Page 67 of If Not for the Duke

“Good to see you,” Sterling said with a nod before gesturing toward a chair at his table. “Care to join me for a drink?”

“Certainly.” Marbury studied him as he sat. “You look less than pleased. Has the investigation of your break-in yielded any results?” His expression changed to one of alarm. “Your sister’s injury hasn’t worsened, has it?”

Sterling had come across the earl at the Royal Geological Society offices the day after Bernie had been hurt and told him of the incident.

Marbury had been appalled and shared the events that had transpired when he’d helped Ella and her sisters look for their father’s stolen journal. He’d also told him what Vanbridge went through when a few artifacts had gone missing from his museum. Sterling had been shocked by the trouble that seemed to have followed the Wright sisters from Oak Island.

“She’s slowly recovering. Thank you,” Sterling said. “But the investigation isn’t getting anywhere. The police have no clues. I didn’t realize quite how dangerous searching for treasure could be. Especially when I’m not the one doing the searching.”

“Agreed.” Marbury ordered a whiskey then asked, “Speaking of the search, has any further progress been made?”

“Not that I know of.” Sterling frowned, realizing it had been some time since he’d heard from Clarke. The man’s lack of communication was not helpful. The sooner Sterling’s friend was in place to provide a report on Clarke’s endeavors the better. He hoped to have word from him in the coming days. “What are your thoughts on Lena’s insistence that Clarke is digging in the wrong place?”

“Lena?” The earl grinned. “The two of you truly have become friends, eh?”

“Miss Wright has called on my sister several times.” Would that suffice as a reason for using her given name? Rather than wait to see, Sterling repeated his question. “Do you think she’s right?”

Marbury hesitated, making Sterling even more curious. “I tend to wonder if she could be.”

“Why?”

The earl shifted in his chair as if uncomfortable, the delay in his answer puzzling when it seemed a straightforward question. “She tends to be right about many surprising things.”

“How do you mean?”

Marbury shook his head. “I won’t say anything more. But know that the Wright sisters are amazing women. You may have already witnessed that for yourself. They are each strong and independent. Perhaps those traits come from their unusual upbringing on Oak Island. They’ve endured more difficulties than most ladies I’ve met.”

Sterling pondered the earl’s remarks, easily able to agree from what he knew of Lena. But he didn’t understand Marbury’s claim that she was frequently right.

He told himself to put Lena from his thoughts and focus on the break-in as the waiter brought their drinks. That was the priority at the moment.

“How well do you know Viscount Ludham?” Sterling asked Marbury, careful to keep his voice low so as not to be overheard.

“Well enough to know he’s an ass.”

“Why do you think that?” Sterling detested gossip but knew Marbury wouldn’t share anything unless he knew it to be true.

“The man was cruel at school to anyone he thought inferior and hasn’t changed. If there’s an easier path to riches, he’d be the first to take it, regardless of whether doing so harmed others.”

“On that, we agree.”

“He’s pursued Ella, Norah, and now Lena. He seems astounded they didn’t jump at the chance to further their association with him.”

Sterling didn’t like that news in the least. “Has he been on any treasure hunts?”

“Not to my knowledge. He seems to prefer to remain at home and criticize those who do.”

“He is vocal about such things,” Sterling agreed. “I overheard an interesting conversation he had with a man named Winslow.”

“David Winslow?” Marbury scowled. “I can’t say that I like him either.”

“Oh?”

“He’s much of the same ilk. He befriends those he thinks can gain him something. What was the conversation about?”

“It had to do with the dig on Oak Island.” Sterling hesitated, wondering how much to tell Marbury. He tended not to trust anyone, but he was beginning to think he needed assistance to discover what Ludham and Winslow were doing. “I have reason to think Winslow might be more than an acquaintance of Clarke’s.”

Marbury frowned. “Why not ask Clarke?”

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