Page 47 of A Lady's Wicked Revenge
Chapter 21
The Truth Outs
The little library on the ground floor of the Leeson house was as nice and cosy a place as Diana had found inside the halls of the hated edifice. Yet as Colin closed and locked the door, shutting Diana, Jerome Arnold, and himself away from the rest of the goings-on at the Leeson autumn ball, she could not ignore the spectre of conspiracy that hung heavy in the still, dusty air of the little room.
This pall wore more heavily still on Jerome Arnold, who leaned forward and covered his mouth with his bony hands, still taking in the story Diana had breathlessly finished several minutes before. Dressed in his finest suit and carefully groomed for the occasion, Mister Arnold was the picture of avuncular care; Diana felt a pang of guilt at so distressing the kindly man, but at this point, it seemed unavoidable. He paid no mind to Colin, who took a seat close to the other two occupants, but at last, leaned back and sighed heavily.
“That … that is a most troubling accusation, Diana. Murdering one’s one sister, stealing his niece’s inheritance …” Mister Arnold shuddered, the thought left incomplete. He looked over at Colin for the first time, peering at him suspiciously over his spectacles. “You are certain we may speak freely?”
Diana looked over at Colin, seeking any sign of unease or uncertainty in him. Instead, she could not help smiling as he met her gaze with his glittering green eyes. “I would stake my life on it,” she said, as much to herself as to Mister Arnold. “Iamstaking my life on it.”
“Rest assured, sir,” Colin put in, “if my stepfather is indeed culpable of what Diana and I suspect, I wish for justice to be done.” A strange, pensive look crossed his face as though finally considering the implications of this for his stepfather. For an instant, Diana found herself wondering if she could truly trust Colin at his word.
“Whatever the truth of the thing may be,” said Mister Arnold wearily, pulling Diana’s attention back to his angular features, “it means nothing if we do not have any proof. Even if you testified to what you overheard, Sir James would deny it, and this man Bertrand would do the same if he could even be compelled to appear at court.”
“I’ve looked through his letters,” Diana said, frowning. “I found nothing suspect anywhere at all. Nothing that I could understand as being related to me or my parents, at least.”
Jerome Arnold rubbed his wizened hands together. “That is odd. He would certainly keep some documents pertaining to your inheritance. I know he has them because I delivered them myself.”
“Have you looked in his safe?” asked Colin brightly.
Diana felt her mouth curl into an “o” of surprise, one that drew warm laughter from Colin Mullens. “I thought you might not have. You are clearly a sleuth of some considerable talent, Diana, but talent only gets you so far without a key.”
Mister Arnold gave the pair a curious look, and for a moment, Diana worried he might have drawn a drastic conclusion about the nature of Diana’s relationship with Colin. But then his lips curled in a warm smile, and he leaned back in his chair again. “I think it a safe wager that Sir James will be suitably occupied this evening. Mister Mullens, if you can produce this key in short order, we can ask our sleuth to see if she can find anything sufficiently truthful in Sir James’ safe.”
“Tonight?” Diana asked, feeling her heart pound in anticipation.
“Right now, unless you had your heart set on joining in the dancing. When you have finished, bring whatever you find back here so we can decide on our next move.”
Her mind raced with worries. Suddenly it felt as though danger lurked around every corner. “Won’t we be missed? If Uncle James realises we are absent, he may grow suspicious, and …”
Colin shook his head. “The autumnal ball is a perennial mess, especially for my father. This year it seems to have slipped his attention, and with as many carriages as I’ve seen arriving over the last half-hour alone, his under-preparedness will keep him occupied at least until dinner is served.”
“And I will accept whatever tortures Missus Arnold has ready for me in return for leaving her to fend off the Westermonts alone,” Jerome added with a rueful smile.
Diana looked back and forth between Colin and Mister Arnold. Her knees shook beneath her, and she found she had bitten her lip so hard it was beginning to draw blood.I’ve prayed for something to deliver me from Uncle James for so, so long. Yet now, the moment of my deliverance has arrived, and I feel as though I am merely dreaming. Do I really have the fortitude to go through with this plot?
She straightened in surprise at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, then felt reassurance wash over her as she looked up to see Colin smiling down at her. Suddenly there was little doubt in her mind that everything would be all right, somehow.
“Miss Diana,” coughed Mister Arnold uncomfortably. “I can only imagine what you have been subjected to in this house. You don’t know how it pained us, Victoria and myself, to leave you here with your uncle. But God willing, you will not have anything to worry about before long.”
Jerome took off his spectacles irritably, rubbing a bleary eye and looking at Diana tearfully. “You really are the picture of your mother, you know,” he said in a voice filled with wonder. “She was the strongest, bravest woman I have ever had the privilege of knowing. If you possess even half of her intelligence and fortitude, I have no doubt you will succeed in finding the truth.”
“And you are not alone,” said Colin softly. “I will keep watch over the door, just in case.”
Diana put her hand atop his, feeling the warmth of his skin as she closed her eyes and took a breath. Then she stood, nodded to Mister Arnold, and strode purposefully out the door.
* * *
The journey to her uncle’s study was a treacherous one. The little library was on the other side of the house from Sir James’ study, meaning they would need to pass through the central atrium of the house. Colin led them up a servants’ staircase to the first storey, suggesting they would attract less attention and be less likely to run into Sir James there, even if that would bring them near the ballroom. Diana was dressed in an appropriately festive if slightly too-small gown of green silk, and while the garment was successful in looking reasonably fashionable, it also slowed her pace considerably.
“I’m sorry, I’m moving as quickly as I can.”
“I can’t say I mind the delay,” said Colin in an impish voice, trailing behind her. When Diana turned back to look at him in surprise, she saw his gaze was fixed on the curve of her derriere, an expression of appreciation plain on his face. “No matter how dire the circumstances, only a blind fool would complain of a sight so lovely.”
A curious look crossed Colin’s features, and she could see his fingers clench into a fist as though stopping himself from reaching out and cupping her bottom lustily. Diana turned away again, hoping she would not lose herself in a blushing fit.Would that there was time for such things …she thought sadly, trying to restrain the desire she felt welling up within herself and focus on the task at hand.
More than once on their progress, they had to duck into a corner or an open doorway when Colin sighted the face of a partygoer who would recognise them and delay their progress. And this was hardly the only impediment to their progress; half-hidden behind Lady Westermont, Diana caught sight of Gerard Dunn peering over the heads of the other partygoers, and she doubled her pace down the corridor, praying he had not seen her.
