Page 195 of Courting the Wrong Duke

“You never told me,” Gabriel said, staring at his friend.

William gave no indication that he had heard him.

Rosalind tightened her arms around him as another rush of tears threatened. Of course William had done it quietly. While the rest of them had been consumed with reaching Bryn Hir as quickly as possible, he had thought beyond what they might find when they arrived. He had made certain someone else knew where they were going and why.

He had believed her enough to prepare for the possibility that she was right.

Mr. Pembry glanced toward Edmund’s cell before returning his attention to Algernon. “I arrived shortly before dusk and was attempting to determine whether anyone was inside when Miss Hartwell found me.”

“And you remained upstairs?” Algernon asked.

“I did.”

“Listening?”

The magistrate held his gaze. “Yes.”

A heavy silence settled over the cellar. Rosalind felt William shift faintly against her and immediately looked down, but before she could tell whether he was waking, Pembry spoke again.

“I heard enough.”

Something in Algernon’s face changed. The fury and certainty that had carried him through the confrontation seemed to falter for the first time as Pembry glanced toward the pistol lying several feet away on the stones.

“I heard your admission regarding the Earl of Eastmere,” he continued. “I heard your confession concerning your father, and I witnessed you fire that weapon.”

“You have no authority here.”

“I have rather more authority than you appear to imagine.”

Algernon laughed once, though there was no strength in it. “You intend to arrest a duke?”

“I intend to arrest a man who has just confessed to murder and unlawful imprisonment.”

Gabriel tightened his grip on the iron bar. “He will not give you any trouble.”

“Gabriel,” Isabella warned.

“I am being extremely restrained.”

Under any other circumstances, Rosalind might have smiled, but William had gone very still against her.

Panic immediately drove everything else from her mind.

“William?”

His eyes opened slowly at the sound of his name, and Rosalind tightened her hold on him as Pembry’s attention shifted toward them.

“He needs a physician.”

“Yes,” Rosalind said. “Now.”

The magistrate glanced toward the stairs. “I came alone. The nearest constable is several miles from here, and I will need men to transport Algernon safely.”

“Then go.”

Pembry hesitated, his attention moving between Algernon and the stairs.

Gabriel lifted the iron bar slightly. “I assure you, he is not going anywhere.”