Page 106 of His Improper Lady

“However much she hated it, it would have been the best choice,” Kyria put in. “The scandal of his infidelity kept people talking about that instead of wondering why Alistair had disappeared and where he’d gone. Plus, it gave Tabitha a reason not to report him missing to the police. People would have been reluctant to ask her direct questions about the details. Society gossiped about it, but everyone would have regarded her as the wounded party. They helped her keep it hushed up officially.”

“Hide her secret inside another, less scandalous secret.” Con nodded. “Makes sense.”

“But what did this Pax chap have to do with anything?” Theo asked. “And why was Tabitha so intent on killing Desiree?”

“I don’t think Pax had anything to do with Tabitha’s schemes,” Tom said. “He wanted the will, and that’s all. His cuff links were with Alistair’s jewelry, and I suppose Tabitha must have paid the coachman with them.”

“I’m not sure Tabitha set out to kill me,” Desiree said. “I think she wanted only to find that envelope. She was worried about what the will might reveal and what the lawyer said in the letter. She was afraid Alistair had given us money, I suppose, which would take something from her son. And she probably thought we were going to blackmail her. After all, Falk had been doing that for years. But then, when we kept digging, Tabitha must have begun to fear that we would discover what she’d done. Especially after we went to the cottage.”

“What I wonder is how Tabitha was able to carry them to that cave,” the duke said with unaccustomed practicality.

“From what she told us, she forced Desiree’s mother to go down to the beach near the cave, and when Alistair tried to rescue Stella, Lady Tabitha shot him, too,” Tom replied. “So she didn’t have to drag the bodies far, and if the tide was in, she could have floated them on top of the water, perhaps. I think that would have made it easier.”

“Tabitha wasn’t small, and I imagine she was rather strong, given all that riding,” the duchess said.

“Aunt Wilhemina said one of Tabitha’s hobbies was archery,” Lilah added.

At that moment, there was the sound of footsteps in the hall, and a man and woman Desiree didn’t recognize walked briskly into the room. From the looks of the man, Desiree suspected he was another Moreland.

“Reed!” Emmeline stood up, beaming, and went to hug him, confirming Desiree’s guess. She turned to hug the woman. “Anna, dearest. Welcome.”

The duke shook his son’s hand. “Reed, my boy, I didn’t realize you were coming to visit.” He looked at his wife. “Did I?”

“No, dearest, we hadn’t the slightest idea.”

“Anna had one of her misgivings yesterday,” Reed said. “It was very vague, but she was sure it was something to do with the Morelands. And I needed to come to London anyway.” He opened the valise he carried and pulled out a large envelope. “It’s the most peculiar thing. Who in the world are the Malones?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“YOU!” TOM EXCLAIMED. “It was you. Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? The Moreland businessman, isn’t that what Gregory said?”

“Lord, yes.” Con let out a laugh and came forward to shake his brother’s hand. “Blackstock didn’t mean our office—he meant the Moreland who handles the Moreland business affairs. Of course he’d send it to you. Everyone misunderstood.”

“Well, I still don’t understand,” Reed said in a disgruntled tone. “I’ve had a few matters I’ve worked on with Mr. Blackstock about Alistair’s interest in the Moreland estates—the man created quite a mess when he ran off. But I’ve never heard of these beneficiaries named Malone. It’s very peculiar.”

“So there was a new will,” Tom said.

“No. Well, yes, there was a will written not long before Alistair left, but that’s the standard sort of thing, all to Gregory, et cetera. Except for a clause about a piece of land returning to someone named Paxton. But it’s the trust I’m talking about, the one for a woman and three children named Malone.”

The entire group of Morelands turned to Desiree and her brothers. Reed followed their gazes. “Oh! I say, I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t realize—pardon me for talking family business.”

“Reed, these are the Malones,” Tom said. “They’re Alistair’s...other family.”

It was Reed’s turn to be speechless. After a long silence, he said, “I see.”

“I doubt that,” Con laughed. “But let me introduce you to the Magnificent Malones—Miss Desiree Malone. Mr. Wells Malone. And Mr. Brock Malone.”

Reed’s brow cleared. “You own the Farrington Club. And one of the music halls.”

“Yes,” Brock agreed, still looking stunned. “Did you say three children?”

“Yes. Those are the given names. Alistair set up a trust for the three of you years ago—it must have been a few months before he left. Am I to assume that you didn’t know about it?”

“No.”

Reed frowned. “That was the impression I received from Blackstock. I don’t know why he concealed it. It was a terrible dereliction of duty on his part.”

“What was?” Theo asked. “Good God, Reed, get to the point. We don’t know what you’re talking about.”