The Countess Intrigue

by Andrews, Wendy May

  Elizabeth smiled to show she held no grudge toward him. “I would have.”

  They sat in silence for a moment, both lost in thought, while Pansy watched with a fierce stare. Elizabeth couldn’t help smiling her appreciation even though she was becoming quite convinced they had suspected the earl needlessly. She decided to tell him about the diary.

  “Did you know your wife was involved with Broderick, my lord? Is that why you questioned me about him?”

  “How did you find out about it? From questioning the servants?”

  “Was that a yes, my lord?”

  “Yes, yes, I knew. I only found out at the end. She was furious that I wouldn’t listen to her and return to London. She let it slip once when she was raving about how horrifically unkind I was, that Jason would never treat her thusly. She was ridiculous. If he had been all that was kind and noble he would never have involved her in his plots. During that week after she allowed it to slip, I had merely suspected they had been involved in some way, that she had a tendre for him, but she must have communicated with him unbeknownst to anyone. Whatever she had found out, left her truly terrified and she finally confided it all to me.

  “My biggest regret is that I did not take the threat seriously. I was angry that I had been tricked into marrying her, but I had figured that part out already, I just didn’t know why. When I found out how truly cold blooded it was, I felt sick to my stomach. But she paid the price for my inattention. And so have you.” The earl took her cold hands into his warm ones and tried to chafe warmth back into them. “I am so sorry, my dear. I never wished to see you hurt. I truly thought the danger toward my wife was gone with Barbara. I had no idea it would somehow transfer to you. I swear to you, my only involvement is in the fact that I did not properly protect you.”

  “I know, my lord. I do believe you. And I do not hold you responsible. I am quite sure Broderick must be behind it in some way. The only trouble is that we have no idea why. What could he hope to gain by getting rid of me? I wasn’t involved with him in any way. When I realized Broderick was involved, I had thought it connected in some way with my friend Rose and her efforts to thwart a different scheme of his, but I do not see how or why. There must be something else. Do you have any ideas?”

  “The only thing I was able to glean from Barbara was that he was planning to use me to influence the government. I suspect I am not the only Lord in the House that he tried to entrap in this way. If he had enough of us he could influence decisions and votes. It was a brilliant plot if it were not so convoluted as to be impossible to manage. The man is clearly not all right in the head.”

  “I rather suspect it is the madness of brilliance, my lord. And I worry there could be many others he has tried this scheme with. What if he has succeeded? Is there any way that we can stop him if he has?”

  The earl appeared much struck by her words but offered her a rather helpless looking shrug. “That is a dreadful thought, my dear, and one that certainly will give us nightmares. I can assure you, I will continue to investigate the man. If we can stop him directly, it should put an end to whatever schemes he’s hatched.”

  Elizabeth was quiet for a moment, chewing her lip in indecision. When she noticed her husband’s eyes focused on her mouth, she felt heat sweep into her cheeks and she launched into speech to hide her confusion. “I found her diary. Lady Barbara’s diary. And I read it. It was in the room with all her things. I searched through that whole room trying to find out more about her. I wanted to know how she died because the gossips had claimed you had killed her and I was afraid.” She felt her face getting hotter and hotter as she talked and she couldn’t look at him any longer even though he was looking at her with so much understanding written on his face. She felt embarrassed over her worries and the fact that she had searched through his wife’s things.

  Lord Sinclair still held her hands in his warm ones and he tightened his grip, forcing her to bring her eyes back to his face, searching to see if he was angry with her. “I am so sorry you have had to go through this, my dear. I swear to you that I will do my level best to make it up to you. But for the time being, we need to get to the bottom of this. Why she was killed and why someone attacked you, must be answered. There is no apparent connection between Barbara and you or even between you and Broderick. What did you learn from the diary?”

  Elizabeth blushed again wishing she did not have to discuss his former wife with him. “She didn’t really have any friends. I wouldn’t say exactly that she had enemies, although from her attitudes it is possible that she made some. I’m sorry, I hate to say that to you, or even to speak ill of her since she is not here to defend herself.”

  “Do not trouble yourself about my feelings, my dear. From what I know of you, you won’t say anything stronger or meaner than anything I have thought myself. And if you can think of anything that might help, or if your thoughts can help us sort it out, please just say whatever you have to say. I promise I shan’t judge you harshly on your words.”

  She smiled her gratitude and tried to continue. “I cannot say what her history was with Broderick, but he clearly held influence over her. She thought very highly of him and it was under his influence that she set her cap for you. She had thought she should marry a duke but decided that you would do based on whatever Broderick told her.”

  “That I knew about,” the earl commented, nodding encouragingly.

  “But she was supposed to get you to come back to London in order for you to take your seat in the House, and Broderick was supposed to be able to control you through her. But I have to tell you, I really don’t know how Broderick thought to accomplish that since the poor lady had absolutely no interest in political affairs. From what I read in her diary, it seems she was quite enamoured with the thought of you gaining more power. She quite thought that would in turn transfer to her and she would be able to lead in Society. She even aspired to become one of the patronesses. The poor woman just was at a loss of how to get you to cooperate. But how did Broderick think she was going to be able to influence you if she couldn’t even bear to listen to you talk about politics?”

  “As I told you, it was far too convoluted to have worked.”

  Elizabeth wasn’t completely convinced. While she had no admiration for Broderick, she had a healthy respect for the man’s intellect. She wouldn’t rest easy until the matter was fully resolved. They needed to get to the bottom of things. “Anyhow, they must have been in communication in some way. That is one thing we need to investigate. I have been able to ascertain that she was receiving messages, but no one seems to know where the messenger came from.”

  “I will set my secretary to research that. I must admit to you, my dear lady, I am impressed that you have been able to find that out. I asked all of our personal servants for information after her death and no one told me that. Clearly you have been far more thorough than I was.”

  Elizabeth was delighted by his praise but tried to downplay her efforts. “I had access to more information than you did.”

  “I would have had it too if I had thought to search her room.”

  She wrinkled her nose at him. “Well it did surprise me that you hadn’t.” She was taken aback that he grinned at her words but she carried on with her recounting of the information. “So whatever Broderick was telling her was making her desperate. Combined with your refusal to leave your estate to return to London, she was becoming fearful. But she doesn’t say if he threatened her or what he did. I still cannot say if she was lured to the roof and pushed or if her fear drove her to jump. I have trouble believing that she would have jumped, though. She was too obsessed with her own appearance. I would think she would choose a more romantic mode of death, like poison.”

  “Do you really think poison would be romantic?” Lord Sinclair was incredulous.

  “She mentioned seeing the play Romeo and Juliet so it led me to the conclusion that she would consider it so, my lord. I most certainly do not.” She cast him a reproachful look before
continuing. “Other than many long descriptions of all her gowns as well as several snide comments about her new life here, she doesn’t have anything else to say except for a few strange references to your cousin, Hector.”

  “Hector? What did she have to say about him?” He had grown still at the mention of his cousin; the air almost grew thick from the tension that suddenly filled it. His usually warm voice had cooled a little as he questioned her.

  “She didn’t like him very much and felt that you make a far superior earl than he would.”

  The earl sat in silence staring at her as horror filled his face. “Hector is a distant cousin of mine. We Sinclairs have not been a prolific lot. I think I already told you that your large family was one of the things that drew me to you. I thought it would be lovely for any children we shall have to be able to enjoy many cousins as well as aunts and uncles. If I should die without issue, all that is entailed will go to Hector. If he is in league with Broderick it would explain the attack on you. He either wants me to be tried for murder since it would be harder to explain away the deaths of two wives or he’s hoping I will die of a broken heart and he will inherit.”

  “Was your heart broken by Barbara’s death?” Elizabeth was rather horrified that he might have been that attached to the wretched woman.

  “No, but I do think I might go into a decline if something else were to happen to you.”

  Elizabeth burst out laughing. “Now you are just being droll, my lord. Let us be serious. Do you truly think it is possible that Hector might be the link we are looking for?”

  “As far as I knew Barbara hadn’t even met Hector, we are not at all close, so if she wrote about him in her diary then it is starting to look like the only possibility to make any sense. It turns my stomach to think on it but it should be reasonably easy to investigate.” He paused and regarded her seriously. “Thank you, my dear lady. I really didn’t think it possible that you would be any more successful than me in investigating these attacks, but you have proven me wrong. I am quite convinced you shall have to accompany me in all estate business from now on. You shall be a most excellent partner.”

  Elizabeth was bashful over his words. “If you had thought to search her room you would have found the exact same thing. And perhaps even faster than me as you would have been familiar with things and would not have needed to nap as I have frequently had to do.”

  “Or I would have flung the book across the room in disgust after two or three lengthy descriptions of gowns she had purchased.”

  Laughing, Elizabeth said, “That would be a distinct possibility, my lord, and I will admit that I was tempted on occasion myself.”

  After sharing a chuckle with her, the earl once again grew serious. “I shall set my steward and secretary to investigating the two threads you have brought up, but I am sorry to have to tell you that you will have to remain ensconced within the house for a few more days until we have figured all of this out. I do not want you in danger. We cannot even be sure if any of the servants are involved, so I do not trust that you would be safe on the grounds.”

  Pansy had been silent throughout all of this conversation but she must have twitched at the earl’s words, bringing their attention to her. Elizabeth grinned at her. “I have Pansy to look after me, my lord. She has been making the servants taste the food they bring me in order to prove that it has not been poisoned.”

  The earl threw back his head and chortled. Elizabeth suspected it was a release of pent up tensions causing his amusement as she had not said anything sufficiently droll to merit such an uproar, but she could not help joining in his laughter.

  “I am delighted that you have such a faithful companion as your Pansy, but you must promise me that you will not do anything or go anywhere without keeping me apprised. I need to know you are safe.”

  “I promise. Believe me, I am quite vividly aware of the possibilities of what could happen to me.” She pulled one of her hands out of his grasp in order to reach up and cover her bandaged arm. “I have no interest in a repeat performance.” She grimaced at the thought.

  “You are going to be heartily bored,” the earl warned.

  “Perhaps you could teach me billiards to while away the time.” Her voice took on wheedling tones.

  “I will be helping with the investigation, my dear lady,” he was apologetic but firm.

  Elizabeth shrugged. “Well then I shall teach myself and become so skilled that I will trounce you when you finally have time to play with me.” She paused and regarded him solemnly. “You will have a care as to your own safety, though, will you not?”

  “To be sure.”

  “And you will return me the courtesy of keeping me informed?”

  “I will do my best, my dear, but now I must leave you to set things in motion.”

  “Very well.” Elizabeth nodded and watched him stride toward the door. She realized her mistake and just as he was about to leave the room she called after him. “My lord, I have changed my mind,” she began as she rose to her feet. “I cannot allow you to conduct this investigation without me. Considering the fact that it very much involves me, I do believe I should be at your side while we figure this out. Really, who else could keep me safer?” She heard Pansy’s huff of dismay at being thus dismissed but while she smiled in reaction she did not take her eyes from her husband’s face. He appeared thunderstruck by her words.

  Blinking to better focus after his surprise, the earl looked at her with shrewd eyes. “Do you realize that my guilt is making it hard to resist your request?”

  “I did not realize I had framed it as a request, my lord,” she began. “But if your guilt makes it easier for you to concede, I am not above using that.”

  The earl laughed and grabbed the hand of her uninjured arm. “Very well, I fear I may regret this, but come along.”

  * * *

  Pansy padded after them, refusing to allow her mistress out of her sight. They made a strange little parade as they hurried to the earl’s library where he promptly rang for his secretary and the butler. Mr. Patrick was the first to respond and Justice sent him in search of the steward.

  It didn’t take overlong for all to respond to the summons. Within fifteen minutes the library was nearly overflowing with people as the steward, the butler, and the earl’s secretary were standing in front of his desk. Justice had seated Elizabeth in his large chair while he stood beside her, and Pansy watched attentively from the corner behind them.

  “No doubt some or all of you have arrived at the same conclusion as we have. We are convinced that there is a connection between the attack on my countess and the death of Lady Barbara. We have discovered that Lady Barbara was in communication with a man named Sir Broderick in the days and weeks leading up to her death. We need to find out how they were communicating. Messengers were bringing notes for her but we do not know who they were or where they originated. I need you,” he indicated the steward, “to go to the village and ask around about anyone who would have been bringing messages to Lady Barbara. This needs to be done discretely and in a non-threatening manner. If it was someone local passing the messages, they might fear reprisals. You have to reassure them that I will not be angry, I just need the information.”

  Turning to his secretary, Justice continued, “We have reason to believe that my cousin Hector is somehow involved. I will need you to travel to Hampstead to ascertain his whereabouts both this week and the week two years ago when Lady Barbara was killed. And also find out what connection Hector has with Sir Jason Broderick. Report back to me as quickly as you are able.”

  Both men bowed and left the room quickly.

  “What about me, my lord, what can I do to help?” The butler wanted to be involved.

  “I need you to think back to two years ago. Were there any servants that were new right around the time of my marriage? I have to admit I was fairly distracted around that time and I have no idea if any of the servants were new.”

  “Well there were the servants
that came with her ladyship,” the butler said, puzzled. “We didn’t have anyone else join the household besides them.”

  “Did she bring anyone other than her personal maid?” Justice was surprised.

  “Two footmen arrived with her luggage besides the maid, my lord.”

  “I guess I should have spoken to you before sending off the steward. That would be how she was getting her messages. But we still need to know who they were speaking to. Hurry and see if the steward has left yet. We ought to tell him who the footmen were and provide him with a description so that he can ask about them.”

  “But my lord, one of them is still in your employ.”

  Chapter 12

  “Not Johnny, I hope,” Elizabeth gasped, her stomach twisting with nerves. She could feel Pansy coming up next to her with the poker frozen in her grip.

  “No, my lady, not Johnny, Fred. I can’t be certain if you have met him, since Lady Barbara’s death he has been working in the kitchen and you haven’t been able to have very many meals in the dining room.”

  “Fred?” The earl seemed shocked by this new development. “Was he new to the staff?”

  “Yes, he arrived the same week as Lady Barbara and she told your steward that he was with her and that you had approved her addition of servants to your staff.”

  “Well, yes, of course I did. I just didn’t give it any thought. You said she came with two footmen. Do you know what became of the other one?”

  “No, he left at the same time as Lady Barbara’s maid, so I assumed they were both going back to her family.”

  By this time the steward had returned to the library and was listening to their conversation. Mr. Patrick was able to provide him with as detailed a description as he could muster of both footmen and even the maid. It was best to be prepared for any eventuality.

  “Thank you, Mr. Patrick, you have been most helpful. Could you please have Fred join us here in the library, without telling him what it is about?”