Page 36 of The Seduction of Lord Sin
—“Is there some reason you don’t want me marrying Devlin, Dharma? I’m only doing so to save his family from ruin. Would you prefer I let them be tossed out of their home and onto the streets? What would become of your best friend?”
“Of course not. It’s just—well—I wanted more for you.” Dharma avoided her gaze.
“Often we don’t get what we want.” Or deserve, she thought to herself. Toobury didn’t deserve to die at her house party.
When they arrived home, with a heavy heart and shoulders laden with guilt, Charlotte made her way to the study to write a missive to Toobury’s family. She knew he had a sister married to Viscount Dalgety. The Viscount was a nice man. Honorable and kind. She prayed they had made the Viscount the children’s guardian.
* * *
“What are you not telling me?” Sin asked as soon as the women had departed. Devlin drew him and James aside. “Say nothing to the others, but come look at the body.”
The men traipsed over the rocks that separated the rocky cove from the other side of the sandy bay. Devlin had laid his jacket over the body. Sin bent down and drew it back.
Devlin said, “I don’t think he came off his horse. His neck is not twisted under him. Plus, if he was thrown from his horse, he would have hit head first. Look at his face?”
James moved closer to look. “His head is turned to the side without a scratch on his face, nor are there any injuries to his head at all. You’d have expected his face or head to be covered in abrasions from the rocks.”
Sin stood and looked further down the cove, away from where they stood and where the servants were gathering up the belongings on the dunes above them. “I think you’re right.” He walked toward the water, bending to look at drag marks. “Someone has tried to cover tracks. Look, they have used seaweed to cover horse's hoofprints. The prints go straight to the water from here. I bet they galloped south in the water and hoped we would not notice.”
“Why kill him? It’s not a robbery. He still has his pocket watch and ring.”
Sin’s gut clenched at the waste of such a good man. “Toobury didn’t deserve this.”
“We are going to have to call the magistrate,” James said. “I’ll organize Burton—”
“I’ve already done that,” said Devlin.
Sin asked, “Where was he going, anyway? The last I saw, he was in the sand dunes, about to join us on the beach.”
“Burton told me a man arrived on horseback with a missive for Lord Toobury. He called for his horse to be brought and then left, telling them he’d make his own way back to the house.” Devlin scratched his head. “But no one recognized the man on the horse and he’s disappeared. Whatever has occurred it was no accident. Why don’t you two go back to the house and I’ll wait for the magistrate. I don’t want to move his body until he’s evaluated the scene like we have.”
“I’ll leave two of the servants with you and send back a cart to retrieve the body. Sin and I should return to Ivy Close. The ladies will be in quite the state of shock, I shouldn’t wonder.”
“I sent Bann, and Travis who was having a fit, back in the other carriage. Take their horses and ride for Ivy Close.
Instructions issued, James and Sin rode back towards Ivy Close. “Did Toobury have any enemies you can think of?”
James slowed his horse. “No. He’s got no brothers, only sisters, so it can’t be a younger brother wanting his title. Besides, he has two sons.”
Sin didn’t want to think of those little boys who would now grow up without a father. “Then it is a puzzle.”
“At least it should put an end to this house party.”
Sin looked at James. “You don’t think it could be one of the other competitors? A few of them are pretty desperate, Bann, for one.”
“Surely not.”
“I wouldn’t put it past someone like Bann. Did you hear about the young American heiress? Rumor was he tried to abduct her.”
“I just wish Flora had told me who Charlotte was inviting to this house party. Women do not comprehend what some men are capable of.”
“There is also Vernonte. I don’t know enough about him.”
James raised his eyebrow and kicked his horse into a canter. “Then best we get home. I don’t want the ladies left unprotected.”
The two men arrived back at the house and walked in amid scenes of chaos. There were trunks and luggage being brought down the stairs and servants running around like headless chickens organizing the packing of carriages, and Bella barking and romping around due to all the activity.
Sin looked up to see Charlotte walking down the stairs, several missives gripped tightly in her hand, her face pale and eyes red from crying.
