Page 58 of A Sense of Injustice
‘And if she does not then I will,’ Luke said, stepping into the barn with Paul at his shoulder and Romulus growling at his side.
Cleethorp jumped to his feet, fists raised.
‘Luke, how long have you been there?’ Flora asked, standing on legs that didn’t appear to be entirely steady.
‘Do put the fists down, Cleethorp,’ Luke said curtly. ‘Are you harmed?’ he asked, turning to Flora with a soft smile.
‘Other than being pulled from Amethyst’s saddle, no. That was annoying. I should have been more prepared. Apart from that he has not laid a finger on me.’
‘Which is the only reason why he’s still breathing,’ Luke replied, murder in his eyes as he turned to Cleethorp.
‘Lord Darius understands the error of his ways and intends to ask his brother for another opportunity to prove himself.’
‘Is that right, Cleethorp?’ Luke asked.
‘I’ve been a damned fool.’ He shuffled his feet and stared at the barn’s dirt floor. ‘Not behaved well. Regret it. Want to make amends.’
‘It’s a little late for that. Nothing can repair the damage you did to Miss Pearson.’
Cleethorp nodded but didn’t look up. ‘I’m well aware of that. Had no choice. Felicity has…’
‘Has what?’ Luke asked. ‘What hold does she have over you, other than the obvious? Is she threatening to tell the world that you fired the shot that led to her husband’s death?’
‘No, nothing like that. Besides, I’d just deny it if she did. It would be her word against that of a marquess’s brother. But we…well, we exchanged letters. She complained of her husband’s cruelty and speculated about the best way to do away with him without being caught. And I…err, knew he rode the same route every day on a lively horse and might have suggested scaring the horse into throwing him.’ He finally looked up at Luke. ‘I had no idea she intended to go through with it, but once she gets an idea into her head, there’s no changing her mind.’
‘You could have walked away,’ Paul said.
Cleethorp shrugged and had the grace to look ashamed of himself.
‘She didn’t tell you that Brigstock intended to disinherit her,’ Flora said. ‘She painted a picture of the two of you together, surrounded by wealth and comfort. All you had to do was fire a shotgun in the air at the vital moment. It must have come as quite a shock when you discovered that she was actually penniless. Her too, I imagine, because she didn’t believe Brigstock had had sufficient time to act on his intentions. Even so, it didn’t stop Felicity for long. She simply dreamed up the possibility of your marrying an heiress and just happened to find one whose chaperone proved a willing accomplice.’
‘We cannot prove that you killed Brigstock,’ Luke said in an authoritative tone, ‘and will not make public what you did to Miss Pearson in order to protect her reputation. But you will leave Swindon now, immediately, this afternoon, on the next train to London. You will not see or contact Felicity Brigstock again.’
‘That would be a relief, but she will pursue me.’
‘No she will not. My next call will be to her uncle and she will be too busy making amends to spare you a thought.’
‘Go to your brother and ask for another chance,’ Luke continued. ‘But if I hear even a suggestion of any more respectable young women being compromised by you then what you have done to Miss Pearson will reach your brother’s ears; never doubt it.’ Luke had the satisfaction of seeing the colour drain from Cleethorp’s face. ‘Go will him, Paul. Watch him pack and put him on the train yourself.’
Paul nodded, and turned to leave the barn, a chastened Cleethorp on his heels.
‘Still trying to steal other men’s wives?’ Paul said, disgust in his tone. ‘There was an excuse of sorts for your behaviour when we were at Oxford. We were all young, wild and competitive. Clearly you have yet to mature and join the adult world.’
‘Oh, Cleethorp,’ Luke said, ‘just one more thing.’
Cleethorp turned at the sound of Luke’s voice and Luke placed his clenched fist in the middle of the man’s face. Startled, he fell to the ground, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.
‘That was for having the temerity to threaten Miss Latimer,’ Luke said, flexing his bruised knuckles.
?????
Flora watched as Paul pulled a stunned Cleethorp to his feet and stood by him as he mounted his horse. Paul swung into his own saddle and the two men quickly disappeared from view. It seemed very quiet in the rickety barn, but for Romulus’s panting. Flora suddenly felt very nervous, never having been more acutely aware of Luke’s presence.
‘You’ve hurt your hand,’ she said anxiously, glancing at his knuckles. ‘He wasn’t worth the trouble.’
‘I beg to differ. Are you really all right?’
‘Yes.’ She shrugged as she bent to pet Romulus. The dog wagged his tail, then lost interest and curled up on a dry patch of floor. ‘I was never really afraid. I knew that if I could just get him talking, he would see how ridiculous he was being.’
