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Jasper knew them both—Reuben’s butler and his groom. The two men held their hands up. Two of the grooms stepped forward, clapping them both in irons. They were both sullen as they were led out.
Jasper and Lord Windermere stared at the vast accumulation of wealth. Clearly, this had been going on for much longer than Jasper had known. There were gleaming jewels, and piles of coin, such as Jasper had never seen before.
“Good grief,” Lord Windermere said. “They would have lived like kings.”
Jasper stepped toward the wall, which appeared to have had a large hole cut into the plaster. There was a large oil painting, leaning against it. When he peered into the hole, there was a large space, where Reuben had clearly been hiding it all.
“I think they certainly intended to,” Jasper replied. “We’re going to have a Hell of a time getting all of this returned to its rightful owners.”
Windermere sighed nodding. “At least that’s the good news.”
Jasper smiled at him. “Agreed.”
“Why did he do it?” Windermere asked.
“I’ve no idea,” Jasper admitted. “Let’s pack all of this up and get it to Gillingham Manor. The Constable can handle things from there.”
Jasper was anxious to return to Selina’s side and to know how Stephen was faring. He and Lord Windermere worked quickly, locking up Reuben’s lodge when they were done.
* * *
The Constable had just arrived, just as Jasper and Thomas returned. Selina was wrapped in a soft, knitted blanket, sipping a cup of tea, the Dowager Duchess sitting beside her. The two ladies held hands, consoling each other.
“So?” Jasper asked, sitting down beside her. His eyes were on the Constable.
“It appears that Lord Munro was behind all of it,” the Constable said. “He wanted to become the Duke and was willing to kill you. He was the one who involved Lady Leah, told the butler to tell her where to find the letters, and then gave her the idea that once you were dead, he would marry her, so that she could become Duchess.”
“We sent you his butler and his groom, who were the other two bandits,” Jasper said.
“You found all of the stolen goods?” Selina asked.
“We did,” Jasper said. “They’re in the other room, Constable.”
“And Lady Leah just…agreed to all of it?” the Dowager Duchess said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Unfortunately, she did,” he replied. “She and Lord Munro have confessed. They would have succeeded, too, if Lady Selina hadn’t overheard them talking, or had come to get us.”
Jasper beamed at her. “Well done,” he said. She smiled at him.
The physician came in, ushered by Sotheby, who had a harried look to him.
“Lord Sandbourne is doing well,” he said. “The bullet went clean through the shoulder. All I had to do was stop the bleeding. He’s on bedrest until further notice. I’ll come and check on him in the morning. I’ve given him some laudanum and water. He should be checked on throughout the night, just in case.”
“Oh, good news among all of the bad,” the Dowager Duchess proclaimed.
“He should make a full recovery,” the physician said.
Everyone was talking among themselves. Selina found that no one was paying any attention to her and Jasper. He led her over to the window, where they could speak quietly.
“We wouldn’t have survived without your clear thinking,” he said.
She smiled up at him. Here was the gentleman that she loved, who viewed her as an equal, prized her intelligence and clear thinking. He held her hands tightly.
