“I am not your acquaintance, Joseph,” she hissed. “I thought…I thought we could be friends.”
“I have no desire to befriend a gold digging parasite who cares for no one except herself.” I knew it was a lie, but the words felt so satisfying to say. As if by uttering them out loud I could make them true. “Nor do I wish to become your plaything,” I said.
“You are not my plaything, and I’m not—” She cut off, choking back a sob. “Is that what you think of me?”
“Tell me what I should think of you!” I shouted and she shrank away. I bit my lip and turned away, continuing in a softer tone. “Tell me who you really are because I swear I have no idea. You sing and dance and play the coquette, but you fill pages with words that stir my very soul. You made love to me and yet you refused me, choosing to marry a man you swore to despise until you drew your last breath. Tell me who you are. Tell me why you are doing this, and I swear to you, I swear, I will leave you alone forever.”
“I’m not doing this for the money.”
“Then tell me why. I want to hear you say it.”
“Say what?”
“That I’m not good enough for you!”
Her brow knitted, and she shook her head. “Not good enough?”
“The Princess Roisin, the Irish darling of the ton. You know it’s true. You cannot deny it.”
“Joseph, I…”
“You can fuck me, but you would never stoop so low to marry a doctor. Just say it.”
She shook her head, her hand on her throat. “Stop…”
“Just say it!”
“No.”
I threw my hands in the air. “Fine. Continue your charades. Your lies. I cannot bear to listen to them anymore.”
Her eyes widened, and she grabbed my hand, crushing my palm with her tiny fingers. “Oh, you cannot listen to me? All you’ve done is talk.”
My mouth shut tight, and I looked away, my face burning with shame. I had allowed my anger to overtake my reason, and I could not even bear to remain in my skin. It prickled and itched, my heart so full up of such hopelessness, I thought it might burst.
“Audrey, I cannot bear this,” I whispered.
She threw her arms around me. “I cannot either, but we must.”
The tickle of her breath against my ear sent a rush of pure need down my spine, and I clutched her tighter. “Why? Please tell me why. I beg of you for the last time.”
She let out a long sigh and pulled away, retreating to the bench. She folded her shawl tight around her slight body and hunched over, her elbows resting on her knees.
“It’s…my father,” she said.
I let out an exasperated sound. “I just as soon suspected.”
“No.” She raised her head, and her eyes glistened with tears. “No. You see, an investigation has begun over The Rebel Sons. The accusation is sedition.”
My blood ran cold through my veins, and I took in a long inhale of breath, the pieces starting to come together.
“And Lord Castlevane has helped you to aid your father in exchange…” I turned away, slamming my fist into the wall. That cad. That vile, disgusting villain. Not enough to aid a friend in need. He had to extort this woman…my woman…into a marriage she did not want.
Audrey let out a thin, terrible sound, and her shoulders shook with violent spasms.
I rushed over, collecting her into my arms. “Shh…my love, please…we can find a way to protect your father…somehow…” I had no idea what I was saying, but I would have said anything in that moment to keep Audrey from crying.
“But it’s not my father who needs protection,” she said, wiping her tears away.
“What do you mean?” I leaned in closer, cupping her chin with my palm. If someone had threatened her…if Castlevane had done something to her… My heart thudded against my rib cage, and I wished nothing more than to pound that man’s face into the marble wall of the temple.
“My father didn’t write The Rebel Sons,” she said. “Lyddy did.”
I paused, letting her words sink in. Lyddy had looked so frail, so brittle, as if she would break with the slightest touch. It seemed impossible that tiny woman could incite a riot.
Audrey nodded, reading the confused look on my face. “It’s true. She would never survive the inquest. Imprisonment. And if she is found guilty?”
“Would Dublin Castle even arrest a woman?” I spluttered. “Your own novels contain criticisms of the Empire. Veiled though they may be.”
She snorted. “My novels. No one cares about silly women and their belles lettres. But a play? I don’t know. What I do know is I must protect her at all costs.”
My spine slumped, and my hand slipped away from her face to rest at my side. “And Lord Castlevane has offered you such protection.”
“Yes.” She sniffed, looking away through the columns at the moon beyond. “He has the power to call off the investigation. And it’s not just that.”
“What is it? What more could this horrible man possibly do to you?” I spat out.
Audrey gave me a stricken glance, and I raised my hands in the air.
“I apologize for my tone,” I said. “I am…I am still trying to understand all of this. Please.”
She swallowed hard, wringing her hands. “Rumors of an investigation have traveled to my publisher. Castlevane pressured him, and now he refuses to publish my next novel until the Byrnes’s name has been cleared.”
My mouth gaped open, a new rush of anger flaming through my chest. “That is absurd. To be punished for the sins of your family.”
“No,” she raised her hand to silence me. “Lyddy has not sinned. I know the call to writing prevails like no other. She followed her heart, and I do not blame her.”
“Does she know--?”
Audrey shook her head. “She remains unaware of why I am marrying Castlevane, and such it must be.”
She turned to me and grabbed hold of my hands, squeezing them tightly. “Please swear to me you will keep this a secret. I vowed to my mother on her deathbed I would take care of Lyddy. There is no one else. I must do my duty, Joseph. Please, I need you to understand.”
I wanted to scream, to snatch up Audrey and flee this terrible place, this world where sisters marry for all the wrong reasons, where familial honor trumps love. But all I could do was stare over her shoulder to the shadows of the garden beyond. The moon had passed behind the clouds, and we sat together in the darkness, the sound of our breathing echoing in the marble temple.
“I do understand. Dear god, Audrey, of course I do.” I cradled my head in my hands, wracking my brain for some sort of answer. I tried to look at the problem like I would a medical one. If Audrey’s predicament were a horrible wound, I would treat it. But there are some wounds one cannot heal, not completely. She would live with the scar forever. And so would I.
“There must be some way…” I whispered beneath my breath.
“There isn’t. I even—” She paused, biting her lip.
“You even what?”
She let out a bitter laugh. “I even tried to blackmail Lord Castlevane. I sneaked into his office to find something. Anything. I even discovered a secret compartment in his desk, but all I could find was a bottle of something. I have no idea.”
“A bottle in a secret compartment.” My ears pricked up, and I sat up straighter. “Do you know what it was?”
“No, and his footman came in and took it away before I could fully investigate it.”
“You say his footman took it?”
“Yes, he said Castlevane requested it. Why?”
I rose to my feet and paced, my palms sweating.
“What was on the bottle? Was there a label?”
Audrey nodded. “Yes, there was something like a…a pink flower? And some strange writing.”
I let out a long exhale.
It could not be possible. Would Castlevane be so daring? He and Lord Aberthorne had argued about the Act he wanted to push through in Parliament, but it seem
ed inconceivable the man would go to such great lengths to pass the measure. Yet, what better opportunity to destroy his political rival than to blame his demise on an operation run afoul. The purging made sense. Lord Aberthorne did not have an infection.
He had been poisoned.
“Joseph, what is it?”
“Is the footman still here?”
“I don’t know.” Audrey shrugged.
“Blast it.” I whirled.
Someone could be administering the poison right now.
“I have to go!”
“Joseph, wait!”
Audrey’s cries faded away as I sprinted back to the manor, not stopping until I reached the marquess’s side.
Chapter 25
Audrey
I returned to my room shortly after Joseph darted back to the house, but sleep refused to come. I paced the floor, replaying my conversation with him in my mind. I knew the mysterious vial played a part in all this, but I didn’t know what. He seemed to insinuate Castlevane was using it for some nefarious purpose, and I wouldn’t put it past the man, certainly. Grabbing the poker, I stoked the smoldering coals in the hearth, studying the dying embers, trying to make sense of it all.
A slight knock sounded, and I opened the door to discover Lady Aberthorne’s maid beckoning me to follow her.
She led me to Lord Aberthorne’s room, and I startled to find Joseph sitting in the corner, his hands steepled with his chin between his fingers. The marchioness sat across from him, and she rose when I entered the room.
I gave her a slight curtsy. “My lady?”
She swept across the floor and took my hands. “Oh, my dear Roisin. We have found ourselves in the middle of quite a sinister plot.”
My eyes widened, and she patted my hand, leading me to the settee across from Joseph, and he looked up. His face colored as he finally registered my presence.
“It’s all right, Audrey,” he said. “At least I hope it will be. Can you tell Lady Aberthorne exactly what you found in Lord Castelvane’s office?”
My mouth gaped. To do so would be admitting to a whole series of capital offenses.
Joseph reached across and took my hand. “She has assured me of your safety. She only wants the truth of these events.”
I studied his face, his lips strained in a grim line. Swallowing hard, I poured out everything that had happened in London. I left out why I was there, though, praying she wouldn’t press. The whole time she stared at me with her dark eyes, her face blank and impossible to read. But her fingers curled on the upholstery, digging into the damask fabric, her shoulder muscles tight and straining.
“My lady,” Joseph said when I finished. “I believe Lord Castlevane has used your husband’s terrible illness as an opportunity for political gain.”
“You think he poisoned Lord Aberthorne?” I blurted out.
Joseph nodded, and a cold draft passed over my skin. I pulled my wrap tighter around my body, shaking my head.
“Oh, goodness, it all makes sense,” I whispered beneath my breath.
“What makes sense?” Joseph said in a low voice.
I turned to him. “He knew about us. I don’t know how, but he knew you were his rival. He swore to take you down, if I didn’t…”
“If you didn’t what?” Lady Aberthorne pressed in a stern voice.
I looked into her eyes. “If I didn’t marry him. I suppose he wanted to kill two birds with one stone.”
She rose with an abrupt start and marched to her husband’s side, sliding her hand in his limp one. “Well, sorry for Castlevane, but one of those birds happens to be my husband, and the cad failed in killing him.”
“What shall we do?” Joseph stood and wandered to the mantle, resting his palm against it. “Confronting Castlevane directly without proof is risky.”
“Precisely,” I said. “That is why we need to find his servant. We need evidence that he brought the poison here to Aberthorne Manor.”
Lady Aberthorne pulled a rope beside the bed, and in a matter of minutes, a servant arrived. She whispered a few sentences to him, and he dashed out of the room, in search of the man.
She paused for a moment after he left and then turned to me. “I was shocked to hear of your engagement to Lord Castlevane as I had assumed your romantic feelings lay with Dr. Moorland.”
Heat bloomed in my face, and I bowed my head. “I would have given anything to be with Dr. Moorland, your ladyship, but you see the man has made such things impossible.”
Joseph slid beside me and took my hand. “Audrey, I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me that Castlevane was trying to attack my credibility?”
“How could I?” I squeezed his palm and our fingers interlaced. “With everything you’ve done. Everything you built. I refused to be the cause of your downfall.”
His lips parted, his brow knitted. He blinked and took my other hand. “I could be the lowest of men and still consider myself a king if you were beside me.”
My heart opened at the sound of his words, and I leaned in to kiss him.
Lady Aberthorne cleared her throat, and we paused, turning toward her.
“Pardon me to interrupt your lover’s tête-à-tête, but it seems to me with Lord Castlevane about to go on trial for murder, there is nothing that can stop the two of you from being together now.”
I shook my head, letting go of Joseph’s hands. “My lady, it’s…you see, it’s more complicated than that.”
“I do not understand.” She waved to Joseph. “The man has a lordship now. Or will, once my husband is well enough to hold a quill. It is a perfect match.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Do you not think this man is good enough for you?”
“No, your ladyship!” I cried out and then clamped my mouth shut. “I apologize, mum. I did not mean to forget my place, it’s just that…”
Joseph placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Lady Aberthorne returned to her seat and folded her hands in her lap.
I gave Joseph a panicked glance and shook my head. She could throw us out on the street, and the Byrnes would have nowhere to go. And what would she make of poor Lyddy…
Joseph took hold of my chin and forced me to face him. “You can ask for help, Audrey. For once in your life, let someone else help you.”
Lady Aberthorne leaned forward. “Dr. Moorland is right. I am your patron, and I do not take such a position lightly. If you are in need of aid, I would like to help you.”
I nodded and let the entire story spill out of my mouth. The investigation of my father, my publisher who refused to print my manuscript, and the discovery of Lyddy as the author of The Rebel Sons. It all came pouring out in a flood, and at the end, the lady folded her arms around her chest and stared up at the ceiling.
I cleared my throat. “Your ladyship, I never meant to become a burden to you in any way. I appreciate all you have done for me, but I will vacate your home with my family at first light.”
She snapped to attention. “Vacate? Why ever for?”
“Surely you do not want a pack of seditious rebels beneath your roof, your ladyship.”
Lady Aberthorne let out a low laugh and shook her head. “My dear Miss Byrnes, I do find this so very exciting. I would not want your family to vacate. In fact…” a wide smile spread across her face. “We should host a performance of The Rebel Sons here. At Aberthorne Manor.”
My mouth gaped, and I blinked. “Here? You aren’t afraid of persecution?”
She brought a hand to her mouth to cover the loud guffaw of laughter exploding from her lips. “Afraid? My dear Roisin, you are a funny little thing. It might be different in Dublin, but in London, the Aberthornes decide what is respectable culture and what is sedition.” She leaned forward and placed a hand on my knee. “Believe me, this private performance will be the talk of the town. You and your family will be untouchable.”
I smiled, letting out a long exhale. “My lady, I don’t know what to say. I thank you, truly.”
>
She nodded. “This is a good play, is it not?”
“It incited a riot,” I replied.
“Then it must be wonderful.”
I placed my hand over hers. “But I would ask you, mum, if we can keep Lyddy’s name out of this. I want to respect her privacy at all costs. She has no idea I know her true identity, and this is a secret I wish to remain within our own circle.”
“Of course, my dear.” She stared at the door and glanced at the clock on the mantle. “Good heavens, what is taking Brinley so long?” She walked over to the bedside and pulled the bell again.
A few minutes later, the servant, Brinley, rushed through the door and bowed. “Your ladyship, I apologize for the delay, but it seems Lord Castlevane’s man has gone missing.”
Lady Aberthorne’s eyes widened, and her hands trembled at her side.
I stood up and Joseph followed, his hand gripping my shoulder.
“Missing?” I said.
“Aye, miss.” The servant’s eyes shifted, and he folded his hands behind his back. “It seems he went with some of the lads to the inn. He left a bit early, said he needed to attend to his lordship Castlevane, but he never returned.”
The floor shifted away, and my stomach bottomed out. I reached for Joseph’s hand and somehow found the settee. He settled beside me, whispering something in my ear I didn’t catch with too many thoughts racing through my mind. Our only witness—gone. Of course Castlevane would cover his tracks, but that meant he still ruled over my life and none of us were safe.
They found the missing man floating in the stream the next day. They said he stumbled drunk off the path, smashed his head, and rolled into the water, but we knew the truth. We had no idea if Castlevane still possessed the poison, but Joseph and Lady Aberthorne took turns drawing Lord Aberthorne’s water from the well and making the bone broth to help purge his system. If Castlevane suspected, he never let on, but with Parliament in session, he continued to visit each evening. I suffered his advances as much as possible to keep my father placated, but Lady Aberthorne met with Papa secretly to discuss a private showing of The Rebel Sons.
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