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“Now that we’re alone, let’s go over what we already know,” he suggested, and Elijah nodded.
They were in the middle of discussing Elijah and Josie’s interrogation of Jacques and whether or not it was the Russians or the French who they needed to be most concerned about having a connection to the traitor—as usual, Lily insisted they should not trust the Russians, and Nathan was beginning to lean to her side based on the evidence—when the door to the dining room flew open.
Every head at the table turned, and Nathan got to his feet, frowning. He’d given a clear order they were to be left alone, which meant whatever the reason for the interruption, it was dire.
“What happened?” he asked, then blinked as a familiar face walked in after Connor.
Harker, his brother’s butler, ran Brentwood Manor. He looked even older than he had the last time Nathan had seen him, less than a year ago, as though he’d aged ten years in the last few months.
“Harker? What is it? What’s happened?” The words spilled out of his mouth, his brain working frantically to tell him something as alarms sounded in his head.
“My lord… I…” Harker’s voice trailed off as everyone around the table gasped. There was only one reason Harker would be calling Nathan ‘my lord,’ the only reason he could. The reason Nathan had subconsciously known the moment he had seen Harker, the only reason Harker would have come to London. He knew before Harker even said the words, though he hoped Harker would say anything but.
“Your brother is dead, my lord. You are now the Earl of Talbot.”
ChapterSixteen
Lily
The announcement stunned the room into utter silence. Of course, she’d realized by Nathan’s reaction to the man something was seriously wrong, but she had not expectedthat.
Beside her, her husband fell back into his seat as if his legs could no longer hold him. His face was white as a sheet, all the color leeched from it, and he stared in front of him with unseeing eyes.
Elijah jumped up, taking control of the situation and escorting Harker to one of the chairs. The older man looked as though he was on the verge of collapse as his eyes filled with tears. Casting a glance around the room, Lily could see Connor and Mrs. Potts hovering in the doorway, both wringing their hands. Mrs. Potts was crying, big fat tears rolling down her face.
Lily’s heart went out to her. She beckoned the woman to her and requested tea for everyone, which would give Mrs. Potts something to do. Looking relieved at having a task to attend to, confirming Lily’s instincts for the situation, Mrs. Potts hurried off.
With Harker settled in a chair, when he confessed he had ridden through the night to reach London without stopping, Elijah insisted the man eat something. Lily bit her lip. She was not sure how old Harker was, but surely, he was too old to have made such an extraordinary effort. Why had he not sent someone younger?
Everyone waited in silence, exchanging glances while Harker ate. Evie and Josie bent their heads together to have a quick, whispered conversation no one else could hear.
Mrs. Potts returned with the tea, and the clink of cup against the saucer seemed to stir Nathan. He sat up straighter, blinking as if coming back to himself. Reaching out, Lily placed her hand over his where it rested on the table, steeling herself in case he jerked away. Instead, she found her fingers suddenly held in a very firm grip, although he did not look at her. Turning his head, he pinned Harker with a glance, and when he spoke, his voice was oddly hollow.
“What happened?”
“That’s the thing, my lord.” Harker’s expression was full of grief but also an emotion Lily could not define as his grief was so overpowering. “That’s why I came myself instead of sending someone… I think he was murdered.”
Gasps went up around the table, everyone exchanging glances. The only one who didn’t look around was Nathan, his gaze fixed upon Harker. They were all wondering the same thing—was Nathan’s brother murdered around the same time as the attempts against all of them?
Connected? Or an almost unbelievable coincidence?
“Whoever did it wanted it to look like an accident,” Harker continued grimly, his brow furrowing, and Lily finally pinpointed the other emotion. Anger. Deep, deep anger approaching rage. “He was out for his morning ride, and Devil came home riderless. We all went out to search.”
The sincere mourning in his voice plucked at Lily’s heartstrings, and she tightened her grip on Nathan’s hand. Even though she had never met his brother, even though she barely knew Nathan, she grieved for his loss.
“Devil would have never thrown Sebastian,” Nathan said with utter certainty. Lily could not feel the same.
Why would a horse be named Devil? She could scarcely imagine it was a biddable horse. The more accomplished riders of thetonhad a habit of choosing steeds that were not always easy to control.
However, Harker nodded his agreement with Nathan’s statement. Lily held her tongue and listened since she had not known horse or rider.
“We found him by the beach, head dashed in on the rocks.” Harker’s eyes were unseeing, as if his words had conjured the memory and it had risen before him.
Sitting next to Nathan, so acutely attuned to his reactions, she was sure she was the only one who heard his quick, pained intake of breath at the picture Harker painted.
“We brought him home.” Harker’s eyebrows came down again, his anger rising as more tears glistened in his eyes. “Which was when I checked Devil over. Someone had put something under the saddle… something sharp. I found some blood on him. If I hadn’t been looking so closely, I would have missed it.”
“And whatever it was, was gone?” Nathan asked. His voice was turning brisker, more considering.
