Harred shrugged. “William seemed genuinely surprised that Octavia had been abducted. I want to believe he isn’t capable of such a thing,” he said. “Besides, if he truly wanted me dead, he could have done so when I slept.”
“That would be too suspicious,” Greydon remarked. “If he did such an act, he wouldn’t inherit the title and estate. No, it would be much more underhanded.”
“My brother is lazy. I can’t imagine he would orchestrate such an elaborate crime,” Harred reasoned.
“Greed can be a powerful motivator,” Fredrick said.
Harred dropped down onto the settee. “It can’t be my brother.”
“I don’t think you want it to be your brother,” Greydon remarked. “But he does rub shoulders with disreputable people. He could have easily recruited a group of ruffians to help him with this.”
“You are right. I want to believe the best in my brother,” Harred admitted.
Greydon placed his hands on the back of a wingback chair and leaned into it. “There is also Lord Drycott. He has means, and motive.”
“I can’t imagine Lord Drycott would do such a thing over a bill,” Harred said.
“If that bill passes, it will ruin him,” Fredrick reminded the group. “If not him or William, then who?”
“Until a few days ago, I wouldn’t have thought anyone would want me dead,” Harred admitted.
“We need to draw this person out,” Greydon said.
“I agree, but how do you propose we do such a thing?” Fredrick questioned.
Greydon pushed back on the chair and straightened to his full height. “I don’t rightly know, but we have a few hours to think of something.”
“I feel as if we are missing something here,” Fredrick said. “Who else would benefit from Harred’s death?”
“All I can think of are Lord William and Lord Drycott,” Greydon responded.
“There must be someone else,” Fredrick pressed.
Greydon walked over to the window and looked out over the gardens, appearing deep in thought. After a long moment, he asked, “Who else knows that Harred is in love with Octavia?”
Harred’s mouth dropped but he quickly recovered. “I never said that I loved Octavia.”
“You didn’t have to,” Greydon responded. “It is obvious in the way you speak of her. You say her name with such reverence that it would be impossible for someone not to interpret.”
“Have I been so obvious in my affection for her?” Harred asked, glancing between them.
Fredrick chuckled. “Why do you think I was pushing you towards each other? You both care for one another.”
“I do not presume to know what Octavia feels for me,” Harred said. But he felt elated by Fredrick’s words.
Greydon pressed his lips together before asking, “Do you have any tenants that despise you or a business deal that went bad?”
“No,” Harred replied. “I try to be fair with all of my tenants and my man of business handles all of my business deals.”
“Yet someone wants you dead,” Greydon pointed out. “And I think the answer lies with Octavia.”
Fredrick interjected, “What if we pretended to hand over Kendal, but lay in wait and ambush the abductors first?”
“That is too risky,” Greydon said. “Octavia could be shot in the process. No. We need to turn over Kendal if we want to save Octavia.”
“If that is the only way,” Harred stated. He wasn’t afraid of dying if it meant that Octavia would be spared.
“It is, but I have an idea,” Greydon shared. “There are risks associated with it and you would be in harm’s way for a short time.”
