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How very odd.
William stiffened as he glanced across the room. “If you will excuse me, there is someone I must speak with.” Before Amy could ask a question, he was gone.
She studied him until she saw him stop and begin a conversation with a man she did not recognize.
* * *
Not having seen Mr. Montrose at the Assembly since he and Amy had started their investigation, William was quite surprised when he glanced across the room to see the man leaning against a wall, speaking with another gentleman.
Not wanting to appear as though he was conducting an interrogation, William slowed his walk and sauntered up to the two men. “Good evening, Montrose. Haven’t seen you in a while.”
Montrose stuck out his hand, and they shook. “Good to see you too, Wethington.”
The man whom Montrose had been speaking with stepped back. “If you will excuse me, I see someone headed for the door that I need to speak with.” He made a quick turn and strode toward the exit.
“Did you hear about James Harding’s death?” William watched Montrose carefully.
The man’s lips tightene
d, and his face flushed. “The man was a crook, a cheat, and a snake. Drowning was too good for him.”
William was a bit taken aback. Harding had truly been a hated man, and what troubled William the most was that he’d worked with the man for a few years and somehow missed all this. He did not consider himself neglectful or stupid, yet his man of business had stolen from so many. “He was my man of business too.”
“You would be wise to check your financial records,” Montrose said. “He stole quite a bit from me, and it was my fault for not double-checking everything he did.” The man shook his head.
“Yes. Well, I have a bit of a problem myself.”
“What is that?”
“Harding was stealing from me as well and also forging my name to contracts that have done a bit of damage to my business reputation.”
Montrose shook his head and blew out a soft whistle. “He was truly a devil. I am in the process of having my barrister solicit the courts to get back my records, which the police currently have in hand.”
William leaned his shoulder against the wall. “How successful have you been?”
“Not very. Since I was out of the country when the man died, I was a couple of weeks behind in the news.”
William’s ears picked up. “You were out of the country?”
“Yes. Spent a few weeks with my parents in Scotland. Near Aberdeen.”
Another suspect to be crossed off their list. It wouldn’t take much to have Montrose’s parents confirm he’d been visiting them when Harding took his final swim in the river.
“I hope all is well with them?”
“Yes. They are getting on in years, and you know how it goes. I should really make an effort to get out there more often.”
Mr. Colbert strode up to the two of them, nodding in Montrose’s direction and then turning his attention to William. “I will be escorting your mother home this evening.”
“What?”
“Yes. She has agreed, and we will be leaving soon. She said she has a bit of a headache.”
Remembering how upset she’d been earlier, William was not surprised. “I can leave now and see her home.”
He slapped William on the back. “No need. I’m more than happy to see her home.” He turned and walked back to where William’s mother stood conversing with Lady Margaret.
William studied his mother for a moment. She didn’t look to him as if she was suffering any headache. Before he could march over and demand that he personally see her home, Amy stepped up to his side, a very feminine smile on her face.
