Page 112 of His Duchess' Mischief

Lucas’s question was all innocent interest, and it broke Seth’s heart to shatter their happy evening in such a way.

“She was the woman Gordon had a tryst with,” he revealed. “The night he died.”

Once could have heard a feather flutter to the floor after that.

Alicia stared at Seth as Isaac and Lucas exchanged glances.

Michael took another sip of his drink. His hand was trembling.

“My goodness,” Alicia said. “So, she is married now?”

Seth nodded. “Yes. I went to speak to Sheringham about it some days ago. I couldn’t remember why. It was rather overshadowed by other events at the time.”

“Well, quite,” Michael muttered. “Best forgotten, as I believe we all wished it to be.”

“Mm,” Seth conceded. “I would like nothing more than to forget it completely, but as you all know, once I have a puzzle to solve,it is hard for me to throw it aside. And I want to know what happened to my friend.”

Michael looked up at him, and the fear in his eyes was enough to egg him on.

“Who did you say she was married to?” Alicia asked, filling the awkward silence.

“As Lucas said, she is now a marchioness, married to the Marquess of Clarendon.”

Michael scoffed. “He’sthirty yearsher senior. Utterly odious man.”

Seth carefully put his glass back down. “I thought you said you did not know her.”

Michael belched, shaking his head as if it were hardly an important topic. “I do not know her, but I have heard ofhim.”

“Yet when I pointed her out at Almack’s, you told me you did not recognize her.”

Michael’s blue eyes were very bright in the dim light, his mouth hanging open as he stumbled over his words.

“Sheringham told me something else,” Seth continued. “That Gordon had planned to elope with her.”

“Elope?” Lucas exclaimed. “No. Never. Fernside would not have been so stupid.”

Michael scoffed. “You’re joking, aren’t you, Oakley? He would have done anything for a pretty face. Fernside was an idiot when it came to women.” His tone was bitter.

Isaac and Lucas were still as stone opposite him now, their brows furrowed in confusion. It was rare for any of them to say anything against their friend.

“Did you know her?” Seth pressed. “Because throughout the trial, you swore you did not know why Gordon was meeting with her.”

No one moved as Michael stared at him in disbelief.

“But that is not what she said when I met with her today,” Seth barked. “She told me she knew you very well.”

It was a bare-faced lie, but it was the only way he could get his suspicions out in the open.

The trap was set. Michael would either avoid it or fall into it headfirst.

Michael sneered, but there was sweat on his forehead.

“All right, I might have known her,” he drawled, sounding bored. “But that hardly matters. It was thirteen years ago.”

“What?” Lucas spat. “We all tried desperately to find her during the trial, but we never could. And youknew herall this time?” His fists were clenched on the table, shaking with fury.

“Stop making it sound like more than it is!” Michael shouted. “She was a harlot, some whore Gordon wanted tosave. You know how righteous he could be.”

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