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“But she would know what you did. Do you really think that she would allow you to just walk away with the money and turn your back on her?” Trenton asked with a frown.
He was struggling to absorb everything they were telling him. It was a ludicrous scheme but the mere fact that they were sitting in a carriage by the side of the road, with a dead woman lying feet away, was testament to the fact that they had indeed tried it; and failed.
“We were going to inform her creditors of where to find her if she posed a risk. They would hound her for their money and she would be forced to go to Debtors’ prison because she had no way of paying them. It would be enough to keep her out of the way,” Hyacinth reported matter-of-factly.
“Why didn’t you do that to persuade her not to go through with her scheme to marry one of you off?” Ursula asked with a frown. She was only one woman, after all. Surely both of them weren’t so scared of her that they wouldn’t put up a united front.
“We considered it. Alfred even tried, but mother said that she would make sure we were arrested for breaking in to your house.” Alfred nodded toward Ursula. “She also said that she would report to the magistrate here that we had been responsible for Abraham’s death.”
“She blackmailed you to go along with it,” Trenton snorted, suddenly not feeling so bad for the woman’s demise.
“She would have hated Debtor’s prison,” Hyacinth remarked to nobody in particular.
“She could have died there as far as I am concerned,” Alfred snapped defensively. “Now though, it isn’t an issue. Even behind bars, we are free at last. We can serve our sentences and then get on with our lives.”
“But you will have nothing,” Ursula mused.
“We have never had anything,” Hyacinth replied. “Mother had it all and held it over us daily to ensure that we did as she wanted.”
“Would she really have cast you out like that? I mean, with no job you would have no money, and nowhere to go. Would she have been that cruel?” Trenton asked doubtfully.
“Undoubtedly,” both Alfred and Hyacinth replied in unison.
Trenton looked at Ursula, who appeared to be just as stunned as he felt, but was prevented from asking anything else by the arrival of the magistrate. While Hyacinth and Alfred were arrested, Trenton handed Ursula down from the carriage. Together they stood back to watch them being shackled.
“Do you think they told us the truth?” Ursula asked quietly.
Trenton shrugged. “I think we have to be mindful of the fact that there is no proof to substantiate their story.”
She nodded but couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for their situation.
Trenton wasn’t so soft though and watched dispassionately as the shackles were placed on Hyacinth’s ankles and wrists. Just the thought of what might have happened to Ursula was more than enough to harden hi
s heart toward both of them, no matter what had driven them to it. As far as he was concerned they deserved whatever fate awaited them.
When Alfred stepped down from the carriage, he looked directly at Ursula and stood still while heavy irons were put onto his wrists.
“Take a word of advice from me?” Alfred said quietly as he looked from Ursula to Trenton. “Be careful of Roger Brampton. While I was in the park the other day, I overheard him talking to that Barbarella Somersby woman. They plan for Brampton to ruin you. She wants revenge for Calderhill refusing to offer for her. He wants you because of your connections to Adelaide.”
Ursula lifted a horrified gaze toward Trenton’s. He studied Alfred for a moment and then nodded his thanks. It didn’t surprise him; he had already had suspicions in that regard himself.
They remained silent while the criminals were led to the jailer’s cart. Once they were gone, Trenton thanked and paid the coachman who had been such an invaluable to aiding Ursula’s rescue and was then finally free to turn his full attention to the woman who meant the world to him.
“Let’s get you back to Adelaide’s,” he murmured gently. He didn’t want to add to her already difficult day, but she had to meet with her father.
“Thank you for everything you have done for me,” she whispered as he led her toward the carriage.
“I could hardly allow you to vanish on me now that I have found you, darling,” he murmured.
“It was very good of you to come after me,” she sighed. “How did you know what had happened to me?”
He quickly explained what he had witnessed and paused when she gasped and looked panicked.
“Molly? How is Molly? Did you see her?” she demanded.
“I saw her. I think she was hit on the head, but she was standing up and talking.” He shrugged. “I didn’t bother to wait to find out if she had any injuries.”
“I think we had better go and see how she is.”
