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Lily
Meeting with smugglers was not something she would have expected to do in her life, but the events of the prior day had precipitated unexpected openness into their investigation on the part of the men. Perhaps Nathan realized she had gained far more information from Warwick before Nathan had accidentally bungled things. Something she had decided not to point out. He knew.
Lily was also sure, if it were not for the funeral, Nathan and the other men would have kept her, Mary, and Josie well away from the smugglers. As it was, with everyone gathered for the service at the church, Nathan made his rounds with his questions with Lily on his arm. They kept their voices low, and Elijah, Josie, Rex, and Mary played interference for any who might try to approach them.
“Mitchell? Aye, I saw him talking to some of Warwick’s men,” Christopher Martin said, rubbing his chin. Lily would not have guessed he was a smuggler by the look of him—he appeared to be a perfectly ordinary man and an upright citizen. She’d also met his wife, an apple-cheeked blonde who had been called away to tend to one of their many children.
Then again, Lily did not know much about smuggling. Apparently, her husband had done some runs with the local gang when he was a youth, a rite of passage for young men along the coastline. She was learning more new things about him every day. Mr. Martin had been their leader when Nathan and Sebastian had joined them.
“Did any of ours ever join Warwick’s?” Nathan asked. Mr. Martin glanced at Lily, who smiled encouragingly.
“Aye, but Jeb and Morty are both passed now. Fever took both of them a few years ago.” Mr. Martin’s jaw worked as the implications sank in. Likely, they had been the two who had assisted with treason… men Mr. Martin had worked with. Trusted. Of course, they could not prove it had been either of them, but it seemed the most likely as no one else had been able to turn up any proof.
Thanking the man for coming, she and Nathan moved away.
“I hope Warwick awakens soon,” Nathan muttered. Lily nodded.
As they turned, she caught the eye of Robert, Nathan’s cousin. Their gazes held for a moment before he turned away, cheeks slightly colored.
During breakfast, Robert had demanded an explanation for the events of the night before, and Nathan had filled him in… somewhat. The revelation that Sebastian’s death had been no accident seemed to have depressed the spirits of both Robert and Letitia, and they had behaved circumspectly all day.
“There you are.” Lady Cavill’s voice penetrated the milling funeral attendees outside the cemetery as she stumped up, leaning heavily on her cane.
Under her gaze, Nathan straightened from an already upright posture. Lily understood the instinct. There was something terrifying about the older woman—Lily wanted to be just like her one day.
“Am I to understand the villain from last night escaped?”
“Unfortunately, yes, my lady.” Nathan’s tone was more clipped than normal, though he was the picture of politeness.
Lady Cavill hmphed. “Sent your friend after him, did you? Hopefully, he’ll catch up. Sebastian needs justice. He would have been a good earl.” Lady Cavill eyed Nathan up and down and then nodded. “You’ll do, though.”
With that, she swept away, her companion walking meekly behind her. Nathan stared after them while Lily put her hand up to her lips. It would not do to be seen laughing right after burying Nathan’s brother, but Lady Cavill made it nearly impossible to keep a straight face.
* * *
Nathan
After the funeral, it was time to question Warwick. He’d been awake but not very sensible that morning, so they had decided to return later. They all crowded into Warwick’s room, even the women. There was no danger from Warwick, and he and Elijah were too tired to fight with them. Rex had a unique relationship with his wife, letting her run as she wished until he decided to pull on her lead.
Elijah did the questioning, though. He explained Mitchell had been involved with smuggling in spies on Warwick’s lands, causing the man to blanch. Lily had not thought he could get any paler, but he proved her wrong.
“How much of Mitchell’s activities were you aware of?” Elijah asked.
“I did not know.” Warwick’s expression was bleak, his eyes distant as he stared at the window beyond Elijah. “I know that seems unbelievable, but I truly…” He took in a shaky breath and let it out.
Chairs had been brought in, and the women were arranged on the other side of the room but with a clear view of Warwick in his bed, propped up by a pillow. He was now clear-sighted but also in pain, though it was bearable. Nathan and Rex stood on either side of the women while Elijah, the closest to Warwick’s bed, led the questions.
“I did not realize at first how much of a hold he had on me,” Warwick said quietly. He did not look anything like the man Nathan had met a few months ago. The news that his secretary had been a traitor, using Warwick’s lands and people to bring in spies against England during wartime… It was entirely possible he would be found culpable, regardless of whether he had been involved. “My father died before his time and had done nothing to prepare me for my inheritance. It was easier to let Mitchell handle the things I did not understand or did not want to. He was eager to help, able to do everything, and he did a good job. At least, he seemed to.”
“When he set his mind to it, he was very good at what he did,” Elijah said. There was no emotion in his voice, yet Warwick seemed to find something comforting as if he realized Elijah understood.
Mitchell had fooled Elijah and his father as well, even though Warwick had no idea.
“He was very good. I relied on him completely after a while.” For the first time, his head turned to meet Rex’s gaze. “I know you did not understand why I kept him on after he was removed from the Society. The truth was, by that time, I could not have wrested control back if I tried. He has all the information I need to keep my estate and my business ventures running. Without him, I have nothing. I have become nothing more than a figurehead.” The bleakness returned to his eyes.
It was a form of blackmail, and Nathan could commiserate. He was grateful to Rex, who had agreed to stay at Brentwood Manor for the next few weeks, advising Nathan and helping him learn how to run the estate. Without him, it would be very easy to fall prey to someone like Mitchell. A man who knew what he was doing and would be ambitious enough, happy enough to take it on and do it for him, would feel like a godsend.
Warwick was just incredibly unlucky who he’d trusted.
