Page 84 of In the Midnight Hour

“I’m sorry I lied to Mr. Drummond about seeing you outside Sir Radnor’s chamber,” Cora said, sounding anguished. “I was afraid we may be found out. I didn’t think a lady like you would be tried. I know it looks awful and selfish to you, but we were only trying to survive.”

“I know, which is why we’ll make sure you continue to do so,” Hypatia said fiercely.

North grazed her arm with his fingertips. She turned to face him.

“You stay with them, and I’m going to dash next door to dispatch your footman to my brother’s and Bow Street.”

She nodded. “Will you see if you can find out what happened to Quill? I lost track of him after we encountered Mrs. Babcock.”

North inclined his head toward the other seating area. The cat was curled into a black ball on a rather comfortable-looking chair.

Hypatia smiled. “Only a cat would sleep through all that.” Her features smoothed. “I’ve a couple of evidential questions.” She addressed the servants once more. “What happened to the basin you hit Sir Radnor with?”

“It broke,” Cora replied. “Samuel broke it into smaller pieces and put it out with the night soil.”

“And Sir Radnor’s dressing gown?” Hypatia asked.

“He wasn’t wearing it,” Gemma said, her brow furrowing. “I would remember.”

“Did either of you see it?” North asked Cora and Samuel.

They shook their heads. What had happened to the dressing gown? It didn’t seem they would find out, nor did it appear to have any bearing on the case.

A case that they’d just solved. North thought he’d feel a rush of triumph or at least satisfaction. Instead, he struggled with whether a crime had actually been committed.

Chapter 20

After sending Hypatia’s footman, Benjamin, to his brother’s and on to Bow Street, North waited in the library downstairs at number twenty-four for his brother. He watched out the front window for his coach, expecting him to arrive first. If Harry hadn’t been home, hopefully someone there would be able to direct the footman as to where to find him. North had stressed to Benjamin that this was an urgent matter.

Once he located Harry, Benjamin was to go to Bow Street in search of Drummond. North had then directed him to fetch a constable at Marlborough Street if Drummond wasn’t there.

At last, Harry’s coach pulled up outside. North went to the entrance hall but didn’t answer the door, of course. Maberly, wearing a thoroughly morose expression after learning all that had happened from North, admitted Harry inside.

“Come in.” North guided his brother into the library, then shut the door.

“The footman you sent to fetch me says you told him to inform me that you solved Sir Radnor’s murder.” Harry looked somewhat skeptical.

“Lady Cartwright and I did, yes. I’ll explain when Drummond arrives.” He glanced at the window, intending to watch for him as he did Harry.

“The hell you’ll make me wait,” Harry said with a scowl. “Tell me now.”

“I’ll just repeat myself when Drummond gets here, I suppose,” North said with an arched brow. He then related how and why Sir Radnor was murdered. He left out the part where Samuel had confessed first. The magistrate didn’t need to know they’d tried to obstruct the course of justice multiple times.

He hesitated to reveal Sir Radnor’s ongoing behavior with women, though he thought it would be pertinent. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to expose Hypatia’s omissions regarding what had really happened Friday night. Furthermore, they’d agreed not to share Mrs. Jennings’ story.

Harry gaped at him. “You really did solve the murder.”

“Don’t look so surprised. I’ve been paying attention to what you say. Your experience with Bow Street was very informative.”

“You aren’t a constable,” Harry said, shaking his head. “I want to see this blood spot.”

“I’ll take you up when Drummond arrives.” North looked toward the street, but still no Drummond. He turned to his brother. “It would be very wrong for Cora, Samuel, or Gemma to be punished for what they did.”

“The maid killed a baronet,” Harry said rather needlessly. “And the others helped cover up the crime.”

“But the baronet was assaulting the housemaids.” North’s voice was climbing, so he worked to calm himself. He needed his brother to see his perspective, though he should have already. “Surely what happened is defensible. Cora saw violence against Gemma and reacted to protect her.”

“It will be up to the magistrate as to whether they are charged and committed for trial.” Harry frowned briefly. “I’m sympathetic to this situation, but I can’t say what will happen—I’m not the magistrate.”