The courtroom was silent. Alex could tell the Emersons were hard pressed not to cheer. For that matter, so was he.
“You may step down, duke,” said Harris.
“I just have one more thing to say.” Here the Duke of Lynwood turned a piercing stare on Peyton. “You mentioned earlier that a mob might turn up at my home. I give you notice that if any such thing were to occur, I would put a ball through the skull of the man who allowed it to happen, as I would be within my rights to do. No one…” Here he turned and stared at Sir Wilfred and the men around him. “No one should dare test me on this. My home shall continue to be a safe haven for all my dependents now and evermore. Anyone who dared violate it would not live to see the next day.” Then he turned to Harris. “Now, I am done.”
With that, he stepped out of the box and calmly strolled out of the courtroom, followed by the Emerson brothers who were continuing their charade of anger toward their stalwart friend.
Alex was disappointed that the brothers had left, since he’d been counting on them to observe Pierce’s family while he finished up in court. But then he caught a glimpse of a man in the gallery whom he’d seen at Lynwood House. Alex thought he was a servant. He was badly scarred down the right side of his face and was studying the men huddled around Sir Wilfred.
After Harris dismissed the remand order, Alex signed paperwork with the clerks. As he packed his satchel, Sir Wilfred approached him.
He looked most unhappy.
“Why did you interfere with remanding her to custody?”
“I didn’t. I admonished the duke for not showing this court the respect it is due.”
“You could have let it slide. You don’t want to make an enemy of the Duke of Lynwood.”
“Actually, I don’t think anyone wants to make an enemy of the man,” said Alex pointedly. “I believe he is in earnest about killing to protect his family. I hope Peyton’s talk of mob violence is simply that. Just talk. If Lynwood’s not dangerous enough, he has a brother in the Home Office and is good friends with a former Bow Street Inspector. An honest one from what I hear.”
“I don’t like your tone.”
“I don’t like the push to convict this woman without sufficient evidence. I have no problem prosecuting the guilty. But I do not believe she committed this crime.”
Sir Wilfred snorted his disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her sweet ways. Peyton told me you paid a visit to Lynwood House. That was most irregular. Perhaps you have visions of rescuing the lady, then marrying her. Finally being a part of the peerage after spending your whole life on the other side of the blanket. It’ll never happen, you know. You may get her found not guilty. But you’ll be disbarred. And those brothers of hers would never let you near her. The best you could get would be a night between her legs. She’s probably got the morals of a….”
Before Alex could strike Sir Wilfred, a man tripped and fell into both of them.
It was the man with the scars.
“You stupid oaf!” said Sir Wilfred. “What the devil are you doing?” He saw the scars, then recoiled.
“Pardon me, my lord,” said the man. “But I was hoping to talk to you about my dear sweet wife. She’s been accused of forgery, sir…”
Sir Wilfred extricated himself from the man. “Tell your problems to Lewis there. I have somewhere to be.”
Sir Wilfred left without Alex being able to knock him on his arse. It was most disappointing.
As if reading his mind, the man said “If you’d struck him you would’ve been removed from the case. I would’ve hit him myself, except I would’ve ended up in Newgate. It would’ve been worth it in any other circumstances, but I can be of more use to her out here. So can you, sir.”
Alex smiled at the man, grateful he’d interceded when he had. “I saw you at Lynwood House. I am Alexander Lewis.”
“Victor Stemple, sir,” he said as he bowed. “I’m Lord Ridgeway’s man.”
Alex put out his hand.
Stemple was surprised by the gesture, but shook it. “You’ve something in your pocket, sir. We hope you can meet us.”
Alex put his hand in his pocket to find an envelope. Mr. Stemple must have slipped it in when he bumped into him. “I shall do my best to be there.”
“Very good, sir. If you don’t mind the advice, please do your best to avoid giving that arse a reason to replace you. Lady Win needs you.” Then he joined the crowd which was making its way out of the building.
Alex rubbed his eyes that were weary from too little sleep. Win did need him and he’d very nearly struck the man who could remove him. What was wrong with him? He never would’ve made that mistake normally.
But, then, he’d never been in love before.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Alex held the two ledgers and contemplated what he was about to do. He’d arrived at the address Mr. Stemple had given him, but had no idea who lived there. The building contained six flats on three floors and looked like the type of residence where bachelors of the ton resided. He assumed all of Win’s brothers would be there. The question was whether he was going to well and truly cross the line that would likely get him disbarred.
He knew the answer to that.
He entered the building, then looked for the correct flat. He knocked, only to have the door opened by Mr. Stemple.
“Good afternoon, sir,” said Stemple, as he took Alex’s coat.
The small room was filled with large men. Win’s brothers were there, as well as Grayson, the Duke of Lynwood, Olson, and two other men, the Marquess of Riverton – the duke’s brother-in-law – and Lord Henry Kellington, known to everyone as Hal.
Lynwood approached Alex, who bowed. Lynwood stuck out his hand, instead. “Lewis,” he said. “Thank you for joining us.”
“Thank you for giving me the ability to keep Lady Win out of prison, your grace. You saved my position, as well.”
“I’m just glad you were able to pick up on my intentions so swiftly. Peyton is a dolt.”
“He is at that, your grace.”
It turned out the bachelor flat was Grayson’s. It was a smart idea to meet there, away from Lynwood House. He had little doubt the Crown was keeping watch on the duke’s home, hoping to catch Win trying to leave.
He prayed she was staying put.
Grayson passed out port to everyone – including Mr. Stemple, who seemed reluctant to take it for some reason. But once Grayson muttered “It’s not a bribe and you can still reserve the right to kill me,” the butler took his drink.
“We’re here to strategize,” said Ridgeway. “And while we do realize you’re the barrister for the Crown, Lewis, you’ve shown yourself to be an honorable man who values justice. Is there anything you can share with us that would prevent an innocent woman from hanging?”
Alex could no longer even pretend to distance himself from the case anymore. Win’s life was too important to him. “This is the evidence I’ve gathered so far,” he said, as he lay the two ledgers on the table. “I found both of them in Pierce’s study. The larger one is in code and was found in a secret compartment in his desk.”
“It’s too bad Arthur and Vanessa aren’t back, yet,” said Hal. “They have experts at the Home Office who might be able to decipher them.”
Grayson picked up the coded ledger and began studying it.
Alex continued. “I’m fairly certain the smaller one contains payments from people Pierce was blackmailing, though the names and offenses are never spelled out other than with initials. I have no idea what the other might be.”
“Something illegal, I presume,” said Grayson. “Specifically, something even more illegal than blackmail. He didn’t care enough to encode that one. But this one must contain information men would go to great lengths to protect.”
“Perhaps to kill for?” asked Ridgeway.
“Precisely,” said Grayson. “The entries seem to be dated – though I cannot even be certain of that. And they go back a decade or more. In fact….”
He stopped speaking as he studied something. He blinked, then looked at it again.
“What is it?” asked Ridgeway.
“Nothing,” said Grayson. “My eyes were playing tricks on me. I’d like to borrow this, if I may.”
Hal laughed. “No offense, old boy, but I’ve never known you to be interested in much more than gaming and women.”
Grayson grinned. “As you know, I’m not that successful at gaming. Mayhap if I learn something here, I can supplement my meager allowance through blackmail of my own.”
The other men laughed, but Alex could see through the Foreign Office agent’s facade. He wondered how his lifelong friends could believe he was anything other than the intelligent agent Alex knew him to be. But sometimes, the people who knew the least about you were the ones who’d known you longest.
Ridgeway turned to Alex. “Do you have any questions for us?”
“I was curious about the two men who were speaking to Sir Wilfred in the courtroom. I believe one was Lord Layton’s cousin.”
“Yes,” said Layton. “That was my dear cousin Simon Chilcott. I believe his purpose was to put me on record as being a blood relative of Win’s and, therefore, not the late earl’s issue. But I don’t care. If I can help clear Win’s name, I’ll make any sacrifice.”
“We know you would,” said Ridgeway. “But why let the man win? If your going on the record is needed eventually, then that is something else. For now, let him grow ever more frustrated.”
“Who was the other man?” asked Alex.
“The Earl of Clayton,” said Lord James. “He and Chilcott delight in vexing our family for some reason. He is long overdue for a thrashing.”
“Rather,” said Ridgeway. “Stemple, did you notice anything untoward once we left?”
“Mr. Chilcott and Lord Clayton left shortly after you did, my lord. Sir Wilfred spoke to Lady Winifred’s in-laws. Mr. Warren seemed especially incensed that Lady Win wouldn’t be going back to gaol.”
Alex wondered whether Mr. Stemple would tell the others he’d almost struck Sir Wilfred.
Fortunately, he did not.
Alex addressed the men. “During my interview with the family the night Tawny was killed, Clive Pierce said something interesting. He said he thought his brother had married Lady Winifred to get a hold of the Emerson fortune. Mr. Warren thought he meant the Layton fortune, but Pierce was adamant. He said his brother believed the Emersons had a great deal of money.”
“Yes, we are simply swimming in blunt, but choose to hide it convincingly by flaunting our genteel poverty,” said Ridgeway. “There is no fortune and I cannot believe Pierce thought there was. He knew going into the marriage that he’d be paying off father’s debts.”
“Is there someone else in your family who might have the fortune he sought?”
“No,” said the earl.
“Now that you mention it,” said Grayson, “I remember my father once making a reference to an Emerson fortune. He was in his study speaking to someone. I must have been about fifteen and was in the foyer. I remember thinking it was odd, but I never thought to ask about it and he never said anything about it again. I had my mind on more important matters.”
“No doubt a girl,” said Hal.
“No doubt,” said Lord James with a laugh. “Grayson always had a way with the ladies. I suspect he still does.”
Grayson laughed with the rest of the men – save Mr. Stemple, who was keeping a close eye on the marquess. Alex reckoned Grayson would have a difficult time convincing the Emerson brothers he was a reformed man if he chose to court Lady Rose.
Of course, it would pale in comparison to his own uphill battle if he chose to pursue Win.
“So there is no Emerson fortune,” said Alex.
Lord James shook his head. “If there ever was one, it must have been generations ago. If there’d been any left, our parents would have spent it. No, Clive must have misunderstood his brother.”
“Win said Pierce told her the late earl hadn’t disclosed all of his debts and whatever it was gave Pierce leverage over all of you,” said Alex, realizing too late he’d referred to Win by her Christian name. He hoped the others hadn’t noticed. “If Pierce was blackmailing your father, it would probably be in one of those ledgers. Perhaps that was the fortune to which he referred.”
“I’ll tell you if I come up with anything,” said Grayson, who was already engrossed in the pages he was reading.
“Thank you,” said Alex. “Olson, have you found anything of interest you can share with me? I hope you trust me by now.”
“Implicitly, my friend. And, I have learned a great deal of interest. I did not waste time looking into Lady Win – I told you from the first she was completely innocent of these charges.”
“Yes,” said Alex. “And you were right.”
Olson continued. “But I have been looking into the finances of other concerned parties. Mr. Clive Pierce is in a great deal of debt. His gaming losses have been significant and he spends too much time at brothels and opium dens.”
“Those are expensive activities,” said Hal. “If my memories of the distant past are true.”
“You mean from about a year ago,” said Liam. “But go on, Olson.”
“Mrs. Warren has expansive taste in gowns and bonnets, which has put a strain on Mr. Warren’s finances.”
“Where does he get his money?” asked Alex.
“Some sort of family inheritance, though no one seemed to know what it was or how much. So far, nothing too extraordinary or unexpected. But I received two surprising dispatches this morning. One is about Sir Wilfred. He has little family money to speak of, yet has very expensive taste in French antiquities. I wonder where he gets his blunt.”
“I’d like to find out,” said Alex.
“The other bit of news was quite surprising. It seems the late Mr. Pierce lost all of his money. The estate is worthless. I am afraid Lady Winifred is penniless.”
“A true Emerson,” said Ridgeway.
“We need to tell Win,” said Lord James.
“I’d rather discuss this with the lady herself rather than only speak of her,” said Olson. “I suggest we return to Lynwood House, with his grace’s permission.
“Of course,” said the duke.
“Thank you,” said Olson. “Lewis, perhaps you should come with me, via the mews. It wouldn’t do you or her ladyship any good to be seen entering the house.”
“I agree. Then we shall see all of you back at the house later.”
*
Nate was finding it difficult to keep up his charade when all he wanted to do was examine the coded ledger he’d been given. As part of his work with the Foreign Office, he’d learned about ciphers and the most common codes. He didn’t know what he would find, exactly, but he had his suspicions. He just hoped he was wrong.
Lewis had left a few moments earlier, but the other men remained in his quarters.
Colin put down his drink. “Did anyone else hear Lewis call Win by her Christian name?”
“I was hoping you’d bring that up,” said James.
“I wanted to ask, but refrained,” said Layton.
“It was unusual,” said Lynwood. “But he’s a good man. I was impressed with his work at the Old Bailey. And I believe he’s dedicated to finding justice.”
“I believe he’s in love with your sister,” said Hal. “I just met the man, but why else would he throw away his career? For I can see no way around that. I like him.”
“I like him, too,” said Colin. “But it’s Win we’re talking about.”
“He defended her,” said Stemple. “That arse Sir Wilfred was saying disparaging things about Lady Win and Mr. Lewis was on the verge of striking him. I tripped and fell into them to prevent it. I didn’t want him sacked before he could help her.”
“See?” said Hal. “He’s besotted with her.”
“What was Sir Wilfred saying?” asked Nick.
“He suspected Mr. Lewis was being swayed by L
ady Win’s beauty. He told him not to get his hopes up to marry her as a means of moving into the peerage because the family wouldn’t like it. The best he could hope for would be…I do not care to finish the sentence.”
“Do you really think Lewis is only helping her so he can move up in the world through marriage to Win?” asked Colin. “I wouldn’t think he’s the type, but we can’t let anyone use Win like that. Not again.”
“We can’t let Win be hurt again,” said James. “We need to discourage him if he’s simply interested in her position. It’s going to be difficult since we need his help, but we can’t allow Win to enter into another terrible relationship.”
“He’s not interested in her for her position,” said Nate. He didn’t want to say much more, but he needed to stand up for Lewis. He deserved it. “I think he’s in love with her. And, I believe Win is quite fond of him.”
“Win barely even knows him,” said Colin.
“That isn’t exactly true.” Now everyone in the room was staring at him, Stemple most of all.
“What do you know, Nate?” asked Nick.
“I promised I wouldn’t tell.”
“Now, you must say,” said Colin. “What do you know that we don’t?”
Nate hated breaking the confidence. But, at the same time, he also didn’t want the ladies placing themselves in peril again. Perhaps Rose’s brothers would put a stop to any future excursions. “Win and Rose snuck out of the house the other night to return to Win’s old home. They were looking for clues to the real murderer. Lewis and I were doing the same thing and we ran into each other. We found a secret passageway and we’re the ones who originally found the maid’s body. Lewis called Fisk in to do the official interview. The sergeant knows we were there, but won’t say anything.” There was a moment of stunned silence in the room. “I probably should have told you sooner…”
“Probably?” said Colin, James and Nick as one.
“But I promised not to tell. Win didn’t want to risk having all of you get in trouble with the law by investigating on your own.”
Always Have Hope (Emerson Book 3) Page 17