She tugged at the lapels of her dressing gown as she sat in Ethan’s majestic bed in his room with her arm propped on a pile of cushions. She’d need to ask Ethan to bandage her, or she wouldn’t sleep for the pain. She’d meant to meet Mr. Purnell in the sitting room, but she’d overestimated her strength. Her head had spun and her back had burnt the moment she’d stood up. So much for leaving.
Ethan stood next to the fireplace, an elbow on the mantelpiece. He glanced at her arm and face, likely realising how uncomfortable she was.
Mr. Purnell removed his bowler hat. “Your ladyship, I trust you’re better in Ethan’s care. He’s an excellent surgeon.”
“Lord Stark is taking very good care of me, thank you.” Excellent care.
“What news do you bring us?” Ethan asked.
Mr. Purnell plonked down onto the armchair, his wooden leg stretched out in front of him. “Lord Roxbury has been treated for a severe head concussion by his physician, and he’snow recovering at home. His butler found him unconscious in the hallway and gave the alarm. It’s a serious injury, or so his physician declared, but not life-threatening. Nothing that won’t mend. Officially, he slipped and hit his head.”
The wave of relief washing over Cora surprised her. But then again, she didn’t care about Jacob, only about David. The last thing David needed was to have killed his father. She sagged against the pillows.
“Do you wish to file a formal complaint against your husband?” Mr. Purnell asked. “I can have him in shackles tonight.”
“That will keep him busy for a while,” Ethan said.
Tempting. “Will Jacob know where I am if I denounce him?”
Mr. Purnell shook his head. “There’s no need for that. As the person who’s being accused of a crime, he doesn’t have the right to know where you are.”
“Then yes. I want him charged with…” She paused, not sure where to start.
“Attempted murder,” Mr. Purnell completed, “assault and failing to provide assistance.”
“Yes, to all that.” The charges should help get a divorce, shouldn’t they?
“Any questions about the incident and his missing wife and son? Any gossip?” Ethan asked.
Mr. Purnell shrugged. “Lord Roxbury didn’t report his wife’s and son’s disappearances. He said his wife and son are visiting a relative in the country, which is why he dismissed the servants. I discreetly asked a maid about Lady Roxbury’s absence and she confirmed that. Also, no servant knows anything about an altercation or gunshot.”
“Why would he stay quiet?” She rubbed her hands as a shiver took hold of her.
Without her saying anything, Ethan wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and stoked the fire in the stove. She got used to being spoiled by him quickly. His attention to her needs made her feel special. Something so simple yet not taken for granted.
Mr. Purnell followed the gesture but didn’t comment. “My guess is that Lord Roxbury is well aware of his delicate position and is taking time to think, likely exaggerating his condition. He attempted to kill his son and nearly killed his wife. Not the type of news he wants people to talk about. He shot a harmless woman and a child. His peers won’t support him. He may also be waiting to find you before making a decision or to recover completely from his injury. Aside from that, I wouldn’t know what his strategy might be, but the charges will provoke a reaction from him. Or they might convince a servant to come forwards. I mean, the hallway had to be stained with blood. The maids must suspect something. And who helped her ladyship pack her luggage if she’d left for a visit? Surely, the servants understand the circumstances are questionable.”
No, she doubted Jacob’s loyal butler, maids, and footmen would say anything about the way Jacob treated her. But yes, the charges would provoke a reaction. She shivered again, wishing for a nice cuppa.
Ethan poured her a cup of hot tea. Goodness. She didn’t need to talk. He could read her mind.
“What about the possibility of obtaining a divorce?” he asked. “Could Cora get a divorce from Lord Roxbury?”
She grabbed the cup with both hands and held her breath for Mr. Purnell’s answer.
Mr. Purnell exhaled. “It’s not feasible, not to mention expensive.”
She shouldn’t be surprised, but the disappointment sat heavily on her chest.
“Many people query for a private bill. Only this year, there have been more than forty applications for a divorce,” Ethan said. “If it’s only a matter of money, I can provide it.”
Mr. Purnell shook his head. “Yes, many divorces have been processed by the parliament recently, but the applicants have been men, and not just men but titled ones.”
How silly of Cora to believe only for one moment that the law might help her. She sipped her tea, realising only then she’d hoped to get a divorce more than she’d like to admit.
“If a man wants to divorce his wife, all he has to do is declare she’s unfaithful, no evidence required. The parliament will grant him a divorce after the payment of the hefty legal fees, naturally.” Mr. Purnell cast an apologetic glance at her. “It is unfair, but you have to understand that a wife’s infidelity is taken seriously in parliament because it interferes with the Succession Law. Adultery means that a duke’s son might not be the rightful heir to the title. Imagine the chaos if every lord is accused of not having the right to inherit because of his mother’s adultery. The parliament won’t allow such a thing. Thus an unfaithful wife must be cast aside.”
“And what does a woman have to do to get a divorce?” she asked.
