‘Of course,’ the attorney said. ‘If you would care for some tea...’
‘In a moment.’ The earl waved him off. ‘Before you begin speaking of your plans, there is something we should discuss.’
‘Go on.’ The attorney dipped his pen in the inkwell and regarded him.
Lord Havershire’s gaze moved from Dalton to the attorney. ‘This situation is about human greed, is it not? The vultures wish to strip us of everything, in order to benefit themselves. Even if we indulge them, it will never be enough.’
He coughed again, his shoulders shaking from the exertion. ‘I know this, because I borrowed money to pay the blackmailer for nearly five years. To me, it was a worthwhile endeavour because it protected our family name. Tavin MacKinloch loaned me the money when some of my investments failed. I managed to rebuild our wealth last year, and now that I have the funds to repay his family, and restore Regina’s dowry, I owe a great debt to the laird.’
‘I have already repaid your debt,’ Dalton informed him. ‘For Regina’s sake.’ He had quietly taken care of it, giving Lachlan the money that his family was owed.
The earl sobered. ‘Then I will return the funds to you, for I take care of my own debts. But now, we must do everything in our power to protect my daughter. I am prepared to make the sacrifice.’ His gaze moved from one man to the next. ‘If that means shouldering the blame for Mallencourt’s death, I will do so.’
The attorney rose from his chair. ‘No, sir. Absolutely not. You risk losing your title, your estates—no. You must not confess to a murder you did not commit.’
‘There was no murder at all,’ Dalton interjected. ‘Mallencourt’s death was accidental.’
‘Indeed,’ the attorney said, ‘but we must tread carefully. Had you not attempted to cover up his death, there would be no question of it being an accident. As it is, that could be construed as a crime.’
‘I saw no other choice,’ Havershire admitted. ‘I couldn’t bring such a scandal upon our family. Regina’s future would have been ruined.’ He sank down into a chair. ‘I am dying. I don’t care what they do to me, so long as we save her.’
Dalton thought a moment about their circumstances. ‘I don’t think it will be necessary. We will meet with the magistrate and come to an agreement.’ In this instance, he believed that the Mallencourts would never back down—not unless it was to their benefit to do so. He was counting on it.
‘My lord, do not say anything,’ the attorney advised. ‘No good will come of it.’
Dalton could see that Havershire was struggling at the idea of letting others fight for his daughter. ‘I will not let her be imprisoned or face death. Never.’
‘Nor will I,’ Dalton reminded him. He met the earl’s agitated expression with his own steady resolve. ‘I swear it to you.’
Chapter Fourteen
Regina spent the first half-hour alone in a small office. Her father, Dalton, and the attorney had asked her to remain apart from the others, so she had sat in the tiny space with little more than a chair and a single desk.
The sound of voices and footsteps approached, and the door swung open. She was startled to see her former friend, Lady Anne, standing there. Anne’s face was red, as if she had been crying. She clutched her hands together and stood close to the doorway.
‘Regina? Can we talk for a moment?’
She wanted to respond with: I have nothing to say to you. Instead, she stared back at her friend and remained silent.
Anne took a breath and said, ‘I wanted to tell you how very sorry I am. But you must understand how destitute we are. There is no one to take care of my family. I did what I had to do to survive.’
‘You betrayed me,’ Regina answered. ‘A true friend would have asked for help instead of demanding blackmail.’
‘Your father would have done nothing for my family,’ Anne said slowly. ‘But he would do everything for you. I was careful not to ask for money he couldn’t afford. Without his help, my family would never have survived the past five years.’
‘You’re wrong,’ Regina countered. ‘He couldn’t afford it, and he had to borrow the money. My betrothal to Lachlan MacKinloch was part of his repayment.’ Her mouth tightened at the thought of her former friend’s demands. ‘And now, because of what you’ve done, I could face imprisonment. Or worse.’
Horror washed over Anne’s face. ‘No! I promise you, that will not happen. I won’t allow it.’
‘You can make no promises to me.’ Regina turned her back on the young woman. Inwardly, she was seething with anger. She had mistakenly believed that Anne was her friend. She had trusted in her, sharing parts of her life that she had not shared with anyone else. And now, to learn that her best friend was responsible for her father’s debts and the blackmail was too much. ‘You need to go.’
‘I just...wanted you to know that I still consider you my friend. There was nothing else I could think of to help my family.’
‘You could have lowered your pride and asked,’ Regina said. ‘Instead, you betrayed our friendship.’ Without another word, she turned away. She heard the sound of Anne weeping, and tears gathered in her own eyes for the loss. It could have been so different between them.
Regina rested her forehead against her hands. Time seemed to stretch out endlessly before she heard the footsteps approaching again. This time, when the door opened, she lifted her face to see who it was. When Dalton stood there, she felt her emotions breaking apart.
‘Regina?’ he asked. ‘Are you all right?’
‘No,’ she whispered, her voice breaking. She stood up from the chair, feeling so fragile and yet filled with hope. ‘I’m not.’
The sight of this man eased her in a way she had never expected. He opened his arms, and she ran to him, heedless of what she had said to him the last time. ‘I love you,’ he said against her hair, holding her tight. She gripped him as if he were a bastion of strength against the storm of fear coursing within her.
‘I love you, too,’ she cried. ‘Dalton, what will happen to me? I’m so afraid.’ Her skin felt icy, and prickles of gooseflesh rose up, despite the heat of his embrace. His mouth came to hers in a warm reassurance, his kiss healing her.
‘I’m going to help you,’ he promised. ‘I swear it.’
She kissed him back, winding her arms around his neck. The comfort did not diminish her fear, but it made it more bearable. For a time, she simply let him hold her, and she was grateful for his embrace.
When he pulled back to look at her, she asked, ‘What have they decided?’
‘Nothing as yet. I have asked my father to intervene on your behalf,’ he said. ‘He knows many people in London, and I believe he can use his influence to help.’ After a slight pause, he added, ‘They want to question you now.’
‘I thought I was to say nothing.’ She wiped at her tears, and he cupped her face, kissing her again.
‘Your attorney will ask the questions,’ he said. ‘Just answer him honestly. And know that I will fight for you with every breath I have.’
He held her again while she wept, and she realised that this was what marriage was meant to be. Standing by a loved one, no matter what happened. And for the first time, she realised that she was lost without him.
She braved a smile. ‘I want to believe that somehow we will get through this.’ Even as she spoke the words, she tried to push away the doubts. Her heart ached at the thought of enduring a lifetime of prison.
There was a slight shadow on Dalton’s face, but he did not share his reasons. She suspected that he didn’t want to consider the alternative.
His expression sobered, and he reached up to take her face between his hands. ‘Are you ready?’
Not really, she wanted to answer but didn’t. It was too easy to let her thoughts wander down the path of anxiety.
You’re going to survive this, she told herself.
She could only hope it would be true.
* * *
After the initial introductions were spoken, the magistrate gestured for all of them to sit. Mallencourt’s younger brother was there, along with Lady Anne, Lady Regina, and Lord Havershire. Dalton had hoped that his father would come, but it seemed that John had stayed away.
The clerk stood and said, ‘We are gathered together to speak of some new evidence that Reginald Clark, Lord Mallencourt, has discovered in regard to his brother’s death. The purpose of this meeting is to determine whether an arrest should be made and whether a trial should be pursued for wrongdoing.’
At that, Hortense Whitely stood. ‘Your Worship, I have been appointed as the attorney representing the rights of both the Earl of Havershire and his daughter, Lady Regina.’
‘Is that truly necessary, given the absence of a trial?’ the magistrate enquired.
‘It is. And it is my sincere hope that we may put this matter to rest and avoid a trial altogether.’
The baron appeared irritated but motioned for the clerk to present his concerns. Dalton grimaced when he heard the clerk say, ‘It is believed that Lady Regina Crewe, daughter of the Earl of Havershire, did feloniously lure the late Baron Mallencourt to her home. That with malice aforethought, she did bring Lord Mallencourt into the drawing room alone, where she feigned seductive behaviour to the baron before striking him over the head with the intent of murder. And that she instructed her servant to dispose of the body near the River Thames.’
The clerk continued describing the details, but Dalton’s gut was churning. Murder, not manslaughter. The picture Mallencourt had evoked was of a heartless Lady of Ice, one who would tempt men, only to lead them to their demise.
Regina’s face had gone pale, and Mr Whitley stood. ‘Your Worship, I have the coroner’s report from five years ago, when Lord Mallencourt’s body was found.’ He held it out and said, ‘If there had been any wrongdoing, it would have been noted at that time.’
The magistrate read over the coroner’s notes, his face impassive. His gaze shifted to the new Lord Mallencourt, and he asked, ‘If there were doubts about your brother’s death, why did you not mention them five years earlier?’
Lord Mallencourt cleared his throat. ‘We did not know what happened and trusted the coroner’s report. But a few weeks ago, a witness came forward and contacted my family. Lady Anne claims she was there on the night my older brother died.’
Regina’s face was deathly white, but she remained silent. From the raw fear on her face, Dalton could see she was struggling to hold back tears. He wanted to comfort her, but he could not speak.
The magistrate eyed the young woman sitting nearby. ‘Is this true?’
The young woman stood, her face masking all emotions. ‘It is. For a short while, I was there before they arrived.’
‘And of whom do you speak when you say “they”?’ the magistrate asked.
‘Lady Regina and Lord Mallencourt,’ she answered. Her face appeared stricken, but she did face Regina at last. There was a silent communication between the two of them, but Dalton could not say what the young woman was thinking.
‘And they were returning from a ball?’ the magistrate continued.
‘They were, yes.’
‘Were you present at the same gathering?’ he asked.
‘No, sir. I was not invited.’ Her face flushed, and she looked down at her hands.
‘Why, then, did you go to Lady Regina’s residence if you knew she was not at home?’
Lady Anne’s face reddened. ‘Because I did not wish to be at my home. I often stayed with Lady Regina overnight, and I wanted to talk to her after she returned.’
‘But you knew it was too late to be paying a social call,’ he continued.
‘It was,’ she agreed, ‘but I have come to call on many occasions. I let myself in and went to Regina’s rooms to wait for her. No one saw me.’
‘And you believe you witnessed something related to Lord Mallencourt’s death that night?’ the magistrate questioned.
Lady Anne hesitated. ‘I was not in the same room with them, so I cannot say for certain.’
The attorney stood and said, ‘Your Worship, this is speculation. If she was not in the same room, she cannot even say whether Lord Mallencourt was there. He might have simply driven Lady Regina home and departed.’
‘And did he?’ the magistrate asked Lady Anne.
Her face crumpled, and she shook her head. ‘I—I don’t know. All I know is that...the baron was there that night, and the next day he was dead.’
‘She knows exactly what happened,’ Mallencourt interrupted. ‘Because she has been blackmailing the earl for years. When the earl refused to pay, she came to me.’
Lord Havershire started in his chair, but the attorney sent him a warning look while Dalton held his breath. If the earl admitted the truth, it could cost them everything.
‘Lord Havershire,’ the magistrate said. ‘Were you under the threat of blackmail these five years past?’
The earl regarded each of the people in the room—Lord Mallencourt, Lady Anne, the magistrate, and finally Dalton and Regina.
‘I was, yes,’ he confessed.
* * *
Regina’s stomach sank, twisting into nausea. Her father’s admission essentially told the magistrate that they had something to hide, something worth the threat of blackmail. And her fears only magnified.
There could be a trial at the House of Lords—not just for her, but for her father, as well, for covering up Mallencourt’s death.
The attorney sighed and shook his head. ‘Your Worship, I see no reason why we should entertain this conversation any longer. The coroner’s report clearly shows—’
‘I have more questions,’ the magistrate said. He directed his attention to Lady Anne. ‘I could easily have you arrested on charges of blackmail. Or, if you tell the truth about what you saw and heard that night, I could dismiss the charges.’
Anne blanched at the confrontation. Her gaze passed from Lord Havershire back to Regina.
Don’t do this, Regina warned. But she knew that her life and her father’s hung in the balance.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, tears breaking forth. Then she turned back to the magistrate. ‘I...heard voices that night. I went to the stairs, because I thought Regina had returned from the ball. I heard Lord Mallencourt talking with her, so I didn’t go down. But I saw them go into the parlour together. And later, I heard him attacking her.’
‘You did nothing to help,’ Regina interrupted, her own tears streaming down her face. It was too late to hide the evidence any longer, but she seized the opportunity to confront her former friend. ‘That blackguard tried to rape me, while you stood by on the stairs and allowed it to happen.’
Anne stared back at her. ‘And what could I have done? I didn’t know what was happening, and I just...froze.’
Regina didn’t look at the magistrate or Mallencourt—only Anne. ‘If someone had tried to hurt you, I would have done anything to stop it. I would have tried to open the door or screamed. I wouldn’t have stood by, and I certainly wouldn’t have tried to extort money out of it.’
‘Is that what happened?’ the magistrate asked. ‘Did the baron try to...defile you?’
Regina closed her eyes and nodded.
‘And I broke the door down to help her,’ the earl added. At the sound of her father’s voice, Regina turned to him. ‘Like any father, I would do everything necessary to save my daughter from ruin.’
‘Even murder?’ Mallencourt prompted.
Regina was shaking her head in horror. ‘Papa, no.’
But from the resignation on her father’s face, she knew he was intending to confess. He coughed again, a hacking sound that revealed the weakness he was suffering. For long moments, he struggled to breathe, and the magistrate exchanged a loo
k with the attorney.
‘I think we have our answers,’ Mallencourt said softly. ‘My brother did not die by drowning in the Thames after a drunken night.’
The silence that spread throughout the room was damning. Regina felt physically ill, wondering if she should confess the truth. It was the right thing to do, and she could not let her father suffer for her own sins.
But Dalton seemed to sense what she was about to do, and his hand clamped down on hers in a warning.
Chapter Fifteen
‘Perhaps the greater question is why you would dredge up the past,’ Dalton countered, staring hard at Mallencourt. ‘Your older brother attacked a lady. His death was ruled an accident by the coroner, but even if his death were manslaughter, I doubt if any jury would convict an earl defending his daughter.’
‘You don’t know that,’ the baron started to say.
‘What do you hope to gain?’ Dalton pressed further. ‘I know the state of your finances, and you cannot afford to pay for another trial. Nor will it bring your brother back.’ He softened his tone. ‘Which is a good thing, I think. I’ve heard that you’ve done a great deal to rebuild your family’s name. You’re a far better baron than he ever was.’
Mallencourt sobered at that. When Dalton met his eyes, he added, ‘I know what it is to live in the shadow of an older brother. And what it is to lose him.’
In that moment, a look of understanding passed between them. He could see the baron faltering, and it gave him reason to hope.
The door opened quietly, and he was startled to see his father entering the room. The magistrate glanced up, and Lord Brevershire greeted him. ‘Forgive me for my tardiness, Harold. I was delayed and could not be here until now.’
Dalton met his father’s gaze with a silent question, but the earl did not reveal anything at all.
The magistrate appeared unsettled by the intrusion. ‘Did you need to be here, Brevershire?’
‘In a matter that affects my son? Of course, I should be here.’ John went to Dalton’s side, and his expression held silent support. Emotion gathered up inside him, and when his father rested his hand upon his shoulder, Dalton felt his hope rising higher. He met his father’s gaze, and in the older man’s expression, he saw the strength of an alliance. He was grateful that the earl had seen fit to help him.
The Highlander and the Wallflower Page 22