“Ah, I am your knight in shining armor then.”
I couldn’t help but crack a smile at the pleasure he seemed to take from that. “Yes. In a way.”
“Then may I request a token from the fair lady?”
I arched my eyebrows at his flirtation. “That depends on the token you are requesting.”
He clucked his tongue in mock indignation. “No, no, no. Nothing so impudent. What you must think of me?”
“I think you’re a flirt.”
“Ah, well, guilty as charged. But, I promise, it is nothing so forward. I merely wish to claim your handkerchief, as the knights of old might have done.”
“My handkerchief?” I asked doubtfully.
“Yes.” He seemed perfectly serious.
“All right,” I agreed, deciding there could be no harm in it. “After the dance.”
He nodded.
“And on one condition,” I added at the last.
His head perked up, waiting for me to explain.
“That you answer a question for me.”
“Of course,” he replied without hesitation.
I almost felt guilty for using his chivalry against him, but then I decided the investigation demanded it. Especially the justice I sought for Dodd.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Lady Bute just a short while ago. She told me you are well acquainted.”
He smiled. “Yes. For many years.”
“She also told me how the British government contrived to have you charged with high treason.” I watched his expression carefully, but so far he barely flicked an eyelash, though I must have brought up a painful moment in his history. “Did you know the Scottish gentlemen who accused you?”
It was a gamble to approach him this way, and I hoped he didn’t close down completely or push me aside in the middle of the dance floor. I prayed that his good manners would at least prevent him from doing the latter.
His smile turned more resigned. “Yes.” He swung me into a sharp turn to avoid another couple and then corrected our course. “But what I think you really wish to know is who those men were.”
I blushed in discomfort, but didn’t reply, hoping my silence would convince him to speak more than any awkwardly worded response.
Mr. Stuart’s gaze turned compassionate. “I am not upset, Lady Darby. I know you and Mr. Gage are investigating the unpleasantness at Dryburgh Abbey. You must ask these types of questions, yes?” I nodded.
“It is true, one of the men was Lord Buchan. Is that what you wondered?”
“And the others?” I pressed even as I hated doing so.
He tilted his head, observing me. “Lord Demming and Sir Colum Casselbeck. Those are the only names I am aware of.”
Two of the men whose bodies were snatched for ransom, but not the third. Though maybe he had purposely omitted Ian Tyler of Woodslea’s name, knowing what I was hinting at. I was not familiar with Lord Demming, but perhaps his family was the next we should contact.
“If you speak with someone in the government, they should be able to confirm the facts. But truly, as horrifying and embarrassing as the accusations and the trumped-up evidence were, that was more than thirteen years ago. And I was cleared of all charges. What reason would I have to disturb Lord Buchan’s grave and harm his gardener?”
I studied his features—his expression seemed open and honest, if not a bit defensive. But one could hardly blame the man. I was accusing him of some rather heinous things in a roundabout way. He’d made no mention of the other two men’s disturbed graves, so either he was very careful or he didn’t know about them. And beyond that, I liked the man. I didn’t want to believe he was responsible for these awful crimes, and without any further evidence than what he’d given me himself, I had no reason to suspect him.
So I thanked him for his candor and allowed the matter to drop. Philip or Lord Strathblane would be able to look into the incident for me and confirm the details. If we discovered he’d lied, we could pursue the matter then.
I did my best to enjoy the remainder of the waltz, but much of the joy I normally felt in dancing had been spoiled by our strained conversation and my discovery of Gage’s deceit before the song had even begun. By the end, I could tell we were both pleased to escape the dance floor. I asked Mr. Stuart to return me to the side of the room farthest from Gage, and then gave him my handkerchief from my reticule, as I’d promised. He bowed at the waist with a flourish and then was gone, presumably off to find his next partner.