up and snatched William up from his chair and hauled his body out the door and into the street. He was snatched from the ground and pummeled in the stomach by the other. His coin purse was removed from his person and handed to Vancleeve that watched from the steps. He counted the coins and pocketed the purse.
"The rest will be due within the week."
He was left in the street to find his way home with not a coin to his name. It was over an hour later he hobbled up the steps of the Septhon townhouse. The hour was late as he entered the house undetected. He straightened his spine and hissed in pain. He stealthy made his way up the stairs and down the hall to the last door on the right and slipped in without being detected. He lowered himself gingerly on top of the bed and instantly fell asleep.
It was mid-morning before he was found. The scream by the maid let the entire house aware of his presence in the home before he could remove himself. It was all well for he needed Lord Septhon to help him out of his current predicament. He slowly made his way back down to find him. He was accosted by the butler before he could make it to the Lord's study.
"His lordship taken has ill and there will be no visitors today, Mr. Tinker, sir" His hand gestured towards the front door as to politely imply he should take his leave.
Anger flashed before William's eyes. How dare this man try to make him leave.
"I am NOT a visitor. I am his son!" He shouted at the butler in rage.
The butler's expression never changed but the tone of his voice spoke volumes of his irritation. "I have my orders."
William gave him a withering look that would have killed if he had such powers. He turned to leave and ran back up the stairs as the butler yelled out in protest. William was hurt but he could still out run the old man.
He made it to the top of the stairs. Breathless he rushed to the second door on the right and flung it open and locked it behind him. A triumphant smile crossed his face as he won. He liked winning that why he keeps going back to the gambling halls. He won his first time and he was addicted ever since. Now he did it to get out of debt from his previous debt and now he is drowning in it. This was life or death.
He turned toward the large four poster bed in the middle of the room. A middle age man sat propped on pillows reading the paper. His hair was a dark auburn brown but now it had a dusting of gray throughout. His features were always stuck in a stern, unamused at life sort of way, that every once in awhile would crack in anger. Lord Septhon was considered to be a hard man to live with or befriend. After his wife passed a few years back he has been on a downhill spiral of hate. Which has lead him to consume large amount of alcohol. The only staff that hadn't left to fine more enjoyable employer are ones that have been with the family their whole lives.
Lord Septhon looked up from his newspaper and growled out his protest of Williams presence. William ignored him and moved to sit in a chair next to the bed. Lord Septhon brought the paper back up, preferring to ignore him in hopes he would leave.
"Father." Williams voice was a plea for understanding.
"Get Out!" Lord Septhon snapped out without lowering the paper.
"Father," The old man grunted at the word. "I seem to find myself in a tight spot." William paused waiting for any reaction. When non came he continued. "I am in need of some funds." Still no move to acknowledge he was talking came from his father. "If I don't pay them by the end of the week I will surely die." William was frantic. He was his only shot at getting the funds to pay Vancleeve. "Please father, I am the only family you have left." It wasn't beneath him to grovel whit it would prove fruitful to do so.
The last statement must have enraged George Sephton for he threw the newspaper in his lap. His face which was a pale clammy complexion earlier was now a rosy red hue of anger.
"Father! You are no son of mine. You are worthless piece of arse! You will never see a dime of my money if I can help it!" Lord Sephton was seeing red as he screamed at his bastard son.
William's rage was at a boiling point but he knew it was no use yelling back and forth. If he wasn't willing to hand over the money he would just have to obtain it in a different way. He rose from the chair and towered over his father. With the look that would make the devil himself chuckle in glee.
"I will get what I deserve as your only living heir." With that William turned on his heel and slammed the door on his way out. Down the stairs he fled in a rage oblivious to his sores and the butler at the top of the landing as he pushed past him. He was about to head straight out the door when a candle holder glimmered from a nearby table caught his eye. He snatched it from the table and removed himself as quickly as possible.
William slowly walked down the street clenching the silver embossed candle holder with his grasp. With a smirk of triumph he will live to see the end of the week after all.
. . .
The door slammed shut behind William Tinker, the Baron George Sephton bastard son. George continued to stare at the door in such a rage he really wasn't seeing it at all. Son. Son! It echoed in his head. I have no son, he thought. He may consider me his father but I will never consider accept that low life into my family.
The thought of family made a shot of pain slice through his heart. He didn't deserve any family not any more. He was a bitter man now. Caused by past mistakes that never had the chance to fix. The pain and suffering were taking its toll on his health. He bent over in a fit of coughing as the door was opened and the butler Andrew came in with his tonic and a glass of water.
"Lord Sephton sir, Please forgive me. I was unable to keep him out." Andrew looked down at the tray ashamed at his inability to protect his lordship.
Lord Sephton continued to cough and waved at Andrew to lay the tray down. Once he caught his breath he swallowed the tonic and chased it with a few gulps of water.
"Never you mind that. He seems to always rear his ugly head when you least expect it."
"He did give Grace quite a scare. He seemed to have came in sometime in the night and slept in a guest room. She found him asleep atop the bed bloody and bruised. Thought he was dead, she did." Andrew tidied the room as he recounted what transpired. "Even now she is in the kitchen with a cup of tea trying to git over the encounter. Quite upsetting I dare say."
"Upsetting, he is a damn nuisance." He watched Andrew move things a few inches here and there on his desk. "Andrew, sit down. Your fidgeting makes me nervous." Andrew hesitated to sit but did as he was told. "Now, I want new locks on all the doors, He has somehow managed to weasel his way inside." He waited for a nod of agreement before moving on. "That man thinks that when I die he will inherit everything since he is the only living heir left." George rubbed his temples in frustration.
"But your Lordship. We can not let him." Andrews concern was genuine. Working for Lord Sephton was hard but under William Tinker it would be unbearable.
"No, we shall not." A wicked grin crossed his face. "I have another task of you. I am of need of someone that could track down someone."
"Sir?" Andrew leaned forward in his chair intrigued by the mystery.
"I have someone that could solve our current problems with William Tinker. Yet, we must proceed with caution for Tinker is a slimy fellow and would do anything to get his hands on my fortune."
Andrew nodded in agreement. Anyone would be better than William Tinker. Understanding what was needed of him he grabbed the empty tray and left Lord Sephton to rest.