Page 76 of A Baron's Disguised Lady
“Gwendolene got what she deserved. She was nothing but a fool. I didn’t need an accomplice to kill her,” she snarled.
Lavinia felt Archie tense, his hand twitching as though about to strike her. But Lavinia held him back.
“No, Archie, we need to learn the truth,” she whispered, as Wilhelmina struggled to her feet.
It seemed anger had replaced her self-pity, and if she could not have Archie, she would seek to cause him as much pain as she could.
“I poisoned her wine at luncheon one day. It was easy enough to do. It was just the two of us. The carafe was on the sideboard. I slipped the laurel water into it and refused a drink myself. But it only made her sick. She didn’t die. More’s the pity.
But the dental powder. That was easy enough. She was always leaving things around. I swapped the box for one I’d poisoned. And you know the rest. She stood in my way, Archie, just like her,” Wilhelmina said, pointing at Lavinia, who shook her head.
“No one stood in your way, Wilhelmina. It was never meant to be,” she said, and Archie nodded.
“I don’t want to look at her. Come on, let’s get back up the bank. She can’t go anywhere, not unless she wants to take her chances with the water,” he said.
It was true. There was no way to get away from the bank without climbing up. The waters around the bridge were deep and fast flowing. Wilhelmina began to sob, but Archie ignored her, helping Lavinia up the bank little by little. But as they were trying to find a foothold, a shout came from above, to Lavinia’s astonishment and relief. Then she heard the sound of her mother’s voice from above.
“Over here! They’re down here. Quickly,” Octavia called out, and a moment later, half a dozen people appeared above.
There was Lavinia’s mother, looking horrified at the sight of Lavinia, in her muddied dress, and one of the gardeners—Thomas, Lavinia thought he was called, along with the magistrate who had come to Sarum Lacy House, accompanied by two constables.
“Help Lavinia first,” Archie called out, and the constables edged down the bank, grabbed hold of Lavinia’s hands, and hauled her up to safety.
Her mother flung her arms around her.
“Oh, Lavinia. I’ve been so worried,” she exclaimed, as Lavinia breathed a sigh of relief.
“We’ve got a great deal to tell you, Mother,” she replied.
Chapter 28
Lavinia watched as Archie was helped up to the top of the bank. He, too, was covered in mud, and he hurried to Lavinia’s side, throwing his arms around her, and kissing her. Lavinia’s mother stared at them both in surprise.
“Archie?” she said, and Archie turned to her, slipping his hand into Lavinia’s, and breathing a sigh of relief.
“I owe your daughter the greatest of debts,” he said, glancing at Lavinia and smiling.
Lavinia blushed. She did not think he owed her anything, even as her mother looked from one to the other in surprise.
“You do?” she asked, as Archie glanced down the bank to where Wilhelmina was still standing by the arch of the bridge, waiting to be rescued.
“Magistrate, arrest that woman for the murder of my sister, and the attempted murder of Lady Barbara Hemsworth,” Archie said.
The magistrate looked at him in surprise.
“But… my Lord… your mother summoned us because she thought…” he began, even as Horatia interrupted him.
“I thought Lord Bath had something to do with this. I was worried something terrible had happened to Lavinia,” she said, but Archie shook his head.
“As much as it pains me to admit it, Lord Bath had nothing to do with any of this. He was in love with Gwendolene, and she was in love with him. They’d have married if she’d lived, though I don’t know what she saw in him. No, it’s Wilhelmina who’s responsible for the murder, and these letters, her own confession, witnessed by us both, will prove it,” Archie said, and he thrust the letters into the magistrate’s hand.
“She did this? But why?” Horatia asked, staring down the bank in Wilhelmina’s direction, a look of horror now coming over her face.
“There’s a lot to explain,” Lavinia said, and as the two constables helped Wilhelmina up the bank, Lavinia and Archie described all that had happened as best they could.
Their mothers stood listening in astonishment, shaking their heads at the extraordinary tale being told. Wilhelmina stood in bedraggled silence next to the two constables. Lavinia was soaked to the skin, but the warmth of the day was enough to prevent her from growing cold and shivering.
Besides, she had no intention of leaving Archie’s side. She wanted to hear the explanation, what was in the letters, and what had passed between Gwendolene and Wilhelmina.
