Page 106 of A Slight Problem with the Wedding
Lady Withnall was first with the answer. “Attempting to blackmail him, of course.”
Havers arched an eyebrow. “That is exactly right. Well done, Lady Withnall.”
Lady Dayne set down her teacup and regarded her friend in surprise. “How did you guess the truth, Phoebe?”
“Logic,” she replied.
Octavian shook his head. “I would not have guessed this, and I pride myself on being logical.”
“I do not think you are as logical as you believe you are,” Syd said to her husband. “You must admit, falling in love with me was about as far from logical as a man could get and still be considered sane. Thank goodness you were not thinking clearly at the time…well, one could even say you were not thinking at all. I was nothing but trouble for you.”
Adela laughed. “All true, but may we move on? How did you figure out Mayfield’s involvement? And how exactly was he involved in the murder of Lord Easton?”
“Yes, do tell,” Gory said, listening intently as Havers proceeded.
“We believe Allendale overheard Mayfield and Lady Easton furtively discussing your inheritance at one of the Society affairs they attended several months ago.”
She nodded. “That would explain Allendale’s sudden interest in me.”
“When Mayfield realized Lord Allendale was actively courting you, he knew the man had to be stopped before he got you to the altar.”
“Does this mean they intended to murder Allendale, too?” Gory asked.
“Perhaps it was a passing thought, but you were the one standing between Lady Easton and the inheritance, so I think you were always their primary target. Mayfield must have found out about Allendale’s secret relation with…well, you know what I am getting at,” he said, referring to Sarah Martin. “He reasoned that Allendale could be extorted into breaking off the betrothal. He had left his calling card as a warning. Lord Allendale is fortunate they chose to take this less violent approach to ridding themselves of him.”
Julius snorted. “One rat taking care of another rat.”
Havers paused to take the cup of tea offered as Greeves rolled in a teacart. “You and your uncle were always the targets, Lady Gregoria. It became obvious your uncle had to go as soon as possible because he had taken up with that widow, you see. He was quite serious about her. Perhaps divorce was never an option, but Lady Easton could not risk it. Both of you had to die.”
Mr. Barrow now chimed in. “Lord Allendale is very fortunate they did not add him to their list of murder victims. It was a close thing, to be sure. But when Mayfield realized the viscount could be persuaded by blackmail into breaking off the betrothal, this is what he set about doing. This would gain them time to get at you again, Lady Gregoria, in addition to making Mayfield a little profit on the side by demanding payment from the viscount for his silence.”
“But all their plans were falling apart because Lord Thorne was in love with Gory and determined to marry her,” Lady Dayne remarked.
“Exactly, m’lady.” Mr. Barrow shook his head. “I have come across many disreputable characters in my line of work, but these…sometimes I think I am getting too old to be in this business.”
“You save lives and stop crimes,” Julius said, “and this is invaluable.”
“What happens next?” Gory asked.
“We now arrest Mayfield and your aunt’s maid,” Havers said.
“And what about my aunt?”
“She will be taken into custody, as well. For now, we shall hold her at the Wallingford Arms. It is up to the magistrate to decide where to confine her, but she will be charged with the murder of her husband and not be permitted to attend his funeral. After all, what is the point when she is the one who killed him?”
CHAPTER 16
AS JULIUS ESCORTED Gory to their bedchamber at the end of the evening, he realized that attending to his husbandly duties would take quite a bit of strategy since he had one arm in a sling and hurting like blazes while the other arm was not in a sling but also hurt like blazes.
Of course, he had no intention of letting Gory know he was feeling any discomfort because this was their wedding night and he did not want her treating him like a delicate patient. He wanted her hot and eager because he meant to claim her tonight.
It came as no surprise to him when Gory began to fuss over him the moment they entered their quarters. She assisted him out of his clothes and into his black silk banyan that was easy enough to slip off when the time was right.
In turn, he unlaced Gory’s gown and smiled as she took it off, leaving her only in her chemise, a lovely gossamer garment that hid nothing of her body. His heart pumped a little faster as he watched her set aside her shoes and watched while she slid the stockings off her legs.
Beautiful legs.
He would take over this task for her next time.
