Page 34 of Nature of the Crime
Audrey straightened. The two soldiers saluted Edmunds, then quickly bowed to her, murmuringYour Gracebefore dashing off with their orders.
“Does this mean you’ve decided I’m not responsible for the two murders?” she asked.
Edmunds stood aside and held out an arm. “Come. Let us go inside, to my quarters. It’s warmer and there is tea. Brandy, too, for those inclined.”
Audrey decided she very much was inclined.
They entered the fortress and as they twisted and turned their way through narrow, arched corridors and larger storage rooms, Audrey was grateful for the lieutenant’s presence. They would have been helplessly lost, otherwise.
“The artillery tops the fortifications, and underneath are the magazines and the barracks,” Edmunds said as they exited an arched tunnel and came outside, into a sunken courtyard. More arched doorways lined the space. “There are more barracks near the Shaft, but here, these ditches are designed to keep our troops well out of the enemy’s line of sight,” he said. “The men can move around to operate the artillery, undetected.”
“Were there any battles here?” Cassie asked.
“None.” Edmunds formed a wry grin. “We like to think the French knew better than to try.”
Uniformed soldiers were spread out around the courtyard, appearing to be in the middle of drills, of which Corporal Levens had objected to earlier. They followed Edmunds through one of the arched doorways and found themselves ensconced in a room of tall ceilings. A few arched casements intersected the space, dividing it into smaller spaces. On one end, an office. On the other, living quarters. It was rather spartan, but with rugs scattered over the floor and a hearth built into one of the walls, it was warm, as promised.
Edmunds instructed a young man in officer’s attire to fetch tea, and then gestured them all to a table near the fire. A decanter of brandy looked to reside in the center of the table, and he turned up three glasses. One for each of the men, presumably.
“A fourth, if you will, lieutenant,” Audrey said.
Edmunds paused a moment before pouring another. He was of a more traditional mindset, she determined. He’d called the duke here to discuss her and had not even thought that she might be interested in hearing what was to be said. However, he was not condescending as Lord Burton had been. His military training and high rank had honed him into a gentleman of fine manners.
He handed Audrey her glass and then pulled out a chair. “On to business,” he said, taking a seat and keeping his eyes level with hers. “I am not convinced you are responsible for the deaths of Mr. Vaillancourt or Lord Burton. You have irrefutable alibis in both cases, and the theft of the hair comb from your room at the inn points to the involvement of another unknown individual. It is my conclusion that the person who poisoned Mr. Vaillancourt purposefully placed suspicion upon you. The same for Lord Burton.”
The first sip of brandy, though small, kindled a flame in her chest, and now, at the lieutenant’s words, her muscles went all but slack with relief.
The moment was cut short, however, as Edmunds set down his glass and drummed the side of it with his finger. “The question that remains is why. Why would this mysterious individual wish to frame you? What is your connection to them?”
“Now see here, lieutenant,” Michael said. “You sound to be absolving her of one crime while accusing her of another. As you have decided she is not to blame in these deaths, I demand we be free to leave Dover without any repercussions.”
Edmunds remained calm, immune to the duke’s temper. “You are free to leave, Your Grace. No one is imprisoning you here any longer. However, I still have questions for the dowager. It is more than clear that she has an enemy at large.”
“Yes, one who has already burgled her room at the inn. All the better reason for us to depart without delay,” Michael said.
The officer chose that moment to return with tea service. It was utilitarian—plain white porcelain with the motif of a royal coat of arms. Audrey waited as he laid out the tea things. Cassie stood to pour, and only then did she say what she needed to.
“I cannot leave.”
Michael stared at her. “What do you mean? Of course, you can. Youare.”
She drew in a patient breath. Her brother-in-law would have gladly handled every facet of her life, if given the opportunity. Not in a mean or tyrannical way, but out of care and an inclination to protect. However, Audrey wouldn’t be able to respect herself if she allowed it.
“The lieutenant is correct. This individual has targeted me specifically.” She could not breathe a word about it likely having to do with Philip. “I fear that if we leave Dover, they will only follow.”
Thornton, who’d finished his brandy in two swallows, set down his glass. “I agree. Has the passenger manifest been found yet? The killer’s name is likely on it.”
Cassie scoffed. “He would be a fool to have used his real name.”
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Thornton replied.
Before Cassie could use the inviting opening for a verbal barb, Audrey spoke. “The baron withheld the manifest purposefully. He released all the passengers and crew without hesitation and was immediately convinced I was the killer. The note he presented as evidence was pitifully weak for such reasoning. You can agree, can you not, Lieutenant Edmunds?”
The man nodded with an expression of remorse. “I will admit that Lord Burton did not handle the investigation well. And no, the manifest has not been located. What are you suggesting, Your Grace?”
“I think he recognized a name listed on the manifest and that he wished to keep it secret.”
Thornton leaned forward, intrigued. “Because he suspected this person might be connected to the crime?”
