CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Less than an hour after Nathaniel’s request, Rose stood at the back of the blue parlour, blending into the wall as she and the Faringdons awaited Nathaniel’s arrival. Wrangling them all together had been no mean feat. Rose had managed it mostly through bribery and sweetly veiled threats. Lady Caro had, of course, come simply because Rose had asked.

Lord William sat in a sprawl on a large leather armchair, his fingers drumming against the arm impatiently while. Lady William perched on the settee, threading a handkerchief nervously through her fingers. Lady Caro sat opposite her, her habitual smile not quite disguising the tiredness drawing dark circles under her eyes and the faint lines of worry on her brow.

Lord Henry stood by the window, shoulder against the frame. Glancing askance, he shot Rose a quick, rueful smile, as if inviting her to share a camaraderie. Ducking her head, she did her best to appear bashful, though in truth she did not wish to encourage him any further now the investigation was almost done.

A movement at the parlour’s entrance drew her attention. Nathaniel stood at the threshold, casting his gaze over those assembled.

Their eyes met. The corner of his mouth lifted up ever so slightly, and he gave the faintest of nods. So he was pleased with her, was he? At least he believed she was good for something.

Looking away, she took a breath. There was no call to be bitter. He was as he was, and she was merely a servant. It was wrong of her to expect anything other than that.

Of the Faringdons, Lady Caro was the first to spy him. “Mr Evans, you are here. Rose tells us you have concluded your investigation?”

“I have.” Stepping into the room, he strode for the fireplace. He made a dramatic figure, his clothing painfully well-tailored and expensive. His hair was precisely combed, his jaw clean-shaven, and he’d posed himself before the mantle to great effect. Who knew Nathaniel had a flare for the dramatic? “I have discovered the identity of Sir George’s murderer.”

Lady Caro’s smile faltered while Lady William gasped.

“It took me some time to determine what had occurred,” he continued, seeming not to notice Lady Caro’s distress and definitely ignoring Lady Williams. “The circumstances surrounding Sir George’s demise were puzzling.”

Lord William snorted. “The great Mr Evans, confounded.”

“No,” Nathaniel said.

The corners of Lord William’s mouth turned down. Clearly, being smacked into place did not agree with him.

Dislike drawing the lines of his face, Nathaniel continued, “I was not confounded. It took some time because I could not believe the circumstances would be so obvious. I told myself there had to be some twist, some complication. It simply could not be as straight-forward as it appeared. The constabulary, incompetent though they are, could not have been—to use your vernacular, Faringdon—confounded by such a simple circumstance. And yet, it was as simple as it appeared, and our investigation played out exactly as expected.”

Lady Caro’s gaze shot to Rose, her brows raised. Ducking her head, Rose cursed the heat on her cheeks. Yet again, Nathaniel had treated her as if his equal, naming the investigation as theirs without seemingly aware of how unorthodox such a thing was. As if she truly were his equal.

“Tell me, Lady Caroline, what enemies did Sir George have?”

Gaze returning to Nathaniel, Lady Caro’s brow creased. “I don’t believe he had any.”

Nathaniel nodded. “I could find no one who said a bad word against him, but also most could not say much about him at all. He was inconsequential, a man who was no more than he appeared. I question your wisdom in accepting his hand, Lady Caroline. It is clear he was not your equal.”

Lady Caro looked taken aback by Nathaniel’s bluntness and it was all Rose could do not to leap to his defence. She knew what he meant, but others would count him rude and not understand it was a comment based in concern. Rose knew he held Lady Caro in high regard, and he could not comprehend why she would settle for less than she deserved

A quiet sigh escaped Lady Caro. “I too sometimes wonder, Mr Evans,” she admitted softly.

“He did, however, have one quality that made him interesting to someone. He would control your fortune.”

The softness left her expression. “He would not, Mr Evans. It was part of the marriage contract that my title and my wealth remain my own.”

“Perhaps it would have, but someone clearly believed it otherwise. Your cousin, for example, had much to gain if your marriage did not take place.”

“What do you insinuate?” Lord William demanded pompously.

“I insinuate nothing,” Nathaniel replied. “I have drawn conclusion from the information available. You have had run of Faringdon Abbey since Lady Caroline inherited. She was in London when her father died, and she made her way to the continent shortly thereafter. She has not visited this estate in the ensuing time, leaving you to administer the estate in her absence. You sent her quarterly reports, but now the administration of the estate is under Lady Caroline’s purview.” He looked at Lady Caro. “Tell me, my lady, have you noticed anything amiss?”

Lady Caro’s gaze darted between her cousin and Nathaniel. “It could be an accounting error,” she finally said.

“It could be, but it isn’t.” Nathanial raised a brow at Lord William. “How long have you been embezzling from your cousin, Lord William?”

“That’s a bloody lie,” the man spluttered. “The audacity of such, sir. How dare you accuse your better?”

Ignoring her cousin’s outburst, Lady Caro said to Nathaniel, “It does not follow he would murder Sir George.”

“Girl,” Lord William interrupted. “You cannot listen to this ingrate—”

“You will be silent,” Lady Caro bit off.

Lord William, quelling under her harsh tone and harsher look, did as bade.

Shooting him a disgusted look, she said, “I will deal with you later. For now, I wish to know who killed my fiancé.” Folding her hands in her lap, she exhaled shakily. “Mr Evans?”

Nathaniel inclined his head in acknowledgment. “You are correct, Lady Caroline. It does not necessarily follow Lord William murdered your fiancé and, in fact, Lord William did not murder Sir George.” Nathaniel levelled his gaze on Lord Henry. “His son did.”

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