Page 130 of Lessons for Marquesses
“He did not murder his brother.”
“No. No. I am sure of that. But the law still believes it to be true. The people who speak behind his back. It is why he wishes to be Mr. Wolf and not the marquess.”
Charlotte urged her to sit. “Do not torture yourself. He is a free man.”
“No, he is not. He will never be free until he isfreed.”
Oliver and Charlotte regarded her in puzzlement. At footsteps in the hall, her aunt shut the study door, returned, and soothed Georgiana’s sleeve.
With no patience for soothing, she jerked away. “Oliver, how can he be freed for good? If the truth were known, might he be exonerated?”
A long silence ensued as Oliver looked between her and Charlotte. A gust of wind shook at the study window. In the distance, horses thundered over the pastures.
“Do you know something?” Oliver asked carefully.
“I do.”
Oliver heaved from his chair, treading with his hands behind his back to a liquor standish. “What do you know?”
“Will he be freed from the accusations if I come forward?”
“It depends on what you know.”
“What do you know?” asked Charlotte.
“I knew his brother.” She rubbed the perspiration collecting at her nape. “I think I know who murdered him.”
Oliver dropped the decanter. It tumbled to the carpet, the stopper lodged free, and liquor glugged into a sanguineous puddle. Charlotte pressed the back of her hand to her mouth.
“I don’t think I know,” Georgiana said. “I know.”
Oliver marched forward. “You know what?”
“I know who murdered him.”
“You were twelve!”
“I was.”
“By God! You! You?—”
“How do I have Nicholas exonerated?”
“You get an audience with His Majesty is what you do! Good God, all along, you!”
“Acomb, please sit down,” Charlotte snapped. “Georgiana, what do you know exactly?”
“First”—she chanced at glance at Oliver clutching his chest, who did need to sit down before he had an attack—“I need you to swear your silence until I have my audience. You cannot reveal this. Nothing, no one can interfere. Will you do this for me?”
“Are you mad? Nick must know this at once!”
“Nick?”Her cousin knew more than just who Nicholas was. “You know him well.”
“Damn it. He is my dearest friend. I am the one who saved him from a hanging!” Oliver threw up his hands, choosing his words when Charlotte shot upright. “And you are to free him. And he…” Oliver grimaced.
Georgiana finished his words.And he won’t love you anymore, girl.In fact, he’ll bloody well hate you.
“Aunt Charlotte,” she said, “when I am presented to His Majesty, I will need to appear a lady.”
