Page 74 of Her Lion of a Duke
“Very well. What have you found out?”
“I am afraid that I cannot tell you for certain, but it is likely as you suspected. There have been whispers that your cousin, Lord Renshaw, was seen frequenting the same gentlemen’s club as your brother the night he disappeared.”
Leonard’s blood ran cold, and his arms fell to his sides.“Is this not about Felix Gray?” he asked.
“In a way, it might be, but that is not the important part. People are suggesting that Lord Renshaw was the one to challenge your brother to a duel, only for him to cheat.”
“That is not possible. He would have had to flee the country.”
“Not if there were no witnesses. In a normal duel, yes, one must have a doctor and a second, but if it were in the heat of the moment, it is possible that the two of them left for a secluded area and conducted their awful business there. It would explain why the late Duke was missing for a while, rather than found and given medical care.”
Leonard did not want to believe a word he was hearing. It was one thing to have lost his brother in a duel, but to hear that his cousin might have killed him was another thing entirely.
Renshaw was among the first people to visit him after his wedding. Leonard had opened his home to the man, and all the while, Renshaw might well have been smirking at the fact that he had killed Henry.
Leonard felt nauseous, a twisting sensation in his stomach. He could not say a word.
“Would you like me to stop, Your Grace?”
“No,” he said as calmly as he could. “Please continue. I need to hear this.”
“That is where Felix Gray comes in. He was an established writer at the time, so I do not believe that Lord Renshaw is Felix Gray, but it is entirely plausible that he paid Felix Gray a sum to have him write a piece suggesting that you were the culprit.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“Why would anyone duel? From what I have learned, your cousin wants more power than he has been afforded. He is supposed to inherit the duchy if something happens to you, yes?”
Leonard paused for a beat, mulling over Mr. Livingston’s words.
It was true that Renshaw was next in line, as he was the closest male relative, but Leonard never would have thought that he would go so far. His cousin liked power, true, but it was such a foolish plan that could have easily gone awry.
Then again, it made sense. If Renshaw had convinced enough people that Leonard was guilty, Leonard might have left the country altogether, paving the way for his cousin to assume the title.
Leaving the country had crossed his mind, but he knew he was innocent, and so he remained in London. It had been excruciating at times, but it became easier eventually.
It was worse, knowing that it was his cousin who inflicted that pain.
“If your suspicions are correct,” he asked in a monotone, “what do we do now?”
“I will handle everything, Your Grace. I want to be certain of everything first, so that there is no chance that he escapes justice. Then, I will escalate the matter. Are you happy with that?”
“I cannot claim to be pleased, but if it is what must be done…”
“Good,” Mr. Livingston uttered. “You may take a moment before you leave, if you wish. It might be good to steady your nerves.”
“I am fine, thank you,” Leonard responded, forcing a smile. “It is a surprise, but I’ve always known that someone killed my brother.”
He sat ramrod straight in his carriage, like a pillar. He refused to break down. Cecilia would have returned home, and she would be waiting for him, and he could not let her see him upset.
It was not fair for her to spend the day consoling her friend, only for him to come home and expect her to console him, too. She needed to rest. He could tell her what he had learned another time.
When he arrived home, however, she was not there. Brutus came to greet him, wagging his tail furiously, but his wife was nowhere to be seen.
Mrs. Herrington came to see him. She looked withdrawn, paper in hand.
“Where is my wife?” he asked.
“She is not home yet,” she replied. “Your Grace, I need to show you something.”
