Sir Cosmo found Selina on the stairs leading to that part of the house where the unmarried male guests had their rooms. He had no need to guess where she was headed and wasn’t surprised when she was annoyed to be waylaid. Still, he had momentous news to share with her and it couldn’t wait.
“Have you seen him?” Selina asked before he had a chance to speak. “Has a physician been sent for? Are those thugs still outside his rooms? What is the Duchess doing about Gervais?”
“My dear, he’s in good hands. His valet was an apothecary. I’m sure he’s getting excellent care and—”
“But you don’t know! You’ve not seen him,” she said and turned to leave.
“Listen to me, Selina!” Sir Cosmo demanded and pulled her into a wood-paneled alcove. “Alec isn’t about to be dragged off to Newgate. The Runners, they’re being packed back to London as we speak; reason you were able to leave your rooms. The accusation against Alec has been withdrawn and Gervais can’t do a tester about it! That leaves me to deal with Delvin and I intend justice be served. You have my word on it.”
Selina viewed her friend with surprise that deepened into suspicion when Sir Cosmo’s assurance was accompanied by a smug grin of triumph. “What’s happened, Cosmo?”
He held out a yellowed sheaf of folded paper. “This, my dear girl, is the Countess of Delvin’s letter to Lady Margaret Belsay,” he declared and couldn’t help a bark of laughter when she snatched it and bent her fair head to the page. “Found it at the Grove in Alec’s frockcoat. I think you’ll find it confirms everything your aunt’s been saying about Alec and his brother. Certainly made Gervais dance to a different tune!”
Selina handed back the letter. “Where’s the rest of it?”
Sir Cosmo deflated. “My guess is Alec has it elsewhere. He don’t need more than what’s written there to convince anyone he’s the rightful earl and his brother’s a fraud! Gervais certainly didn’t quibble. Just turned bright pink and then a deathly gray. Expect he realizes what an ass he’s made of himself.”
Selina’s frown remained. “But even if what you say is true, Cosmo, how would that convince Gervais to withdraw a charge of murder against Alec?”
“He didn’t withdraw it. His wife did. She made the accusation in the first place and my guess is, under duress. No doubt as soon as she realized Ned ain’t the rightful earl she felt less inclined to his way of thinking. And as the rightful Earl of Delvin, Alec can only be tried by his peers. The Lords, my dear. Not by the common law courts. Not Gervais’ jurisdiction. He had to see that if he persisted with this nonsensical accusation he’d only get himself in hotter water. Still not pleased with my efforts, my dear?”
“Of course!” she said, forcing a smile. Yet she still looked troubled. “Have you shown this letter to Delvin?”
“Haven’t had the opportunity. He had the nerve to show himself at nuncheon as if all was right with the world. Of course those of us in the know put a brave face on the meal for the sake of the Duchess and her unsuspecting guests. But no one had an appetite, knowing Ned had attacked his own brother. For what it’s worth, Ned scares me, Selina. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he murdered—”
The sentence went unfinished and Selina watched in horrified silence as Sir Cosmo’s eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled with a heavy thud, lifeless, to the floorboards. Standing over him was the Earl of Delvin. He pointed a pistol at Selina.
“You’re coming with me, Gypsy,” he ordered, and before she could run had her by the wrist. He pulled her hard against his side. “You’re going to get me the Ganymede ledger and then you have some explaining to do!”
It wasn’t the greyhounds curled up by the bedchamber fireplace who woke Alec from a deep, dreamless sleep, but the loud hiss of a voice in his left ear commanding him to wake up. It took Alec a few moments to realize he was not dreaming, and then even longer to force himself awake from the depths of a drug-induced sleep that left his limbs weak and his thoughts clouded and confused. There was the unmistakable smell of stale cheroots as he was helped up by a strong arm. He was let go once he was steady on his feet. Alec was grateful for one thing; the agonizing pain in his neck and head had disappeared, leaving him with only the dull sting from the lacerations to his bruised back.
Something brushed his legs. It was his greyhounds, come to stand protectively between him and the intruder who leveled a pistol at their master. Alec called them to heel and reluctantly they obeyed, though they continued to growl.
“Going to shoot me?” he asked sluggishly.
Lord Andrew Macara chuckled, showing large tobacco stained teeth and placed the pistol on the bureau. “At the moment it don’t do to wander about this place unarmed.” He watched Alec brush the hair back off his face. “Lord, man, you’ll never advance in the Foreign Department with hair as long as a savage’s! Not quite the thing is it, what?”
“I don’t pretend to be quite the thing,” Alec answered thickly and moved into the light. “Is there something you wish to tell me?”
“Ah! Figured it out have you? Thought you would. Clever. Too clever. Still, not clever to let Delvin whip you within an inch of your life. Makes you look guilty to take punishment like a dog. Why didn’t you fight back?”
Alec looked at him without blinking. “Because I’d have killed him.”
Lord Andrew Macara saw that he was in earnest and let out a reckless laugh. “I believe you would have, what! Why didn’t you? Would’ve saved everyone a lot of unnecessary bother.”
Alec yawned. “You mean, saved you from explaining matters to your unforgiving, vengeful wife and from condemning yourself in the eyes of your mother-in-law, the only woman whose opinion matters to you.”
Macara took a still smoldering cheroot from a gold case, put it between his lips with stained fingers and inhaled a deep satisfying breath, all the time regarding Alec through narrowed eyes. “Want to tell you what I know. Wasn’t going to get involved, not my affair really, and best if unpleasantness sorts itself out but… Can’t stand by and watch that nobody judge lord it over her Grace. Doesn’t know his place. Woman’s a duchess. Her family’s on the Roll of Norman nobles. I can’t keep silent, not even for Delvin; not now he ain’t marrying Emily. Not when he threatens pretty females into doing his dirty work. Had poor Cindy half crazed with fear. Can’t force your mistress to wrongly accuse your own brother of murder and expect to get away with it! Bad Form.”
Alec couldn’t help a smile. “How did you persuade Lady Gervais to come to her senses?”
Lord Andrew grinned and drew deeply on the cheroot. “Finally got her to agree to leave Gervais, give up Delvin and let me look after her. She knows she’ll be well cared for, provided I’m the only bird in that nest.”
“Lucky woman.”
“Luck? Lord, Halsey, the woman’s the most accomplished whore I’ve ever come across! You should know that, what!”
“I’ll have to take your word on it. What about your other—er—family?”
“What of ’em? Sally’s a sensible woman, she understands these matters. Won’t make a fuss; don’t need to. I’ll always provide for her and our brats. Everyone’s content. Except Charlotte, but she can’t afford to make a fuss, not if she wants to keep the high moral ground and a husband to trot out for public occasions. Thank God, Her Grace don’t expect me to live with the viper!”
Alec shook his groggy head in humorous disbelief. “You’re a better manager than I’ll ever be.”
“So it’s all settled then?” said his lordship. “Gervais don’t have a case now Cindy has withdrawn the accusation against you,” he added with satisfaction. “She’s free of that pompous dullard and you’re free to go about your business.”
“Not quite,” said Alec, an eye to the doorway where Tam hovered in uncertainty. “It’s all right, Tam. Be good enough to bring me a glass of lemon water and set out a suit of clothes.” When Tam bowed and reluctantly withdrew he added, “Tell me what you know about the night Emily’s maid was killed
and what you saw in the gardens during the fireworks.”
Macara glanced down at the burning cheroot between his stained fingers. “Not much to tell….”
“Then perhaps you will correct my presumptions: The night Emily’s maid was killed and she attacked, Cynthia Gervais caught Delvin in the bushes with Emily’s chambermaid. You consoled the outraged mistress in the Billiard room where you were caught by Gervais, probably—um—in flagrante delicto? Reason Cynthia came to my room, to teach you all a lesson and because she’d been left most unsatisfied. Her shoes were muddy and she smelled of stale smoke, as did the Billiard room the next day when Cosmo and I went there and found the room unaired and undisturbed from the night before, with wine bottles and glasses and a frockcoat in a corner—”
“Ah! That belonged to me,” offered his lordship and made no attempt to refute Alec’s claims.
“Yes, I thought it did. When I saw Delvin that same evening he was wearing his. But in his eagerness to deflect suspicion from his master, Delvin’s valet thought he was doing the right thing by taking ownership of the coat. What I am still to decide is: When Gervais attempted to rape Emily in retribution for his wife’s rampant unfaithfulness, did he kill the maid in the process? or did Jenny stumble upon Delvin soliciting the chambermaid in the servant corridor, a circumstance she was sure to report back to her mistress, and when my brother’s attempt to reason with her failed, he had to kill her or risk his engagement being broken off?”
Lord Andrew Macara stubbed out the cheroot on the sole of his buckled shoe. “To my way of thinking, Delvin wouldn’t give a fig had a maid caught him mounting a kitchen wench. Not reason enough to wring the girl’s silly neck, what! No one takes the word of a servant over one of us, and that’s how it should be. But Gervais, well, he’s not one of us, is he? Don’t know his place. My guess is he panicked and broke the maid’s neck out of pure cowardice. But what’s it matter? Nothing will bring the maid back.”
“You hold servant life cheap, my lord,” Alec enunciated, taking the glass of lemon water Tam offered him; Macara waving away the second glass without a look at the valet. “And the attempted rape of your niece? How do you view that?”
Macara gave a non-committal shrug. “Charlotte’s had a physician to Emily; assured her the gal’s a virgin. Marriage prospects not damaged then, are they? That’s what matters when all’s said and done.”
“Is it? What about justice for your niece and fit punishment for the perpetrator of such a cowardly and disgusting act?”
His lordship viewed Alec as if this had never occurred to him. He shrugged. “Well, if it’s justice you’re after then I’d say his wife openly living as my mistress will just about kill the pompous fool. As for punishment? One word from Delvin or I and the fellow will hang by his own rope.”
“How’s that?”
Lord Andrew Macara smiled broadly. “Reason I woke you. Want you to know I’m on your side. Willing to speak out about it if you want me too. Think that’s what the Duchess would want me to do, whatever the embarrassment to Charlotte. Can’t have Her Grace’s favorite godson carted off to Newgate! You asked about the gardens, when Cindy’s brother had that bullet put in him,” his lordship added in explanation. “Couldn’t be Delvin and it wasn’t me. Cindy was pleasuring us both.” The quick lift of Alec’s eyebrows made him give a shout of laughter and he patted Alec’s arm as he crossed to the door. “Told you she was accomplished! Wager you’re sorry you didn’t take up her generous offer. So there you are. Delvin has an alibi in me and I have an alibi in him and we both have an alibi in delectable Cindy. And to add icing to the cake, I saw Gervais in heated discussion with Tremarton. Wasn’t in a position to think much about it at the time—you get my meaning. But later, with a cool head, I realized exactly what was going on. What! Gervais is your man. He shot Simon Tremarton.”
Alec entered the Chinese drawing room and all conversation between the assembled company came to an abrupt halt. It was not many hours since furtive whispers had circulated the nuncheon table about Alec Halsey’s arrest for the murder of Simon Tremarton, and with the Earl of Delvin’s blessing. But no sooner was the arrest made, after a struggle with the Runners so it was said, than the accusation was miraculously dropped by the personal intervention of the Duchess of Romney-St. Neots. No one knew what or whom to believe, but everyone knew that during the fireworks a man was found shot in the shrubbery and that Lord Delvin believed his brother responsible. That the Duchess was able to have her godson set free was the least surprising fact of all. But her intervention did not absolve his guilt.
The ladies stared at Alec from behind fluttering fans then reluctantly looked away, while the gentlemen quickly repaired broken conversations, many resorting to their snuffboxes for occupation. The Duchess beckoned him and poured him out a dish of coffee, displeased he had not remained in bed nursing his wounds but glad to see him up and about nonetheless. Lady Sybilla went to hand him the dish but Lady Charlotte, who was momentarily stunned at the gall of the man, grabbed her sister’s wrist. Sybilla would not heed her, broke free, spilling coffee into the saucer, and shyly handed the dish to Alec, who accepted it with a smile.
“Do you—Do you feel better for your rest?” she asked shyly.
“Much better, thank you.”
Lady Charlotte stood up with a flounce and snapped shut her fan. One smoldering glance cast at Alec and she turned to her mother seated beside the tea trolley. “You will forgive me if I retire early, Mamma. I cannot—I will not—drink tea in the company of a-a—one who has dared bring shame and-and disgrace on our family!”
Lady Sybilla gasped.
“Go away, Charlotte!” complained the Duchess. “I suggest it be as far away as Gloucestershire, for I have no use for you here.”
Lady Charlotte stared at her. “You are sending me away when it is that man who is accused of—”
“Don’t waste your indignant breath!” demanded the Duchess. “I’m past patience with you. You know nothing of the matter!”
“Do I not? Do I not?” Lady Charlotte said in a shrill whisper. “We shall see who is right, dear ma’am, when society turns its back on us because of your support for this—” she waved her fan of ivory at Alec, “—this murdering philanderer.”
Alec bowed to her. “As ever, madam, your public display of sanctimony never ceases to disappoint.”
At that Lady Charlotte glared at him, bosom heaving. “I sincerely pity your brother!” she breathed.
“As do I, madam,” he said and returned his empty coffee dish to the tea trolley, back to the woman’s affected display of leave taking. His gaze swept the assembled company. “Selina still in her rooms, your Grace?”
“Be good enough to move aside, sir!” Lady Charlotte demanded loudly.
“You do us the same courtesy, Madam, and we’ll gladly oblige,” Plantagenet Halsey growled.
He was supporting Sir Cosmo by the elbow, the large gentleman with a hand to the back of his neck and a squint of pain on his round face. Seeing them, the Duchess was on her feet and Alec went forward to assist his uncle, Lady Charlotte ignored and forced to retreat against the patterned Chinese wallpaper.
“What happened?” Alec asked his uncle.
“Don’t know, my boy. Found Mahon sprawled out on the floorboards of an alcove. Would’ve walked straight passed him if it hadn’t been for his loud moaning.”
“Moaning?” Sir Cosmo complained. “You get hit on the back of the head and have a lump the size of a chicken’s egg—”
“Who did this to you, Cosmo?” asked Alec and stood aside to allow Lady Sybilla to press a brandy glass on Sir Cosmo.
Sir Cosmo downed the brandy, leaning against the door frame and returned the glass to Lady Sybilla with a smile that was more grimace. “No idea. From behind, as I said. But Selina—Selina would know. Ask her. I was talking with her when everything went black.” His eyes focused on Alec and suddenly, as if he’d remembered something vitally important, he thrust a hand in a pocket of
his frockcoat, a sigh when his fingers clutched paper. He took out the envelope and handed it to Alec. “Thank God it’s safe! Thought the letter might’ve been stolen; reason for knocking me out. That letter did the trick. Once Gervais’d read your mother’s letter to Lady Margaret he had no option but to send his pack of thugs back to London with their tails between their legs. Besides which I pointed out that once the letter became public the accusation of murder would be taken of his control and put in the hands of the Lords, as befitting Alec’s position as—”
“No!” Alec cried out. He passed a hand over his mouth in an attempt to calm himself. “No, Cosmo,” he said very quietly, “you have gone far enough. Nor do you have any idea of the damage you have done!”
“But, my boy,” said the Duchess, “what Cosmo did, he did in your best interests. And it seems to me that showing Gervais that letter would make the fool see sense.”
“Thank you, Aunt Olivia,” said Sir Cosmo with a slight bow.
Lady Charlotte, who had not moved from her position against the wallpaper, stared blankly at her mother then at Sir Cosmo and declared that everyone was talking in riddles.
Alec stared down at the letter. “It’s not your fault,” he conceded to an abashed Sir Cosmo. “How were you to know that this was one of two letters I found on Simon Tremarton’s body, and that this, the second and most recent of the two, is not about me at all—”
“What?” said three voices in unison.
Alec glanced at his uncle and then at the Duchess before addressing Sir Cosmo in a low voice. “This letter was written just weeks before my mother’s death. She was concerned for a young boy’s welfare, a motherless boy who had spent the first twelve years of his life at Delvin. She was worried lest his natural father cast him adrift in the world. So she made arrangements for Lord Delvin’s illegitimate son to be apprenticed to an uncle, a London apothecary.”
Deadly Engagement: A Georgian Historical Mystery (Alec Halsey Crimance) Page 30