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‘The scoundrel!’ Alastair exploded.
‘You see?’ Diana cried, grim-faced. ‘I knew Blankford would do whatever it took to incriminate me.’
Will held up a hand. ‘Calm down—I’m not finished yet. I asked Mr Peters if he was aware of the penalties for perjury. Painted a vivid picture of prison hulks, transportation and hanging. After giving him a moment to digest that, I suggested if he wanted cash, I would give him more than the Duke was offering if he would shut his mouth and resettle in another area of England. After some...encouragement, he was persuaded to take my money and leave.’
‘Encouragement?’ Alastair repeated, his eyebrows raised.
‘Well, I might have suggested my sword could make short work of a man who’d shred a woman’s reputation and risk her life for a handful of coins. I had one of my men escort him to Falmouth, so he might take ship and start a new life in the Americas. Farewell, incriminating witness.’
‘Bravo!’ Alastair cried.
‘There’s more. I also persuaded Peters to give me the names of the household staff who were supposedly assisting him and the Duke in their nefarious enterprise. During a trip to show off my wares at Graveston Court, I found all those he named owed their positions to the previous housekeeper, a Mrs Heathson, who just happened to be recently reinstated into her former position by the new Duke.’
‘Tall, dark-haired, hatchet-faced?’ Alastair asked. When Will raised his eyebrows, he explained, ‘I encountered her when I called on Graveston.’
‘I then paid a visit to Mrs Forbes, the displaced housekeeper, who, by the way, was turned off without a character and no settlement of wages by the new Duke. She’d gone to stay with the retired governess, eking out a living doing hand work. She told me the old Duke had hired her after the previous housekeeper, fanatically loyal to the Duke’s first wife, nearly killed the second wife with overdoses of laudanum when the girl was being “sedated for a nervous condition”.’
Will looked over at Diana. ‘Nervous condition? I never thought you nervous in your life.’
‘When you attempt to leave your husband, are dragged back from the posting inn by his minions and locked into your room, it can make you nervous,’ she said bitterly.
Will’s face hardened. ‘I can well imagine. Mrs Forbes said all sorts of rumours flew around among the staff as the Duchess recovered, though none dared say or do anything for fear of losing their position. Some seemed sympathetic to the Duchess. Others, siding with Mrs Heathson, gave her trouble the whole time she remained at Graveston Court. During that time, Mrs Heathson continued to visit Cook and her other friends among the staff, who often spent their off-days with her. Apparently she never sought another position; Mrs Forbes suspected that the heir, Lord Blankford, was paying her. She was convinced Blankford was also paying some of the disaffected staff to spy on the Duchess and the household. In fact, when the Duke was discovered dead, Mrs Forbes had her suspicions that Cook might have been hired—or persuaded—to do to the Duke the laudanum trick Mrs Heathson had tried with his wife. But within hours of the old Duke’s death, Mrs Heathson returned to Graveston Court with a letter under Blankford’s seal, informing Mrs Forbes she had been discharged and must leave immediately, or the sheriff would eject her. With no other recourse, she had little choice but to depart.’
‘Would she be willing to testify to all of that in court?’ Alastair demanded.
‘Yes, particularly as she no longer has to fear retribution for her honesty. It seems she very recently received a, um, handsome bequest to keep her comfortably for the next few months—and the offer of a new position at a fine establishment in Sussex.’
‘Remind me to reimburse you the bequest and the resettlement money,’ Alastair said.
Will gave an airy wave of the hand. ‘No need. Happy to be of service to a fellow Rogue.’
‘Are there any others who would testify for Diana?’
‘Mrs Forbes named three or four, who fear for their positions now that Mrs Heathson has returned—or just don’t approve of her actions against the Duchess. They could also assert that all those accusing the Duchess were hostile to her, if not actually in Blankford’s employ even before his father’s death.’
‘So the primary witness against Diana is now missing, and Mrs Forbes can testify to Mrs Heathson’s dealings in laudanum and previous attempt against Diana and her involvement with disaffected members of household,’ Alastair summarised.
‘That’s about it,’ Will concluded.
‘Excellent job, Will! Even if Blankford has the local magistrate in his pocket and can induce him to write out a warrant, the evidence would never stand in a summary trial, much less in the Lords.’
‘Our uncle would see to that.’
‘As it happens, I had a very surprising interview with the Earl,’ Alastair said. ‘After confessing to him we might soon be providing a spectacle with more scandalous twists and turns than a penny opera, I braced myself for a tongue-lashing—that never came. He seemed positively...friendly. It was quite unnerving.’
Will laughed. ‘Max can hardly believe the change in his father.’
‘We have enough evidence now to convince Graveston it would not be wise to proceed,’ Alastair concluded, exultant. ‘If he’s irrational enough to go forward in any event, so be it. Good work, Will.’
‘Did you expect anything less?’ Will asked with a grin.
‘No—I had full confidence.’
‘We aim to please. I’ll leave the two of you to plot strategy. I’m famished, and I could use a wash. Diana, it’s good to have you back from the wilderness.’
Her eyes widened in surprise before she said, ‘Thank you, Will. It’s not quite the same, but I think I feel some of what you must have felt, transported from the street into the bosom of the Rogues.’
‘We’re a shifty lot, but loyal. We’ll never let you down.’
‘So I should have believed years ago, and spared all of you—this.’
Will gave her hand a pat. ‘Wouldn’t have missed it. We Rogues like nothing so much as a good fight. I’ll see you at dinner.’
* * *
As Will walked out, Diana, who’d said nothing during Will’s recitation beyond her one outburst, looked over to Alastair. ‘Do you think it’s enough?’
‘More than enough for any sane, rational man. Is Graveston sane and rational?’ He shrugged. ‘Only he knows that. I’ll press him hard, and we’ll see.’
At her troubled look, he gave her a quick hug. Holding her at arm’s length, willing her to share the confidence he now felt, he said, ‘One way or the other, we can move forward. Graveston can force a scandal if he chooses, but your final vindication is not in doubt. Regardless, we’ll stand by you, me and all my family. James will stay with you, where he belongs, and we’ll fight for what is due both of you. You believe that, don’t you?’
‘Yes. Just...I have no confidence that Graveston will prove reasonable. I wish it could be settled without a fight—without the danger of scandal for you.’
‘You heard Will,’ Alastair replied with a smile. ‘We Ransleighs relish a scrap.’
She shuddered. ‘I’ll pray for Graveston to be reasonable. When...will we go?’
‘I’ll go,’ he corrected. ‘Tomorrow. I’ve been itching to confront the man again since our previous encounter.’
‘I thought we were to confront him together this time.’
‘Only if the matter went to court. I think we have enough to break him and keep it from going that far...but if he sees you, it might revive his anger and harden his resolve.’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ she said with a sigh.
‘You trust me, don’t you?’
‘You know I do.’
‘Besides, do you really want to go back to Graveston Court?’
She shuddered. ‘No. Never.’
‘Then let me do this for you. Let me do it for us.’
He didn’t think there’d been anything threatening in his tone, but Diana frowned. ‘Promise me you won’t beat him to death. Then we really would have to flee to Paris.’
‘I’ll try to restrain myself. Mama will take care of you while I’m gone.’
‘She’s been very kind. But I can take care of myself too, you know.’
Alastair’s smile faded. ‘You’ve had only you to care for you, for too many years. But that’s over. You’ll never be without friends and allies again.’
‘Avenging Alastair.’
‘For you, yes. It’s time to finish this.’ And move on to so much more.
Noting she still looked troubled, he added in a lighter tone, ‘I’m hoping for a quick resolution—and then a swift end to chastity.’
