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The man hesitated and nodded down the road. “That was the driver?”
Trenton nodded and looked hesitantly at Hyacinth. “Gone?” he asked obliquely.
The coachman peered inside, took one look at Alfred and the gun, and nodded briskly. “Aye.” He hailed a coachman heading in the opposite direction before Trenton could say anything else, and disappeared.
Trenton mentally cursed when Ursula leaned out of the carriage and looked down the road toward Mrs Sinnerton’s body. Her head whipped back around and she stared at him in shocked disbelief. He nodded solemnly, and issued her with a look that warned her not to ask.
“So,” Trenton began, not sure if he was talking to Hyacinth, or Alfred. He checked the gun to make sure it had shot in it before he sat back against the seat to wait. “Ursula, have they spoken to you?”
Ursula nodded and relayed her conversation with Alfred.
“So, Alfred, I know you are awake so I suggest you get up. I have your gun. The magistrate is on his way. The coach is guarded now so if you and your sister are stupid enough to try to get out of here, you won’t go far before you are shot. Kidnapping is a criminal offense, you know.”
“He intended to force me to marry him,” Ursula told him.
“I suspect that is because of your inheritance,” Trenton replied, and watched Alfred twitch once and then sit upright.
“What?” Ursula stared at him. “Inheritance?”
“What I want to know is how you knew about it, Sinnerton?” Trenton murmured thoughtfully. “After all, the only people who know about it are me, and her father, Jeremiah. I think Adelaide might know about it too, but she won’t divulge family secrets amongst the ton. She is too familiar with the way society in London works to be boastful about such circumstance until it has happened.”
“What has happened?” Ursula gasped. “What inheritance?”
“Your father will explain. Right now, I want to know how Alfred found out.” He leaned forward menacingly in his seat and watched Alfred look cautiously at Hyacinth.
“Where is mother?” he asked.
“Dead,” Trenton bit out. “She fell off the carriage when she refused to stop it.”
Ursula closed her eyes. In spite of what they had put her through, she couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for them.
“It’s what we ran over, wasn’t it? Her?” Hyacinth said dully.
When Trenton nodded, she said a silent prayer and thanked God before she tipped her head back and began to smile.
“I take it you are not upset then.” It wasn’t a question. He was deeply horrified at the callousness of the both of them who looked more relieved than grief-stricken.
“How can anybody be upset about losing someone who ridicules them and treats them like they are nobody?” Hyacinth snorted. “We weren’t people. We were her pawns to push and shove around at will.”
“He treated you like you were nobody?” Ursula asked with a frown at Alfred.
“No. Mother treated me and him like we were complete idiots,” Alfred snapped. “I shall be glad to be rid of her.”
“Good Lord. You really mean that,” Trenton murmured as he studied them both and saw not one hint of grief on either of their faces. “What happened to drive you to this?” He gestured to the carriage they sat in.
“This was all mother’s ridiculous idea. We told her it wouldn’t work but she never listened to anybody,” Hyacinth reported.
“Kidnapping me, or the flowers?” Ursula asked, struggling to keep track of the conversation.
“All of it. The assignation in the conservatory, the break-in at your house, following you everywhere, and the flowers; they were all her idea.”
Ursula looked at Trenton, and was shocked to note that he didn’t look as shocked as she was.
“You knew?” she gasped.
Trenton nodded. “I suspected that it was Alfred because Brampton was busy with Barbarella,” he admitted on a sigh. “I just had no proof until now.”
“Why?” Still focused on getting as much information out of Hyacinth and Alfred as he could, Trenton frowned at Alfred. “Besides the money?”
