34
They had to wait until after eleven to call on Lord Weston; anything earlier was uncivilized. When they were finally escorted into the study, Weston stood behind his desk. His eyes were guarded and his overall expression tight, in a way that revealed his unhappiness at their appearance.
“Your Grace, Miss Donovan.” He didn’t invite them to sit down. “I had hoped we were finished with this business. I have told you all that I know.”
Kendra watched him carefully as she set the silver-and-enamel snuffbox on his desk. The metal striking wood sounded loud in the silence of the room.
Weston glanced at it, his eyes narrowing. He made no move to pick it up. “What’s this?”
“Mrs. Frost—you remember her, don’t you?” Kendra said, innocently enough. “She’s the housekeeper hired to clean the cottage. She found it there, under the bed. I thought you might want it back. It’s yours, isn’t it?”
Kendra tried to read the emotions that flitted across his face like quicksilver. Shock and anger, she thought. But then he turned and clasped his hands behind the straight line of his back, and stepped over to the window, staring outside. The action, she guessed, was to buy him time to consider what he’d say next.
“I never denied renting the cottage,” he finally said in a low voice.
“You didn’t exactly admit to it, either,” Kendra countered.
He gave a jerky shrug, and then pivoted back to look at them. He’d regained his composure, his expression smoothed into impassivity. “Touché, Miss Donovan. I shall confess to it right now, then. I bought the cottage in an effort to have more privacy with Lady Dover without putting her reputation at risk.”
“You did all that, and yet she wore the necklace to the theater.”
Weston’s mouth tightened, but he said nothing.
“Why do you think she did that?”
After a long silence, he expelled a sigh. “We have already discussed this, Miss Donovan. I cannot fathom what was in Cordelia’s mind to perform such an outrageous stunt.”
“Maybe it was desperation.” Or recklessness. She fixed her gaze on his, and made the decision to lay another card on the table. “You knew she was pregnant, didn’t you?”
The breath that he sucked in was harsh. His hands curled into fists at his side.
“Were you the father?”
“You go too far, Miss Donovan! Sir—” He wheeled around to look at the Duke. “This is unacceptable.”
“No.” Kendra took a step closer, forcing him to look at her. “What’s unacceptable is that Lady Dover is dead and no one wants to speak the truth. Were you the father?”
“How the bloody hell would I know that?”
“Did she tell you?”
He ran agitated fingers through his hair. “Even if she had, what does that prove? I knew of her relationship with Lord Sutcliffe.” He shot Aldridge a brittle look. “Everyone in the Beau Monde knew she had ambitions to become a duchess one day. Your nephew could have been the father of the child.”
“It would take more than Lady Dover’s accusation to bring Sutcliffe to heel,” Aldridge said coolly. “When he ended their relationship, she may have gone in search of easier prey.”
Weston’s eyes widened. “I would hardly consider myself easy prey, sir. I’m married. You know that divorce is not so easily done.”
“’Tis an onerous procedure, I’ll grant you that,” conceded the Duke. “But it can be done, and has been—especially if one is motivated.”
Weston said nothing. Kendra waited a beat, then asked, “Where were you yesterday morning until noon?”
Weston’s eyebrows snapped together, obviously confused by the change of topic. “Why?”
“I’m curious.”
“Curiosity is an unattractive quality in a female, Miss Donovan.”
“Really? I happen to think it’s laudable. Can you answer the question?”
“I went riding.” He hesitated. “I stopped to watch a cricket match for a bit.”
“Did you talk to anyone?” Kendra asked. “Can anyone verify your presence there?”
“It was an impulse to stop and watch the match. I spoke to several bystanders. We remarked upon the fact that the bowler was dreadfully incompetent.”
“No one was familiar to you?” Aldridge wondered.
“No.”
“What about your family? Where were they?” Kendra paused. “Your son?”
Weston’s jaw tightened. “My son—my entire family was most likely in bed until noon.”
Kendra was ready to point out that if he wasn’t around his family, he couldn’t verify their alibi. But before she could throw that at him, the door behind them swung open.
“Papa, I have—” Lady Frances came to an abrupt halt. “Oh, I didn’t realize you had company.” If she sensed the tension hanging thick in the air, she pretended not to notice, offering them a dimpled smile. “Your Grace, Miss Donovan. This is an unexpected surprise.”
Kendra didn’t believe her for a second. The butler would have alerted her to their presence the moment she set foot in the foyer.
“Lady Frances, you look charming.” Aldridge summoned a polite smile.
She executed a perfect curtsy. “Thank you, sir.”
Weston seemed to make an effort to pull himself out of the fierce temper that had darkened his face only a moment ago. “Yes, my dear,” he said, forcing a smile. “You are in particularly fine looks today.”
“Ah, but you are prejudiced, Papa.” Lady Frances beamed, obviously comfortable with flattery. And why wouldn’t she be? She was a beautiful woman, particularly striking today in a carriage dress of navy and white pinstripes.
She did her best to monopolize the attention of those around her. Lady Frances may have said that about Lady Dover, but it occurred to Kendra that she could have just as easily been describing herself. For the first time, Kendra wondered just how deep the rivalry between the two women went.
“This is rather early for a social call.” Lady Frances glanced at Kendra. “Are you continuing your game of Bow Street Runner, Miss Donovan?”
“I don’t consider it a game.”
“Well, you must confess that it is certainly unusual. Tell me, have you learned anything new?”
Kendra eyed the other woman. Innocent inquiry, or something more? “There have been a few new developments. Tell me, Lady Frances, where were you and your husband yesterday morning?”
“Good heavens. Morning, you say?” Her skirts belled out as she advanced, tugging off the kid gloves she wore. “’Tis barbarous to rise before noon on Sunday.”
“Can anyone confirm it?”
“No one disturbed me, if that is what you are asking. Pray tell, what happened yesterday?”
“We’re not at liberty to say right now,” Kendra said.
“Oh, my. This all sounds very mysterious.” Her eyes gleamed with amusement. “Was someone else murdered?”