The Unexpected Marriage of Gabriel Stone (Lords of Disgrace 4)

She wanted to ask whether he meant that someone’s tongue had been loosened to tell lies, or the truth, but she could not bring herself to show such disloyalty. ‘But there was no one you know about?’

‘Louis,’ Gabriel said as though the name was being dragged out of him. ‘But he had fallen at the top of the stairs and knocked himself out. He could remember nothing, not then, not to this day. You saw those carved newel posts. It was a bad blow and it made his sight worse.’

‘There must have been some conclusions drawn, surely?’

‘Oh, yes. The jurors found that my father had tripped over the riding whip he was carrying, that Louis had seen him begin to fall, rushed forward to help, tripped himself and hit his head. When the butler came on the scene I was at the foot of the stairs standing in a pool of blood, the broken whip in my hands. The coroner was prepared to accept that I had heard the fall, rushed to the scene from the study on the ground floor and automatically picked up the whip in my shock.’

‘Then there is nothing to it but wicked fantasies created by my father. A good lawyer will sort this out, force him to retract under threat of legal action. The original coroner’s report can be republished. I will never forgive him for this, never.’

‘The slight problem is, my dear, that it did not happen as the coroner stated. I was not downstairs when my father fell, I was on the stairs. And there was a slash on his cheek from the whip that was never accounted for.’ Finally Gabriel picked up the glass. He drained it in one swallow and sat down. ‘The coroner concluded that somehow the whip had hit him as he fell.’ Caroline pushed her own untouched brandy glass towards him, but he shook his head. ‘It would only take one servant who did in fact see me going down those stairs with the whip in my hand and I will discover whether the old tale about silken nooses for peers is true.’

The whip, Gabriel’s back. How many vicious thrashings did it take before a young man snapped, hit back? Killed his tormentor? No. But Gabriel had not denied it.

‘Stop trying to make light of this,’ Caroline said, amazed that her voice was steady. ‘There is more to it than you told me, certainly more than you told the coroner’s court. If they found it was an accident, then that was what it was and you cannot have been responsible.’

‘You believe that? I saw your expression when you heard what I said about the whip and his face. You were thinking about the scars on my back, weren’t you?’

‘Yes.’ She would not lie to him. ‘I do not understand it all and I do not know what you are hiding, although I think you are protecting Louis in some way, but I do not believe you could kill in cold blood, nor hot blood either. Not and intend it. And unless my father withdraws this accusation and publically apologises, then I will stand up in court and swear that he is mentally incompetent.’

‘You will not get involved.’ Gabriel slapped one hand down on the table, making her jump, then stood up and began to pace, as though movement helped him think. ‘Murder is not treason, therefore the title and the estate are safe for Ben, whatever they find. I can make provision for you. The problem is the damage this will do to your reputation, but the lapse of time from the death is in our favour there. Everyone will assume you were taken in by me, that you are simply a victim in all this.’ He sounded perfectly calm, as though working through a problem that his steward had brought to him.

‘I will surrender myself to whoever is the chief magistrate here, not wait to be dragged out of the house. That will create a better impression and may allow me a little more freedom to manage my affairs. It will certainly make less of a scene here and may divert any sensation-seekers from the house and from you.’

‘Gabriel, stop it.’ Caroline found she was on her feet, too. ‘You are frightening me. You must fight this, prove your innocence.’

‘I cannot. I am very sorry, Caroline, but I cannot. I was a fool to believe that I actually had a chance of real happiness with you.’ He caught her by the shoulders and kissed her, taking her mouth with a savage desperation that stole her breath and filled her with fear. ‘Now, stay here. Order the servants not to answer the door to anyone. Write to Cris, tell him to come and fetch you, send you to Grant in Northumberland. You’ll be away from the public eye there.’ He released her as suddenly as he had seized her, leaving her to stagger back into a chair, her hand to her mouth. His smile as he turned back from the door was gentle. ‘Goodbye, my love.’

‘No. Gabriel, I must tell you, I am— No!’ But he was gone. A chance of real happiness with you. He called me my love.

Caroline jumped to her feet and yanked the bell pull. When James entered, so quickly that he must have been lurking outside, she snapped, ‘Answer the door to no one but the Marquess of Avenmore or Lord Weybourn. Be ready to take letters to the receiving office in a minute and send Corbridge to me.’

The valet came in as she was addressing the first letter to Cris. ‘Corbridge, I must write to his lordship’s brothers, most particularly Mr Louis. Have you their directions?’

‘Yes, my lady.’

‘Were you with my husband when his father died?’ she asked as she scribbled the next note.

‘I was a footman at Edenvale, my lady.’ There was something in his tone that made her glance up sharply. The valet tightened his lips as if on some outburst, then said in his normal, quiet voice, ‘It was an accident, my lady. I have seen the newspapers, but nothing will make me believe otherwise.’

‘Could anyone have witnessed the fall who has not come forward before now?’ She wrote Louis’s name on the next letter and reached for a fresh sheet of paper.

‘I cannot think so. Let me address those, my lady.’ He gathered up the letters as she finished them. ‘They will catch the post to London and be with the marquess, and Major Stone, tomorrow morning. Mr Louis may receive his in the evening, I believe.’

‘Thank you, Corbridge. Then come back, please.’

He was away perhaps two minutes, long enough for Caroline to take a small mouthful of brandy and to wipe all trace of tears from her eyes. She had suspicions, she also had, if not a plan, at least the outlines of a strategy and she would not give way to despair. Besides, there had been that smile, those words. He loves me, even if he does not quite believe it, even if there is some other loyalty that is stopping him from telling me the truth.

‘Corbridge, your master has gone to seek out the chief magistrate of the town and intends to surrender himself to him for the investigation of these accusations.’ Perhaps it was only shock that allowed her to sound so calm and collected, but if it was, then she would use whatever advantage it gave her. ‘I want you to find him. I have no idea what that will involve, but I need to know where my husband is and what he needs.’

* * *

Waiting was the worst thing. Or perhaps uncertainty, she could not decide which. Caroline moved into the back parlour when peopl

e began to walk slowly past the house, staring, and waited there as James answered the door time and again with the same message. ‘My lady is not at home. My lord is not at home.’

She hated the wallpaper in that room. She hated the pattern of the carpet. She absolutely loathed all the novels she picked up and tossed aside in the two hours it took for Corbridge to return.

‘I have seen his lordship. The magistrate, Sir Humphrey Potter, feels it is best if he remains at his house for the moment because of the interest the matter is arousing, my lady. As his guest, Sir Humphrey asked me to assure you.’ Corbridge brushed at a smear of green on his sleeve. ‘Forgive my appearance, my lady, but it was necessary for me to climb over several garden walls and to enter through the back garden. James has already evicted one man who climbed in through the coal hole and was attempting to bribe the kitchen maid for information.’