Page 39 of Betrayal from Beyond
Turner sighed. “We haven’t got that part worked out yet.”
“But we will,” Stayme vowed.
“I admit, it is a huge relief to think that it wasn’t one of our people,” Kara said. “But sir, I think we are going to need you to focus on helping us find Petra.”
“I’m sorry her classmates in that misguided experiment didn’t lead you to her, my dear,” the viscount said.
“Yes, well, at least we have what we need to prevent Matthew Hanlin from damaging any more children,” she said. “But we need to find Miss Scot. She’s taunting us.”
“Maybe she was taunting you at the last, allowing herself to be seen like that, but I would wager she never expected you to get so close,” Stayme said. “I’ll bet she’s rattled.”
“Perhaps. But I’m afraid if she is rattled, she might be prodded to strike again. We need to find her before she does, but we are out of ideas.”
“There is still one avenue we might explore.” Niall cast a laden glance at Stayme.
The viscount frowned back at him before Niall saw understanding dawn. Stayme hopped out of his chair. “No. I’ve already told you. That’s not a good idea. Surely we’ll find another way.”
“What isn’t a good idea?” demanded Kara.
“Questioning her father,” Niall answered.
“Petra Scot’s father? But we don’t know who he is.” She glanced between them. “Do we?”
“We know who he could be.”
“Mightbe,” Stayme countered. “There is no way to prove it. And right or wrong, if you confront the man and ask, you will likely have made an enemy.”
Niall shrugged.
“An enemy? Of whom?” asked Kara.
Niall indicated that Stayme should answer.
“Damn it, Niall!”
“If we had another lead, we’d follow it. Tell her.”
Stayme stared stubbornly for a long moment before he let loose an explosive breath. “Very well! But the consequences will fall to you to clean up.”
“So be it,” Niall said mildly.
“Who is it?” Kara asked again.
“It isspeculation,” the viscount stressed. “But we know several things that make us suspect one man in particular.” He held up a finger. “Petra told the pair of you that her father wasone of Princess Caroline’s trusted advisors. A man of the law. And who amongst her advisors was her greatest champion? The man she eventually appointed her own attorney general?”
“Brougham,” Kara said automatically. Her mouth dropped open. “You do not believe it is him?”
“He did champion Caroline repeatedly,” Stayme said. “First when the prince regent tried to prevent her from seeing her daughter, Princess Charlotte. And later when her husband and the Tories tried to dissolve her marriage and strip her of her title.”
“But…he was a lord chancellor,” Kara breathed. “Surely he wouldn’t…”
“He wasn’t lord chancellor at the time Petra was conceived. And he was aScot,” Stayme reminded them. “He was spending a great deal of time with Caroline then, before she negotiated with Castlereagh to let her go abroad.”
“Good heavens,” Turner said quietly.
“Brougham also was—and still is—a great proponent of education. A radical, he was called at times, even before he was in office and proposed the Public Education Act.”
“Miss Scot said she was sent back to her father as soon as she was born abroad—and that he promptly turned her over to Matthew Hanlin for his educational experiment.”
