Scrutiny

At that very moment, Gordon burst into laughter, breaking the tension in the room. Maverick and Russell turned to look at him, both momentarily startled by the sudden outburst.

Gordon wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, struggling to compose himself. "You two should at least have this little spat behind my back, not right in front of me, you know? It's almost like I'm not even here."

Russell leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his irritation obvious. Maverick, however, remained unbothered, turning his attention back to Gordon. 

"Let's hear what you have to say, then," he prompted.

Gordon cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting back to seriousness. "Lord Cavendish was the one lending the place to the so-called hoodlums. No—" 

Gordon shook his head, correcting himself. "It wasn't hoodlums from the start. They were Cavendish's men all along. And they weren't acting on their own."

Maverick's eyes narrowed. "Go on."