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Thomas made a more conscious effort to shake his brain back into the present moment. He hated how he felt right now—aching and hollowed out, like everything in the world and his heart had taken on a sickly tinge of gray. Yet there was an odd tilt to the Constable’s tone that had caught his attention.
“There is an engagement ball being held at Alderleaf Manor,” Thomas acknowledged, feeling as though by speaking the words, he was carving out his heart and presenting it on a serving tray to be devoured. “I was…paying my respects, I suppose you could say.”
“Ah.”
Thomas frowned. “This isn’t your usual area to patrol, is it? What areyoudoing so close by Alderleaf Manor?”
The Constable’s face closed off. “Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to discuss that information.”
“Mm,” Thomas hummed, nodding. He wondered vaguely whether Gerard had gone back and modified Thomas’ statement while he’d been laid up in recovery—surely, he would have? “If it is of any help,” Thomas said anyway. “My brother managed to track down the name of the footman. Edwin Martin, who used to be employed by the Talbots.”
Thomas was not expecting the Constable’s look of outright confusion. “Forgive me, but I’m afraid that’s incorrect. Yes, the footman’s name was Edwin Martin—but our investigation has traced his previous employment to a small town in the rural countryside. He only moved to London this past year.”
Thomas was stunned by this information. “But…Gerard said…in either case, are you saying you’ve caught him?”
The Constable shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately, no. We’ve only managed to collect some additional information. But if you learn anything new, please, by all means, seek me out—and rest assured, you shall be the first personweseek out when we have anything more solid to bring to the table.”
Thomas nodded absently, the implications of the footman not having been employed by Alderleaf Manor stacking up. There went the link between the Duke of Alderleaf and the two attacks. There was still the issue of the ledgers, but…
“Listen,” Thomas said, recognizing that he was simply too overwhelmed by what had just happened with Lady Evelina to give this the full attention it deserved at the present moment. “I intend to come calling on you and your team later this week. There are some financial records that might be worth looking into regarding the case. I would certainly appreciate the fresh perspective.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” said the Constable, inclining his head slightly. “Good evening to you.”
Thomas said a rather lackluster goodbye, and the two set off in opposite directions. As Thomas climbed back into the carriage, he couldn’t help but notice that it was evening now—the sky had gone blush pink beyond the tree-line of the park, cloudless and cool.
The engagement ball would be starting soon.
“Where to, Your Grace?” the coachman asked.
Thomas nearly said Elvington Manor. A part of him wanted to slip into bed and never come out from beneath his covers again. Yet that also meant facing Mother once more, with the weight of this afternoon’s emotional conversation hanging over their heads…and Thomas simply did not have the strength for it at the moment.
He could, however, handle drowning his sorrows with Gerard.
“To my Brother’s accommodations,” Thomas said, and they set off. He kept his face pressed right up to the little window cutout once more—it would not be unlikely for Thomas to ride in carriages this way for the remainder of his life. The realization spawned a new, deeply uneasy thought.
If Edwin Martin never worked for Alderleaf Manor…who has been lying to Gerard?
