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“Good morning, my lady. I was hoping you were in here when I heard the voices. The room for the viewing this afternoon has been set up, and we’ve begun preparations for the dinner this evening. The Verners and Lord Warwick have both sent word they will attend.”
“Warwick?” Evie appeared at Lily’s shoulder, making Mrs. Moore step back in surprise. “Lord Gabriel Warwick?”
Mrs. Moore blinked at the urgency in Evie’s tone.
“Yes, his estate is directly to the west of us.”
“Is it now?” Evie and Lily exchanged glances, then Evie made a face. “Blast, I have to go meet Mr. Jones for our ride. Lily?”
“Yes, of course,” Lily said as Mrs. Moore looked back and forth between the two of them in confusion. She was sure the poor woman did not know what was going on. After so many years of friendship, they did not always need to speak their thoughts aloud to know what the other was going to say. Lily smiled broadly at her housekeeper.
“Evie needs to be going, but please come in for a moment, Mrs. Moore. I have a few questions for you if you do not mind.”
* * *
Nathan
Frustration was riding Nathan hard with the wasted time of the morning.
Unsurprisingly, Rex and Moore had returned with no new information, either, leaving them floundering with what to do next. He had been so sure the list would have some answers, if nottheanswer, but they were no further ahead than they’d been.
“Perhaps your father was not actually a traitor,” Rex suggested. He and Elijah had moved to the two chairs next to the window, turning them about so they could face the room where Nathan was pacing. Anthony was at the other window, glaring at the stable yard, with his arms crossed.
Nathan made a face. It was not that he wanted his father to be a traitor, but nothing else fit.
“Then how do you explain the money?”
“Maybe he really did win a few large bets?” There was no real assuredness in Rex’s voice, so he did not believe it, either.
“Did you know your cousin Mr. Jones is going on a ride with Miss Stuart?” Anthony suddenly asked from the window. “Right there.” He pointed. “See? She is joining him.”
Curious, Nathan was drawn to the window.
“Why are they going riding together?” he asked, looking down at the yard. Sure enough, there was his cousin and Miss Stuart, who looked fetching in a habit and a little cap with a bobbing green feather atop it. Robert seemed to think so.
Nathan frowned as his cousin bowed and held Miss Stuart’s hand as though they were in a ballroom and he was courting her. While he had sensed friction between Robert and Letitia, he would not have expected his cousin to be playing the rake at a time like this, especially not with a debutante. Though, admittedly, Miss Stuart hardly behaved like a normal debutante, even discounting that she’d been dressed as a maid the first time he’d met her.
“Because she is determined to put herself in danger.” Anthony gritted the words through his teeth. “For all we know, he could have murdered your brother to put himself another step closer to the title.”
“True enough, but I do not think that means Miss Stuart will come to any harm. I have my doubts if he would actually kill Sebastian, though he certainly would not weep over inheriting the title.”
Going by his behavior with Miss Stuart, Robert appeared more interested in celebrating than mourning. It made Nathan sick to his stomach, and he wanted to give his cousin a facer, but it was hardly evidence of murder.
Anthony whirled around to glare at Elijah.
“Are you not going to do anything to defend your cousin’s honor?”
The look Elijah returned was long-suffering. He scrubbed his hand over his face before raking it through his dark hair.
“I have learned not to insert myself into Evie’s business,” Elijah said tiredly. “I would prefer my cousin not disappear on me again. I do not think my father’s health could handle it. Evie can take care of herself, as she has proven over and over again. Besides, he would be foolish to do her harm when he would be the only suspect.”
They all sobered at the reminder of the Marquess’ injuries. Anthony scowled and turned back to the window, glaring down at Miss Stuart and Robert as they mounted their horses.
“He could make it look like an accident,” Anthony muttered under his breath. The same way Sebastian’s death had been meant to look like an accident, but Sebastian had been out riding alone. Two horseback-riding accidents in such a short period of time? Especially with both Nathan and the lady’s cousin there. Though they had kept the knowledge about Sebastian’s murder close, anyone with brains would hesitate to play the same trick again so quickly, and of one thing Nathan was sure of, his brother’s murderer was not stupid.
Nathan was certain the only thing in danger was her virtue, and riding should be safe enough. He did not doubt Elijah’s cousin could protect herself in that quarter very well.
Turning away from the window and Anthony’s pouting, Nathan had no idea what he was going to do next, but it ended up being a moot point.
