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“I hope you know you and your brother are nothing like him,” Harker said somberly. The words were more reassuring than the man could know. While Nathan did not like to think he was, having third-party confirmation from someone who had known all three of them inside and out was incredibly comforting.
“Thank you, Harker.” Nathan choked up a bit but pushed through, clearing his throat of the emotions clogging it. “I will take over my brother’s investigations as it seems the most likely motive for his murder.”
“I agree, my lord.” The concern in Harker’s voice was as clear as his understanding that Nathan would not be swayed from his course. “I will help as much as I can, but… please be careful.”
The estate could not afford to lose Nathan as well, something he was well aware of.
They did not get further chance to talk. The front door opened again, admitting Lily with her two friends into the room. As before, Miss Stuart was resplendent in a green dress that matched her eyes exactly, a much brighter hue than what Lily was wearing. Seeing her now, every inch the proper young lady, Nathan did not know how she had managed to pass muster as a maid.
Trailing behind the women was Elijah, an expression of faint exasperation on his face. His gaze met Nathan’s, and they shared a look of fellow feeling. The women were already chattering far too quickly for Nathan to keep up, especially as they were mid-conversation. Something about the gossip that was running around London. Hardly something Nathan currently felt concerned about, though he knew later it would be important.
Thankfully, he could let Lily and her friends handle that aspect of their current situation. The less he had to do with the social ramifications of everything, the happier he was.
Harker slipped away as Elijah approached.
“How are you holding up?” Elijah asked, reaching out to clasp Nathan’s hand, his voice low so as not to draw the attention of the three ladies, who were already making their way into the drawing-room.
Unlike Lily’s parents, they clearly prioritized catching up with each other over being shown to their rooms. Considering how much trouble they could get into, Nathan wondered if he and Elijah should follow them into the drawing-room posthaste.
“Well enough. I have some questions for you, but… also…” Quickly, Nathan outlined finding the list as well as what Moore and Harker had told him. Elijah grimaced.
It was indeed a social scandal if it ever got out that his father had betrayed the crown, but Elijah andhisfather knew Nathan well enough to know that he would never have countenanced such a thing if he’d known. Since his father was already dead, all they had to do was keep it quiet for the sake of the family. If his father had been alive, Nathan would have been the first to throw him to the crown’s mercy.
“How did your father die again?” Elijah asked, grim-faced.
“Fell from his balcony.” He caught Elijah’s expression and shook his head. “He was three sheets to the wind… it was not…” While it was entirely possible his father’s death had been an accident, was it possible his treacherous actions had had something to do with his death?
Bloody hell.
The plot kept thickening.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Lily
Escorting her friends into the drawing-room, Lily was relieved to hear that not a word was being bandied about London when it came to her kidnapping. Everyone was too agog over her marriage, followed by Nathan’s immediate advancement to a title.
“There are a few who have even commented on how lucky you are,” Josie said angrily, flouncing over to the couch and plopping down, aggravation in every line of her body. “As if you could enjoy such ‘good fortune’ when it meant the death of Nathan’s brother.”
“Of course, there are always a few,” Lily replied with a sigh, taking the seat next to her friend. Evie sat down in one of the chairs across from them, her green eyes darting around the room, taking in every bit. Lily had no doubt Evie would know Brentwood Manor even better than Nathan did by the time she left. “That’s thetonfor you.”
“Vultures,” Josie muttered.
For all that they were part of upper society, no one in their foursome had ever fooled themselves over the cruelties and unfeelingness of the worst of their class. Nor did they agree with those attitudes.
Unfortunately, as women, there was often very little they could do about it either. It was infuriatingly frustrating.
“I suppose I should be grateful they are distracted from my ‘ruination,’” Lily said, wrinkling her nose. It grated to have to be grateful that Nathan’s brother’s death and Nathan’s inheriting the title was of more interest to the fickletonthan the scandal that preceded her marriage.
“You cannot change the facts, so you may as well enjoy the benefits,” Evie pointed out, returning her focus to the conversation at hand. “Anything to report?” She asked in a tone that made it clear she did not expect Lily to have any news.
Lily thoroughly enjoyed leaning forward and, in a low voice, disabusing Evie of the notion she had been distracted from her investigation. She spoke quickly and succinctly, aware her husband and Elijah might interrupt them at any moment.
Evie’s mouth dropped open, and Josie gasped when she told them Nathan’s father had likely committed treason, and it was possible Sebastian had been investigating that fact at the time of his murder.
“Goodness,” Josie murmured when Lily was done. “Who would have guessed?”
“Certainly not me,” Lily muttered, sitting up straight as Elijah appeared in the doorway of the drawing-room. His gaze flitted from one face to the next, then he frowned.
