Page 86 of Marigold and the Marquess
All he had done was be imprisoned for four years.
However, the opening of Marigold’s dragon exhibit was next week. He would not have time to ride to Exeter, deal with Cummings, and make it back for her special day. No, the timing was too close.
By the disapproving looks on the faces of her friends, it was obvious they all seemed to think the choice to make was obvious, namely that he should stay for Marigold’s exhibit.
Well, none of them had endured beatings or that dark pit of madness.
“Let’s calm down, shall we?” Gory said, clearing her throat. “Leo, I would like to make two observations. The first is that the Exeter connection is extremely feeble and you ought to have something more before you shoot a man down in cold blood. The second is that we need to return our attention to Denby. He is the link to everything. So, who killed him?”
Leo did not think he could listen to any more of this. “Unless it was my cousin, then the matter of Denby is no longer my concern. I know for a fact it could not be my cousin. Even in his prime, he was not nimble enough to climb up a trellis, kill a man, grab his diary, make his way back down the trellis, and disappear over a rear garden wall before Gibson got to the study, all of which he managed to do without leaving a trail of blood or footprints for us to follow.”
“All right,” Gory said. “So he paid someone to do it.”
Leo shook his head. “Why? Because he was afraid Denby would come forward and accuse my cousin of killing me? My cousin had to know Denby was up to his eyeballs in far more sinister matters to worry about exposing him, especially since I am still alive.”
“All right, so we are back to the basic premise,” Julius said. “Cummings wants Leo dead in order to inherit. That is all we need to focus on. Either he is innocent and content to reside in Exeter, or he is guilty and Leo is in danger.”
Leo sighed. “He is guilty. I haven’t a doubt of it. Have I not been saying this all along? I am not getting the point of this discussion.”
“If he is guilty, then I would think your cousin is in London at this moment plotting your demise,” Gory said. “So, going to Exeter makes no sense. I would hunt for him right here.”
Marigold frowned at them all. “Why are you encouraging my husband? We ought to be making him see reason. He should not be hunting anyone down either here or in Exeter.”
“Well, a man has to defend himself, Marigold. There is logic to what Gory says,” Octavian remarked. “Kill two birds with one stone while he is hiding out in London. Yes, it is logical that your return and unexpected marriage makes him all the more desperate to be rid of you, Leo. That is more easily done directing his lackeys from here.”
“Assuming he was ever involved in Leo’s imprisonment or Denby’s murder.” Julius set aside his brandy.
“At last,” Marigold said, smiling at Julius. “If your cousin wants you dead, then why kill Denby first?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care. He may have had nothing to do with Denby’s demise and the timing was mere coincidence. I still need to find him before he finds me. Whether here or in Exeter does not matter. But I know he must be in Exeter since he is a coward who will not risk being seen in London. That puts him too close to the crime. Too many questions would be raised.”
Marigold plunked herself back down beside him.
He knew he was upsetting her because he could feel her trembling beside him. She wanted him to let go of his quest for vengeance. How could he when he was so close to the end now?
Marigold’s eyes revealed her heartbreak.
This was not easy for him, either.
“Leo, please. We need to discuss this with Ian and Homer Barrow. While Mr. Barrow is digging into Denby’s past and his gaming hell connections, let him also ask about your cousin. In fact, let him expand his search to include houses of ill repute and every seedy, dockside inn or tavern. If your cousin is hiding out here in London, would he not be in one of those places?”
Leo raked a hand through his hair. “I’ll speak to Mr. Barrow.”
“And will you tell him to report his findings to Ian?”
“No. He is to report them to me.”
“So you can get to him and dispatch him before Ian can stop you?” Marigold was now on her feet again with her hands curled into fists. “You really don’t care about me, do you? Not me. Not our marriage. Not what might happen to you once they convict you of murder. Your rank affords you some privileges, so you will not be tossed into prison again. But do you really think you will ever be allowed to roam free?”
“I will if he takes aim at me first. I have every right to defend myself. Neither my peers nor any court will ever convict me.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I see. It does not bother you that you might be goading an innocent man to his death? You have this all figured out, do you? Well, think about this…if you go after your cousin on this flimsy bit of evidence, then consider our marriage over.”
She ran out of the parlor in tears.
Her friends were looking at him as though Marigold had a point.
Well, who cares what they think?
