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“Why did he kill Langley only to convince her that Dereham would make her a good husband? It makes no sense to me. Why didn’t he just offer for her after Langley? Or before Langley for that matter? My grandmother thought it was to up Tessa’s position in Society but the man was a duke. He could have done whatever he wanted.”
Downing shrugged. “He must have been mad.”
“He wasn’t mad,” Langport said unemotionally. “He wrote two letters.” He looked over at Downing. “I only gave you the confession. He wrote a letter to me explaining that he felt she needed to be a countess before he could offer for her. He thought the daughter of a banker suddenly becoming a duchess might cause too much talk. My father despised being the object of the gossipmongers.” He laughed scornfully. “I supposed he had no issue with letting his son’s reputation be ruined with his suicide.”
Jack’s fingers clutched the arm of his chair. “But killing off three husband in less than five years wouldn’t cause talk?” He still thought the man must have been mad.
“He wrote that after Dereham, he was certain she would embrace his suit, but she accepted Stanhope’s offer before he could court her.”
“Was that why Stanhope was killed so quickly after the marriage? Was he angry?” Downing asked.
“I suppose that would explain it,” Langport commented as he shook his head.
“But why your wife?” Jack wondered aloud. Seeing Langport’s face crumble, Jack wished he had kept silent.
“He hated the fact that I married Sabita. He was more concerned about what the gossipmongers would say about an Indian becoming duchess.”
Jack understood Langport’s grief. He had ruined any chance of seeing Tessa again. At least he could see that she didn’t spend another minute in prison. “We need to see the magistrate.”
CHAPTER 22
“Wake up, milady,” a gruff voice grumbled.
Tessa rubbed her eyes before she opened them, trying to remember why nothing felt right with her world. Her back hurt, her head hurt and her bed felt very lumpy. Slowly she opened her eyes and realized why everything seemed wrong. Her personal guard opened the prison door and brought her a tray of food. He left it on the small table near her cot. “Thank you.”
The guard who left was not the same man who had guarded her yesterday. This man seemed harder and less likely to talk freely as Mr. Bolling had last night. With a sigh, she lifted the cover over the tray and scowled at the bowl of mush. She placed the cover back over the tray and sat back on her bed.
“That’s all yer gettin’ until supper so ye’d better eat.”
Tessa noticed the empty tray near his feet and wondered if he’d eaten her meal. She vowed to speak to Bolling about this guard when he returned tonight. Unable to do anything else, she pulled her hair back into a tight chignon and paced the small confines of her cell. Five paces from her cot to the wall, back and forth for almost an hour. Finally, she sat back down and wondered how she would manage until her trial began. She might just lose her mind here.
“Time to go, milady,” the gruff guard said with contempt lining his voice.
Her eyes widened when she noticed another guard standing next to him. “Go where?”
“The magistrate wants to see you again.”
“But I haven’t even seen a barrister yet. It cannot be time for a trial already,” she explained as a dose of panic struck her.
“I don’t know what ‘e wants with ye. But get your arse up.” The guard unlocked her cell as if he were about to come in after her.
“Very well.” Tessa held her head high as she strode past the man.
The other guard nodded at her. “This way, milady.”
She followed the man up the steps, blinking as the darkness of the prison gave way to light. By the time she arrived at the magistrate’s office, her eyes had finally adjusted to the normalcy she took for granted every day. Instead of the courtroom, the guard opened the door to the magistrate’s personal chamber. She entered slowly, first noted Mr. Downing sitting across the desk from the judge, and then she saw him.
“Lord Langport,” she said with a curtsy.
“Lady Stanhope,” Langport stood and then bowed to her. “I hope you are well after your ordeal.”
“I am well enough.”
“Lady Stanhope,” the magistrate interrupted. “Some new evidence has come to light that clears your name in the killing of your husbands.”
Tessa looked between the men in confusion. “New evidence? What is this about?”
Langport cleared his throat before starting, “My father has...my father has admitted to killing your husbands.”
