The Duke of Aldridge pressed a teacup and saucer into Kendra’s trembling hand. “Drink this, Miss Donovan.”
They’d returned to the study, where a fire had been lit. But while Kendra sat near the crackling flames, they couldn’t penetrate her frozen state.
Rose had been transported to the icehouse, where Dr. Munroe and Sam Kelly were conducting the postmortem. Kendra didn’t need to view the slice and dice to know how Rose had spent her last hours on earth. They’d been filled with unimaginable pain, unimaginable terror.
And I’m responsible.
The teacup rattled in her hand. How was that possible? How was any of this possible? How could she be responsible for the death of a girl who’d died before she was born?
It wasn’t the grandfather paradox, a theory many quantum physicists often dusted off to illustrate that time travel into the past was impossible. A person could not go back into the past and kill his own grandfather before his own mother or father was conceived, they argued. That would negate his existence in the first place, which in turn would make it impossible to kill his own grandfather. The ultimate Catch-22. An endless loop of impossibilities.
But could someone go back in time and inadvertently cause the death of someone who had nothing to do with her own future existence? Rose wouldn’t affect Kendra’s own time line, unless the tweeny was the great-great grandmother of someone who would eventually affect her future. Kendra felt like her head was going to explode.
“Mayhap Miss Donovan requires something stronger than tea,” Rebecca suggested.
“No. I’m . . . this is fine.” More because it was expected of her than out of any real desire, she took a swallow of tea. Then she set the cup and saucer down.
Aldridge said firmly, “You are not to blame for the maid’s death.”
“I knew he was escalating. He deliberately placed April Duprey where he did because he wanted to engage us. I should have seen this coming!”
“You are not omniscient, Miss Donovan,” snapped Alec.
A knock at the door startled them. Harding’s face looked graver than usual as he stood on the threshold. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace. Mr. Morland has arrived. He is wondering if you are at home. What shall I tell him?”
Aldridge looked at Kendra. “Do you wish to see him?”
Kendra straightened. “Yes.”
“Very well. Tell Mr. Morland that I am at home. Put him in the Chinese drawing room. Miss Donovan and I will be there shortly.”
Morland stood in front of the Palladian windows overlooking the flower gardens, but turned as soon as the Duke and Kendra entered.
“I heard that you visited Tinley Park last evening, Your Grace . . . and about the tragedy that has befallen your household. May I offer my condolences and any assistance that you may require?”
“That is very good of you. Won’t you sit down?”
“You can assist us by answering questions,” Kendra said bluntly, taking the seat opposite him.
He frowned. “As you know, I was not in residence when your maid went missing. I was in London. In fact, I only returned a couple of hours ago.”
“So you say.”
He stiffened. “I understand you are in distress. Nevertheless, I find your implication offensive. I would like to point out that I came as soon as I heard the news—you did not need to seek me out.”
She eyed him. It could be neighborly consideration that brought him here. But sometimes cold-blooded killers enjoyed getting close to the victim’s family, watching the devastating aftermath caused by their crime. Like demonic parasites, they fed off the grief.
“We appreciate your concern, Mr. Morland,” Aldridge interjected smoothly. “And my sympathies in regards to Lady Anne. I understand she had some sort of seizure yesterday?”
Morland lowered his gaze to his hands. “Yes. As you saw yourself, my mother is not well. When I visited her yesterday morning, she . . . she had a fit.” He drew in a deep breath. “She was quite out of control. I left immediately to ride to London.”
“Why you?” Kendra asked. “Why didn’t you send a servant to bring back a doctor?”
“Of course I considered that, but . . .” He shrugged, lips twisting. “I confess, I wanted to escape. ’Tis not a noble thing to admit, but I simply did not wish to deal with my mother’s current reality. Have you ever had to watch a family member slowly go mad, Miss Donovan?”
“No.”
“Then you cannot possibly understand the state of mind I was in yesterday.”
“You left yesterday morning. Yet you didn’t return until a few hours ago. I’d have thought you’d be more eager to bring help back for your mother.”
His mouth compressed as he looked at her. “I sought out the mad-doctor that had treated my mother previously. He was not in Town. I spent several hours searching for another doctor. When I finished my quest, night had fallen. ’Tis not safe to travel the country roads alone. There are highwaymen lying in wait. I chose to put up at my town house for the night.”