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“You really wish to send me to live with such a stern and uncompromising gentleman?” she accused.
“It would only be for a short time—”
“No doubt until the two of you are able to marry me off to a man as foolish to look at as the strutting peacock who just left!”
“That strutting peacock is the Duke of Plymouth,” Hunter informed her dryly. “A gentleman many a young lady would be honored to marry.”
Evie stilled. “But I thought— Ah, he becameheirto the Plymouth title after your friend died,” she realized, frowning. “But did he not just also say that you and the other Ruthless Dukes have been investigating the possibility his ‘cousin’ was murdered?”
“He did,” Hunter confirmed.
“I had no idea the previous Duke of Plymouth was murdered.”
“Nor had anyone else until new evidence came to light a few months ago. Since then, I and the other Ruthless Dukes have been carrying out our own investigations into the incident.”
“You have recently eliminated one of the men suspected?”
He nodded. “There were five in total. Four of them have now been proven innocent of the deed by four of the Ruthless Dukes, myself included. And the term eliminated was not meant in a literal sense,” he added ruefully. “I have simply established beyond doubt that the man I was investigating was already dead when the fatal attack on Plymouth took place at Waterloo.”
“The peacock seemed to imply he had only just learned of the success of your own endeavor.” She gave a shake of her head. “I do not see how you can have concluded your investigationrecentlywhen you have been traveling to and from and staying in Yorkshire these past three weeks.”
* * *
Hunter had ceased underestimating Evie’s intelligence within minutes of meeting her. This latest deduction as to how he could have closed his investigation on Hutchings when he had not even been in London was yet another example of the astuteness of her inquiring mind.
Except when it came to his actions toward her, it seemed.
Because once again, Evie had jumped to conclusions regarding his intentions toward her. This time, she had initially believed it was his intention to marry her off to Robert Granger. Failing that, ridding himself of her guardianship at the earliest opportunity.
She was not wrong about the latter, only the reason for it.
“I am so sorry for your loss, but how did you learn your friend was murdered or who might be responsible?” Evie frowned her puzzlement.
“I believe it best we sit down whilst I tell you the details of the matter.” He stood up to move round to the front of his desk and indicated they should both retire to sit on the green chaise in the window alcove.
He waited until they were both seated before beginning his explanation. Evie listened with rapt attention until he reached the part where Paul Harker was able to prove Hutchings could not have killed Plymouth.
“Disgusting man to have forced himself on such an innocent young man as Davie,” Evie muttered vehemently.
“You do not think Harker should be punished for killing Lord Hutchings?”
“Certainly not. And neither do you,” she added knowingly. “Or Mr. Harker would currently be in custody awaiting the hangman’s noose.”
Hunter gave a shake of his head. “How is it that you are able to see my intentions are good toward everyone else but not toward yourself?”
A blush bloomed in her cheeks, and she avoided meeting his gaze. “You cannot deny that youhavepassed my guardianship on to another gentleman.”
“I have no wish to deny it. Only,” he continued firmly when he saw the light of rebellion reawaken in Evie’s gaze, “that, as Oxford advised, you ask yourself why I should have done so.”
She gave an inelegant snort. “I would have thought that was obvious.”
“To me, yes, but I am not so sure that the conclusion you have drawn is the same as my own. Evie—”
They both turned toward the door as a gentle knock sounded upon it.
Hunter bit back his impatience at the interruption, certain he knew who the intruder was. “Enter.”
As expected, Lady Margaret opened the door. “I saw the other two gentlemen leave and thought I would come down and talk to Lincoln before the two of you became…preoccupied with other things.”
