Page 12 of A Duke's Unwanted Bride
He ran a hand across his chest absently, remembering the feel of her against him when he had confronted her in the alley.It was getting harder to blame her powers of manipulation for his hesitation.
“She goes alone.” The man shrugged.
“What?” Warner exclaimed, rising to his feet.
His outburst made Mr. Porter rock back, stumbling in his haste to push away from the table. “Your Grace?”
“What do you mean she goes to the King’s Arms alone?” Warner demanded, his heart racing.
“She is dressed as a man, Your Grace.” Mr. Porter swallowed, balking at Warner’s glower.
“That is beside the point. I have seen her disguise, and it is a poor one. Any idiot with eyes would be able to tell. Even her attempts to walk like a man are—are…”Elegant. Alluring.“… too graceful.”
Warner dug his nails into the palms of his hand. “She will get herself killed. There are all sorts of cutpurses in that area. Few men would be safe there, let alone a lady.”
What is she thinking?Warner could not understand it. A little scandal was one thing, but this was just irresponsible. The revelation of that recklessness cemented just how naïve the woman was in his mind.
“Is she meeting someone?” Warner demanded.
“No. As far as I can tell, she just talks to the patrons, asking about rumours.” Mr. Porter swallowed, twirling his bowler hat in his hands.
“About rumours? There are easier ways to gather gossip than to risk her life.” Warner dug the knuckles of his hand into his temples.
At that moment there was a knock at the door, and Warner called, “Enter.”
The coroner emerged, and Warner beckoned him over. Mr. Porter stepped away from the desk, allowing the other man more space.
“Tell me you have something useful to share.” Warner gestured to the man as he put his black bag on the ground.
“Whether it is useful remains to be seen, Your Grace.” The coroner pulled a wad of papers from his bag. “As instructed, I am bringing you the report, and then I will share it with the Bow Street Runners. You are sure Duke Erindale does not wish to be informed?”
“I will tell him myself,” Warner explained. “And my cousin Tobias, once he is back from the war.”
His uncle was still in the throes of grief. Warner had several servants reporting to him, ensuring that the man was at leastfed, but he was in no state to handle this investigation. Even if he had been, Warner knew he would not be able to let it go.
I owe Rothwell too much. Catching his killer is the least I can do.
“As you wish, Your Grace.” The coroner nodded. “The details are all in the report, but to sum up my findings: the Marquess of Kidlington was poisoned. It is likely that the poison was ingested and not administered through touch.”
The words hit Warner like a blow to the stomach. “Are you certain of this?”
“As certain as it is possible to be, Your Grace.” The coroner ran a hand through his greasy hair. “It is not an exact science, but from my examinations, the contents of his stomach, the rate of purification and severity of symptoms, cyanide was used and a rather large dose at that.”
“Are you sure it could not have been on the gloves?” Mr. Porter asked.
“If the poison had been on the gloves, then Lady Kidlington would also have succumbed to it.” The coroner shook his head. “At that dose, the smell alone would have alerted people to it.”
“Could it have been an accident?” Warner ran a hand through his hair.
“No. Whoever did this meant to kill. The dose was at least twice a lethal one. There is a chance the Marquess was not the intended victim of course. After all, there were several other important people at the wedding.” The coroner gave him a meaningful look.
“That is a troubling thought. If my cousin was not the intended victim…” Warner let out a frustrated growl. “There are too many questions and too few answers. I shall let my uncle know that there is a chance Rothwell was not the intended victim. He should take steps to protect himself.”
“And yourself?” the coroner asked.
“You need not worry on that front. I am well guarded.” Warner made a dismissive gesture. “I think it most likely that Rothwell was the intended target.”
“And the fact that it was ingested does not mean the widow is innocent. After all, poison is a woman’s weapon,” yhe Coroner added.
