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Here, at least, she was on more solid ground.
“Mrs. Moore has everything well in hand for the moment, and there was nothing further I could do. Of course, I expect to be exceptionally busy shortly, which is why I thought to search today.” Heart pounding in her chest, she watched his expression and the cool calculation behind his eyes, trying to determine if he believed her. She pressed her damp palms against her skirts.
“I see,” he finally said, and Lily nearly sagged with relief. “While I appreciate you want to help, the best thing you can do right now is to take over the household and ensure everything is running smoothly and will be ready for our guests and the funeral. Leave the investigations to me.”
Not surprising since he had not wanted her and the other ladies to be involved in the hunt for the traitor either, but by now, he should realize how helpful they could be. Now that she was his wife, it was her duty to help him.
Even if she had been looking to see if she could find evidence against his family.
A tiny trickle of guilt threaded through her indignation, but it did not stop her from putting her nose in the air in reaction to his edict.
“If that is what you wish,” she said frostily, wrapping an icy demeanor around her as she stalked out of the room. Nathan did not follow her, thankfully. The complicated mix of her emotions was already hard enough to bear; she certainly could not explain them to him.
Retreat was the best tactic.
“Lily?” Nathan called after her.
She paused in the doorway, looking over her shoulder, but he was not looking at her. He was staring at the list as he stood next to the desk. Lily’s heart went out to him. Perhaps she should be more forgiving. He was dealing with an awful lot right now.
“Please send Mr. Moore to me.”
Lowering her head in a nod, Lily swept out the door, heart pounding. For a moment, she’d thought he was going to call her back to spank her.
There was a small part of her disappointed he had not.
There is something very wrong with me, and I should examine that impulse when I have the opportunity.
* * *
Nathan
Though he was fairly certain his wife had just lied to him, Nathan decided to let it go. For now.
He could have tried to spank the information out of her, but he thought he would learn more if he let her go on her merry way, thinking he’d believed her lies. Besides which, she was stubborn enough, he was not certain he could spank her hard enough to loosen her tongue.
Lastly, finding out more about the list was more important than what his wife was up to.
He easily recognized his brother’s hand, and given a moment to think, his brother must have been investigating something. Something to do with members of the household and the smugglers. Was it possible this list was part of the reason he’d been killed?
Sitting down in the chair, which felt very odd since he’d never been behind the desk before, Nathan frowned as he looked over the list again. What did the crossed-out names mean?
He hoped Moore could tell him.
He should wait till Harker arrived, but the urge to do something was running hot through his veins. This morning’s visit to the spot where Sebastian died had stirred more than grief in his breast—he was determined to find out who had killed his brother and why. There was no way he could be comfortable stepping into his brother’s shoes without also meting out justice to Sebastian’s murderer.
A knock on the door made him look up.
“My lord, you called for me?” Moore hovered in the doorway, looking unsure of himself. They had parted ways less than half an hour ago, so Nathan could understand why the man was wondering why he had been summoned again so soon.
“Moore, come in, please, and shut the door behind you.” Nathan flattened the list on the desk, watching as Moore did as he commanded, then came to the front of the desk, standing at attention.
Only then did Nathan realize how uncomfortable he found the positioning. His father had always liked to sit while Nathan and Sebastian were forced to stand and be lectured. Apparently, Sebastian had decided not to change that part of the study’s layout, but it would not do for Nathan.
He would get some chairs to place there, like the Marquess of Camden had. Far more comfortable. Though he supposed he could move himself and Moore to the chairs looking out the window, he would feel obligated for a longer conversation if he did so, and he was not yet sure one was necessary.
“Do you know what this is?” he asked, tapping his finger against the list.
Moore leaned forward, his eyes widening as he saw what Nathan was pointing to.
