Rather than shrink under Alfred’s glare, Elsbeth tilted her chin defiantly. “I demand to know what you’re speaking of.”
Alfred’s brows shot up, his expression a mix of amusement and irritation. “You demand?”
“Yes, I do,” Elsbeth replied, though her voice wavered slightly. “It’s only fair since you were talking about me.”
Niles, standing just behind her, resisted the urge to smile at her boldness. That tenacity was one of the many qualities he admired about her.
Lady Isabella stepped into the doorway beside Alfred, her expression softer but no less strained. “I think it’s only fair we tell her the truth,” she said.
Alfred pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly torn. “She isn’t ready.”
Elsbeth stepped forward, her eyes flashing with determination. “I may not be ready, but I deserve to know. You’re keeping secrets about my father’s death, and if it involves me, I have every right to hear it.”
Alfred studied her for a long moment before turning toLady Isabella with a sigh. “You had better handle this,” he muttered, stepping aside.
Lady Isabella reached for Elsbeth’s hand. “Come inside, my dear. There’s much to explain.”
Niles moved to follow, but Alfred held up a hand, blocking his path. “You can wait here, Lord Westcott. This is a family matter.”
“I care for Elsbeth,” Niles repeated, his voice steady but firm. “If it concerns her, it concerns me.”
Alfred’s eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. But before he could respond, Elsbeth stepped in, her tone unwavering. “He stays. I want him here.”
Alfred stepped to the side, gesturing for them to enter the room. “You might not feel that way after our talk.”
Niles stepped inside, his posture tense as Alfred closed the door behind them. The study felt heavier than usual, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension. Niles’s gaze immediately landed on a man standing near the window. Recognition flickered in Niles’s mind; this was the blond-haired man he and Elsbeth had seen speaking with Alfred before.
Alfred gestured towards the man. “Allow me to introduce you to Mr. John Glasker. He is a Bow Street Runner I’ve hired to investigate a rather delicate matter.”
The man stepped forward, offering a polite bow. “My lord. My lady.”
Elsbeth’s brows furrowed as she gave Mr. Glasker a curious glance. “I thought all Bow Street Runners wore red waistcoats.”
Mr. Glasker’s lips twitched in a faint smile. “That is true if we wish to be easily identified. However, in this particular case, discretion is paramount.”
Lady Isabella moved towards the settee, gently taking Elsbeth’s hand and guiding her to sit beside her. “I have wanted to have this conversation with you so many times, Elsbeth, but I could never quite bring myself to do it. What we’re about todiscuss… it will be difficult to hear, and it must not leave this room.”
“I understand,” Elsbeth acknowledged.
Lady Isabella turned her gaze to Niles. “That applies to you as well, Lord Westcott.”
Niles inclined his head and moved to sit beside Elsbeth. “You have my word, my lady.”
Lady Isabella exchanged a glance with Alfred, who looked less sure of himself now. The tension in the room seemed to grow with every passing moment. Finally, Alfred broke the silence.
“This is about your father, Elsbeth,” he began, his voice uncharacteristically subdued. “And the circumstances surrounding his death.”
Elsbeth’s breath hitched, but she remained still, her hands clenching the fabric of her skirt. “What about it?”
Alfred exchanged another glance with Mr. Glasker, who stepped forward, his voice calm but grave. “Your father’s death, my lady, may not have been the accident it was believed to be,” the Bow Street Runner said.
“What are you saying? Are you telling me my father was… murdered?” Elsbeth asked, her voice betraying her emotion.
Lady Isabella’s hand tightened on Elsbeth’s. “We don’t know for certain, but there are things that have recently come to light.”
Niles’s jaw tightened. “And what, exactly, has come to light?”
Mr. Glasker looked to Alfred, who gave a curt nod before the Bow Street Runner continued. “There were discrepancies in the coroner’s report. Paid witnesses. Threats made to individuals who tried to ask questions.”
