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Bryony and Maddy shared a glance, and Bryony decided to answer truthfully. “Darling, you killed a man. Not that he didn’t deserve it, but it must be shattering for you.”
Sophie shrugged, her eyes still on Alexander. Look at me, she thought. Come to me, put your arms around me, and send my sisters away. Tell me nothing matters; tell me you love me. She glanced back at her sisters. “Oh, that,” she said vaguely.
Bryony made a choking sound and Maddy laughed. “Now what would Nanny Gruen say?” Maddy said mockingly.
“She’d probably say ‘well done,’?” Sophie said, still watching Alexander. He looked pale, shocked, and she wanted to hold him, but after her clumsy words he might not want anything to do with her. She couldn’t take them back. She wasn’t going to pretend to be anything other than who she was. She’d been through enough, and she was tired of being tactful. Either Alexander wanted her or he didn’t—if he was going to reject her because she’d done what she had to, then there was nothing she could do about it. She would have to live with his decision.
“Oh, God, she’s just like her sisters,” the gypsy murmured to Lord Kilmartyn. “How could there be three of them?”
“How could the world have survived thus far?” countered Kilmartyn.
“I don’t understand who that crazy old lady was,” Bryony said. “And what in the world was Rufus Brown doing, trying to kill you? He should have died when the old house collapsed.”
“You knew him too?” Maddy said, astonished. “He went overboard the Maddy Rose during a storm after trying to kill me. What in the world did he have against us?”
“He wasn’t Rufus Brown, he was Rufus Griffiths, Alexander’s half brother, and that was his mother,” Sophie said without emotion.
Maddy turned fascinated eyes toward Alexander. “He killed his mother?”
Look at me. Please, look at me and tell me you forgive me. “His stepmother, you idiot,” she said flatly. “It all had to do with Renwick, I think, and Alexander’s title. He was behind Father’s disgrace, and he’s the man who killed him.”
A shocked silence filled the room, and Maddy rose and sat down hard on one of the uncomfortable chairs. “But why?” she said finally.
“There was no money with Renwick,” Alexander said in a flat, cold voice, the first time Sophie had heard him speak since she’d regained consciousness, but he kept his gaze averted. “I expect he thought he would kill two birds with one stone.”
Kilmartyn spluttered with laughter. “Not well put, old man.”
“I’ll have to see about returning the money,” Alexander continued after shooting a glare at Kilmartyn.
The Earl raised a languid hand. “No need. I rep
laced it all, and it barely makes a dent. I have a gift for making money.”
Alexander eyed him sourly. “As do I.”
Kilmartyn beamed at him. “How splendid! We’re both financial wizards and we’re both suspected wife-killers. What else can we bond over?” He turned to look at the gypsy. “Luca, I don’t suppose you murdered a wife sometime in your past?” he said hopefully.
“Afraid not,” the man said wryly.
“I didn’t kill my wife,” Alexander said through clenched teeth. “I suspect Rufus or his mother did.”
“Oh, I didn’t kill mine either, much as she deserved it,” Kilmartyn assured him. “I can thank your brother for that as well.” He gave them all a wicked smile. “Seriously, I am grateful.” He inspected the sleeve of his elegant coat, picking at an invisible piece of lint. “I still think Luca needs to have some wretched skeleton in his past.”
“I have more than enough,” the gypsy said. “And I’m not killing Maddy.”
“Oh, do be quiet, Adrian,” Bryony said, giving him a reproving look devoid of rancor.
“Excuse me,” Sophie said, tired of all the noise. “But who is that man?”
Bryony followed her gaze. “That’s my husband, of course.”
“That one was easy,” Sophie said in a dry tone. “Who’s the other one?”
“That’s my husband,” Maddy said with an undeniable air of pride. “Captain Morgan, but you can call him Luca.”
“But I thought he was old!” Sophie said in bewilderment.
“Sweet Neptune’s briny pants!” swore the captain. “Why does everyone think I’m old?”
