Page 69 of Married to the Earl

It pained Astrid to see how quickly the news of her husband’s arrest had spread. “He didn’t do it, Father,” she said. “I was with him during the hours when the man was killed. He couldn’t possibly have done it.”

Her father nodded. “I never thought he had,” he said.

“Then how do you explain your association with Killian O’Flannagan?”

He turned and stared at her. “What?”

She could bear it no longer. “I saw you, Father! I was at the Angry Boar last night, and I saw you there! What in God’s name were you doing in that place? You must know that O’Flannagan is Conor’s sworn rival.”

“What wasIdoing there?” he asked. “What wereyoudoing there, Astrid? The Angry Boar is no place for a young lady, evenwithher husband to look after her. What could you possibly have been thinking?”

“I took a job there,” she admitted.

“Youwhat?”

“I had to!” she defended herself. “I had to insinuate myself among those men, to find out what they were saying about Lord Hayward’s murder. I think one of them must know what really happened, Father, and they must know that Conor isn’t guilty. I think it’s possible they’re setting him up to take a fall for somethingthey did.”

“Astrid, wait a minute—”

But she couldn’t seem to stop herself now that she’d begun. “You know, don’t you, that O’Flannagan and his friends are the ones who have been spreading rumors about Conor?” she asked. “All the unsavory things we’ve ever heard about him have come from them.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because Conor told me. And I believe him. You’re the one who told me he was a good man, Father—”

“He is a good man. I remain convinced of that.”

“Then how can you be socializing with his enemies!” she cried. “These are the people who I believe conspired to take him down. And it’s not only Conor’s life they’re ruining with their words and their actions, Father. Did you think about that? It’smylife, too.Myhusband is in jail now, and I’m left all alone in that giant manor. Now I’m the one being gossiped about!”

“Astrid, stop,” Tobias interrupted. “Calm down. Come and sit in the parlor and let’s talk.”

Astrid opened her mouth to shout that she didn’twantto talk, that she wanted him to give heranswers, only to realize how foolish such a statement would be. She inclined her head and followed her father into the parlor, where they took their old familiar seats.

“I was not at the Angry Boar to socialize,” Tobias said, once he’d seated himself.

“You weren’t?”

“Of course not,” Tobias said. “Astrid, you lived with me for over twenty years. Have you ever known me to socialize with those men?”

“You didn’t always tell me where you were going or what you were doing—”

“The answer is no. You haven’t. And that’s because they’re no friends of mine. I know what kind of people they are. I knew better than to believe the stories they tried to tell about Lord Middleborough, and I know better than to trust the lies they’re feeding me now.”

“What lies are they feeding you?”

“The ones you’d expect,” Tobias said. “They’re sure that Lord Middleborough is guilty of the murder of which he’s been accused, or so they say. They say it was only a matter of time until his jealousy and his outrage at them drove him to kill.”

Astrid’s eyes filled with furious tears. “That’s not true!” she protested. “He’s nothing like that, Father. He’s kind and gentle, and…and he’s strong, but I don’t know what being locked away will do to him. It’s so hard for him to open up to people. I think he’s been emotionally locked away for a long time.”

And he was just starting to open up to me, she added to herself, not wanting to share those private details with her father.We were just starting to really grow close to each other. What if Idoget him back, but it’s too hard for him to trust me, or anyone, ever again?

“I went to the Angry Boar for the same reasons you did,” Tobias said. “I wanted to find out what was being said. I consider Lord Middleborough to be a part of my family, after all.”

“You do?” She hadn’t known that.

“Of course,” Tobias said. “He’s my son-in-law. Married to my beloved daughter.” He reached out and took her hand. “I know I’ve disappointed you, Astrid—”

“No, Father—”

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