by Jenna Brandt
“She was like my sister,” Josephine said, forcing herself to choke back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. “She didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
“I couldn’t agree more. What happened to her was a tragedy,” Duncan said, reaching out and placing his hand on the side of her face. “Just know, if you should need anything, I’m here for you.”
Josephine’s eyes moved up to meet Duncan’s and to her astonishment, it was desire she saw in them. All day he had been watching her, and she had thought it was out of compassion over her loss. Instead, she was just realizing that it wasn’t anything so innocuous as that.
She pulled away from his touch, disgusted by it. “I need to return to the parlor before my absence is noticed.” She rushed from the room, sending up a silent prayer for help.
Today had been a catastrophic day. Not only did she have to witness the burial of her friend, but she found nothing to help figure out who killed Isadora. To top it off, she had to avoid the advances of Isadora’s beau. She wanted to get home, take a long, warm bath, and put the whole day behind her.
Seven
Charles was working at his desk, preparing for the next edition of the newspaper, when a commotion outside caused him to pause what he was doing.
“I’m sorry, sir, but Mr. Gilbert is not available right now. You’ll need to make an appointment,” he heard Kate explain to the man in a firm but friendly manner. The ex-courtesan still had a way of coddling men into submission from her time at the high-end brothel. It came in handy when there were problems with unhappy readers in the office.
Except perhaps this time, because he heard the man say, “Do you know who I am?” Before Kate could respond, he quickly told her. “You’re speaking to Lord Duncan Selborne, son to the Earl of Davenport.”
So, LI’s jealous ex-beau was wanting a meeting with him. From his tone and contemptuous behavior, Charles assumed it wasn’t good. Did the other man know about his arrangement with LI? Or worse, was he aware of Charles’ arrangement with Josephine. He had been careful—never meeting with her in public—but there was always a chance someone saw her come to his office the previous week and told Lord Selborne.
“That may very well be, my lord, but it still doesn’t mean you can demand to see Mr. Gilbert without an appointment.”
“I will have your job, you intolerable little tart,” the man threatened, causing Charles to jump from his seat and rush towards the door. He opened it just as the other man added, “You shouldn’t cross me, girl. I have powerful connections—”
“That’s enough,” Charles snapped out, interrupting the other man’s threat. “What do you want, Lord Selborne?”
“Can we speak in private?” the other man asked, glancing at Kate in a distrustful manner.
Charles nodded. “Come into my office.” He stepped out of the way and let the other man enter. He closed the door behind them, then moved around to take his seat behind his desk. He had to play his hand carefully to make sure the other man gave him more information than he did in exchange. “What’s this all about, Lord Selborne? What caused you to burst into my place of business like you have today?”
“Even though Lady Isadora is gone, I still care about her—and by extension, her family and friends. She was going to agree to marry me, but now that will never happen. The only thing I can do for her now is protect the people she cared about. I came here to warn you to stay away from the Saxe-Saalfield family and their associates.”
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at,” Charles said in a calculated way, hoping to bait the other man into revealing what he thought he knew about Charles’ relationship with Isadora.
“I know you talked with Isadora on the night of her death, and I saw you at the cemetery during the funeral. I have a good mind to report it to the police.”
“And why would you do that? I was simply talking with her about her charity work with the women’s auxiliary. What she was doing for the schools was gallant, and I thought she deserved recognition. I came to the cemetery because I still plan to run the piece posthumously.”
“Isadora was a good person, but the newspapers rarely portray her that way. She often received an unfair depiction because of jealous rivals. I want to make sure she isn’t misrepresented, especially now she is deceased. I’m still not sure I believe your story as to why you were meeting with her. I’m wondering if you were trying to coerce her into something she didn’t want to do, and the situation got out-of-hand.”
“What are you implying?”
“I think it obvious. I believe you wanted something from her she was unwilling to give you. Perhaps you wanted her to confirm a rumor about another member of the nobility, or you wanted something from her of a more…personal nature. When she refused, you pushed her over the balcony. You came to the funeral out of guilt, or to keep an eye on her family and friends to see if anyone knew what happened between the two of you.”
“That’s a heavy accusation to lay at someone’s feet, Lord Selborne. I’ll have you know, I’ve never hurt a woman in my life,” Charles stated firmly, forcing himself to control his anger over the false allegation. “Considering your courtship of Lady Isadora, I will refrain from holding this conversation against you. I understand you’re trying to figure out what happened to the woman you planned to marry. Believe me, everyone wants that. She didn’t deserve what happened to her; she deserved better.”
“I agree. It was a tragedy, and the world will be void a vibrant soul without Lady Isadora in it.”
“I can assure you, I never had any ill-intentions where she was concerned. I can give you my word that will continue after her death,” Charles said, standing up and moving towards the door. “I’m truly sorry for your loss, but I really must get back to my work.”
The other man stood and moved towards the exit. “I appreciate your hearing me out and agreeing to give Lady Isadora’s family and friends the space they need to heal after what happened.”
Charles didn’t argue the point that he never agreed to such a thing. Let the man think what he wanted. He would continue his investigation with Josephine’s help, and they would find out what happened to Isadora, no matter the obstacles that got in their way.
Eight
Josephine could feel her stomach tighten as she thought about what she must do tonight. She’d always considered the Bennett family dear friends, but since Martin Bennett was on Isadora’s list of suspects, Josephine felt she had no choice other than to investigate him.
When the invitation arrived by courier for the dinner party, her initial instinct was to decline, still wanting to avoid public life after her dear friend’s death. She reminded herself, however, she wouldn’t get a better opportunity to have access to the Bennett home. She forced herself to accept the invitation.
“I’m surprised you wanted to come tonight,” Rachel said, placing her shawl around her shoulders as they climbed out of the carriage. “You haven’t been much for socializing lately.”
“Isadora was the one who enjoyed it. I got used to being in the center of things because of her, but since she’s been gone, it’s lost its appeal.”
“She wouldn’t want you to dwell on the loss of her, Jo,” her sister said, using her childhood nickname. She reached out and squeezed her hand. “Isadora would want you to be happy.”
Josephine knew her sister was right, but it didn’t make it easier. Every time she thought about doing something she normally did with Isadora, it made her feel guilty, like she was betraying her friend’s memory.
As they reached the top of the stairs, the door flew open to reveal Lady Julia Bennett-Clarke standing on the other side. “You both made it. I’m so happy you didn’t cancel on us. I’m sorry that the Duke and Duchess couldn’t make it,” the newly wedded woman said on the other side. Standing next to her was her new husband, Lord Edwin Clarke.
“They send their best and wanted to offer an invitation to host a dinner for all of us once they return from
France.”
Julia nodded. “That would be lovely. When Father insisted on hosting this dinner for us once we returned from our honeymoon abroad, I was so excited to have our closest friends celebrate in a more intimate setting.” She stepped back, gesturing for them to enter. “Please, come in.”
“How did you enjoy Portugal and Spain?” Rachel asked with a smile as they entered the massive house made of gleaming white marble and the finest solid oak wood. It was a testament to the vast shipping empire the Bennett family had amassed over the years. “Did you visit the Segovia Cathedral? How about the Roman aqueduct?”
Julia’s head bobbed up and down, causing her blonde curls to bounce on top of her head. “We did. Both were marvels to behold. Not as amazing as being married to this one though,” she said as she reached out and laced her arm through her husband’s, “but we couldn’t spend all our time in the honeymoon suite at the hotel.”
“Julia, you shouldn’t say such things to our guests,” Lord Edwin admonished, his cheeks turning red from the comment.
“Why? It’s the truth. You’ve made me a very happy wife. Besides, they’re two of my dearest friends. Why shouldn’t I be honest with them?”
“She’s right, Edwin. You’ve made my cousin very happy indeed,” Vivian Bennett said with a teasing tone as she came up to the group. “You should be proud that you can keep a woman like Julia content.”
“We should make our way to the dining room where the rest of the guests are waiting,” Lord Edwin suggested, avoiding responding to the conversation that clearly made him uncomfortable.
Josephine glanced around the room at who was present. Besides, Martin Bennett, one of the other men on the list, the Earl of Davenport, was also present. Perhaps if she were good at her job, she might overhear the earl and Mr. Bennett discuss something that would give her a clue for her investigation.
In addition to the two senior men, the earl’s son, Duncan was also there, along with Mark Bennett—Vivian’s brother, Claire Roberts—Martin Bennett’s sister and a renowned London matchmaker, and lastly, Lord William and Lady Deborah Almonbury—the Viscount and Viscountess Braybridge, along with their ward, Lady Matilda, who was a good friend of both Vivian and Julia.
Josephine made her way around the table until she came across her name tag in front of her assigned seat. To her surprise, she was placed between Duncan Selborne and Mark Bennett. Interesting that they were three of the single and unattached people there tonight. Was Miss Claire working her matchmaking skills again? Josephine had heard that she would set up people at dinner parties this way. If the other woman had bothered to find out anything about Josephine, she would’ve known that she wasn’t interested in a courtship. Josephine much preferred the company of books over that of men. Books never disappointed while most men left her discontent. The only exception to the rule was Charles Gilbert. He continued to impress her, despite her waiting for him to disenchant her.
Martin Bennett, a tall, thickly built man, took his spot at the head of the table. Before he took a seat, he addressed the group. “Thank you for joining me and my family here tonight. Though all of you were present at my daughter and Lord Edwin’s wedding, it pleases me to have this special time to celebrate with those we hold most dear. Let us raise our glasses to Lord Edwin and Lady Julia.”
Everyone did as their host requested, lifting their glasses and toasting the newly-wedded couple.
Mr. Bennett took his seat along with the rest of the guests. The servants entered the dining room with the first course of the meal, placing a bowl in front of each person around the table.
Josephine took a dainty spoonful and lifted it to her lips. As expected, the Julienne soup was delectable. Each of the finely cut vegetables were soft and the broth delicious. The soup paired perfectly with the bread served alongside it.
“This soup is excellent,” Mark Bennett observed next to her. He turned his attention to Josephine and asked, “What do you think of it?”
“Your uncle always has the best food; the soup is no exception.”
“Did I mention you look lovely tonight, Josephine?”
She could feel her cheeks blush from the compliment. “Thank you, Mark, that’s kind of you to say so.”
“Lady Josephine does look rather fetching tonight, though with you courting Lady Matilda, I’m not sure why you should be paying so much attention to another woman,” Duncan said from her other side.
Josephine’s eyebrows arched in surprise as she placed her spoon beside her bowl. She pressed her lips together, wondering how she should address the situation. Before she could say a word though, Mark came to his own defense.
“Though I owe you no explanation for my comment, Lord Selborne, I will point out that I’ve known Josephine since we were children. I was simply being courteous to an old friend.”
“I have lots of friends, and I don’t go around telling any of them how lovely they look,” Duncan stated snidely.
“I think it rather uncouth of you to concern yourself with Josephine at all, considering the woman you were just courting perished only a few a weeks ago.”
“How dare you bring up Isadora. I’ll have you know—”
“Gentleman, I urge you both to stop this instant. We’re here to celebrate our friends’ union, not fight over something as silly as a benign compliment,” Josephine said.
Both men looked embarrassed, and the arrival of the second course created a reprieve. It was baked salmon with oysters. Everyone ate in silence, until from across the table, Lady Wilma brought up the upcoming ball that the Duke of Witherton was hosting. It caused a flurry of discussion as everyone was excited to enter the duke’s London estate. It was rumored to be one of the most impressive in all of Europe, but no one had stepped foot in it since the previous duke passed away.
The third course came to the table; braised beef with sides of broccoli and Yorkshire pudding filled the gleaming plates. Just like before, the food didn’t disappoint. To Josephine’s relief, the meal continued to pass with pleasant conversation. Though there wasn’t any useful information mentioned, at least there wasn’t anything that created another disagreement.
By the time the final course arrived, the argument between Mark and Duncan was completely forgotten. The freshly imported strawberries were a sign of high status. This extravagance went perfectly with the decadent Neapolitan cake with its layers of yellow, chocolate, and strawberry cake, and a buttercream frosting. Everyone was in a good mood because of their drinks and full bellies. Before departing the dining area, they were given a dish of cool water with a wedge of lemon in which they could clean their hands. It was a perfect way to finish the meal.
They made their way into the parlor to enjoy more drinks and conversation. Josephine listened to the various discussions around the room, hoping that Isadora would be brought up in the course of the evening. There were a couple of whispers amongst the guests that Isadora might have had a handful of jealous ex-beaus that were upset that she was on the verge of becoming engaged to Duncan. One of the guests wondered if one of her exes could have killed her. One even suggested it could be Duncan himself, if he thought she was having a dalliance with the duke.
Could Duncan be capable of such a thing? He didn’t like how Isadora behaved, but to resort to murder over it seemed inconceivable to Josephine. She’d known him since childhood, and even though they hadn’t been around each other while she was away at finishing school and he was at boarding school, he never showed a violent bone in his body before or since their return to London. Isadora’s death was tied to the blackmail investigation, wasn’t it? Could her death and the blackmail be unrelated? Josephine would have to keep an eye on Duncan to see if he gave anything away. She didn’t think him capable of killing anyone, let alone the woman he planned to marry, but she didn’t want to rule him out simply because she didn’t want to believe it.
When she found an opportune moment, Josephine slipped away to conduct her investigation. She made her way down the hal
l that led to Mr. Bennett’s study, stopping at the privy to check if anyone was behind her. When she was sure she was alone, she moved further down the hallway.
Josephine slipped through the door and started looking through the room. She decided to start at the bookcases but found nothing. She made her way over to the desk next, moving items around, then placing them back where they belonged. She was on the last drawer, feeling discouraged that she hadn’t found anything, when she felt the edge of the drawer sticking up. She gently pulled on it, causing it to pop open.
Underneath the false bottom panel, she found several sealed letters, all written by the same hand and addressed in the same way—To My Love. Towards the bottom of the stack, there was one that was opened.
Josephine read the contents:
To My One True Love,
You say that you can no longer be with me, but my heart breaks at the thought of it. We are meant to be together, but you continue to refuse the truth. I write to you with earnest, hoping you will see the sincerity of my pleas. Why won’t you answer me? Oh, my love, no one has ever touched my soul the way you do. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. Please say you will change your mind and return to my arms.
I wait patiently for you,
G
Josephine wondered if the letter was relevant. From the contents, she would assume it was simply a private letter from Martin Bennett’s lover. However, she wondered if it was possible it was something more. Couldn’t it be a disguise for something else? If he was transmitting information through these letters, couldn’t it be a code written within the words? Part of her wanted to take the open letter, but she couldn’t risk Mr. Bennett realizing it was missing. Her only option was to make a mental note of the contents and report her findings to Charles later. Hopefully, he would know whether it was worth further investigation.