Page 80 of Temptress in Disguise
There was Melissa and Jeremiah.
Two greedy fools guilty of fraud and deception.
They were separate cases, yet a sinking feeling in his gut said they were connected. Lydia was the linchpin. The person who had encouraged Naomi to flee. The person who’d left her at the mercy of Bow Street. Lydia kept company with a murderer. Lydia was sneaking about trying to gain evidence of fraud.
Now he was forced to ask the question that would cause his wife some distress. “Might Lydia have encouraged Ingram to attack Naomi? Might she have used him to frighten Naomi into leaving her home?”
Naomi’s pained gasp tore through him. “No. Lydia wouldn’t do that to me. We’ve both suffered greatly since leaving Hartford Hall.”
He met her gaze, wishing he could spare her the truth. “Lydia has hardly suffered. She’s been free to pursue her own goals, always at your expense.”
Melissa was quick to cast the blame elsewhere, too. “I saw Lydia and Ingram talking in the garden. It was during the party I held to celebrate the new year. They had their heads together, whispering like a pair of conspirators. He’s always admired her, but Jeremiah wanted her to marry for money.”
Naomi scowled at Melissa. “You would say that. I remember you being too drunk to stand. I’m surprised you can recall the details. You were supposed to be in widow’s weeds, yet wore that garish red dress.”
Aaron brought a measure of calm to the situation. “You’re an intelligent woman, Naomi. You’ve proven that during the investigation. I know it’s painful to acknowledge the truth, but the sooner you do, the sooner you can move on with your life.”
Praise was for the weak.
That had always been Aaron’s philosophy.
Yet these rare glimpses of compassion were an encouraging sign.
“Thank you, Mr Chance.” Naomi sounded a little astonished. “Your faith in me means more than I can?—”
The sudden knock on the door stole everyone’s attention.
Wilson entered when summoned. He coughed before saying, “Miss Grant, your sister wishes to speak to you privately. She arrived a moment ago. I mentioned you were visiting, and she?—”
“Lydia is here?”
Aramis wished he could say he was surprised, but it was obvious Lydia had every intention of confronting her stepmother. The chit was no threat. Not unless she had Budworth in tow. “Does the lady have company?”
Wilson stared blankly. “It appears she arrived alone in an unmarked carriage, sir.”
Whose carriage? Had she returned to Chivers’ Mayfair abode and begged to use his vehicle? Had she sold more of her mother’s jewels and hired a conveyance?
“This isn’t a refuge for waifs and strays,” Melissa grumbled. “I shan’t tolerate such disrespect. You will show my stepdaughter into the drawing room, or she will leave this house.”
Wilson offered a half-hearted bow and withdrew.
Raised voices rang through the hall.
Lydia swept into the room, wearing a jaunty pillbox hat and fashionable green pelisse. “This is utterly ridiculous. Hartford Hall is still my home. I’m allowed to have a private conversation with my sister without being threatened with eviction.”
An argument erupted.
While everyone looked on, Melissa and Lydia hissed and quarrelled like back alley cats.
Melissa stamped her foot, her cheeks red with rage. “Whatever you have to say to Naomi, you can say in front of me.”
“Very well.” Lydia tugged a letter from her reticule and waved it at Melissa as if it were a lethal weapon. “I have the clerk’s testimony. Mr Piggot states you paid him to write a new will and tricked the witnesses into signing the document.”
“That’s preposterous!” Jeremiah gripped the arms of the chair with bony fingers and hauled himself up. “As God is my witness, I mean to throw you all out.”
Aramis kicked Jeremiah’s legs from underneath him and pushed him back into the seat. “If you move, you’re a dead man. One way or another, we will get to the bottom of this mess.”
He was tired of the endless questions and the constant search for the truth. He wanted to be alone with his wife. Somewhere safe. Somewhere quiet.
