Page 65 of The Odd Riddle of the Lost Duchess
When the manservant bowed and left, George stood behind his desk with his eyes narrowed and his body as tense as a rod of steel. “Where are your manners, Newberry—you cannot come into my home without my leave and aren’t you warned to stay in your part of the country?”
“I am a Duke,” Newberry replied, “I only respect the law when I have reason to. I have issues far greater than a frivolous suspicion issue about me.”
“And what would that be?” George asked stiffly.
“I think my grandmother paid someone to kill Lady Emmeline,” Newberry uttered and George’s blood ran cold. “I need your help to find the scoundrel and make him pay. Will you agree?”
Chapter 23
A Fragile Alliance
Noah had never in his life imagined that he would be turning to his enemy for help, but then again, the enemy of his enemy was his friend, and in this case the man who had killed Emmeline was his enemy. His enmity for Leverton was not even a fraction of his hatred for the man who had killed his beloved.
“Will you help me with this, Leverton?” Noah asked, while removing his night cloak and putting it over his arm to reveal his dark clothes. “I know you want revenge for your sister and I want total vengeance.”
Leverton slowly sat back in his chair and braced his elbows on his desk, “Do you have any proof of this?”
“May I sit?” Noah asked.
“I’d prefer you not, but if your argument has any merit, you may,” Leverton replied, with his fingers laced before him.
“You be the judge,” Noah replied, while sitting on the chair before Leverton. “The first clue I had was overhearing my mother and grandmother speaking and Emmeline’s name was—”
“Lady Emmeline,” George interrupted.
Noah’s jaw flexed in irritation but continued, “Lady Emmeline’sname was mentioned. My grandmother stated outright that she had to be removed and that my mother had agreed to it. Five nights ago, I saw my mother paying a man who she had sent to search out whether my grandmother had really paid someone to kill Lady Emmeline. I launched my own search, and I’ve found a connection to a mercenary that operates in London and the surroundings. It was the same man that my grandmother had dealt with.”
Leverton was silent, “And you’re sure?”
Ire sparked in Noah’s mind but he quelled it, “Positively, but until I am free of all these erroneous charges, I cannot freely chase after the man. I need you to do this for me until I am absolved.”
The other Duke was silent but his eyes, golden like Emmeline’s, made Noah uncomfortable as the silence stretched. It got to the point where Noah felt his cause was lost and he was about to be ushered—or thrown out—of the Leverton’s manor.
“Why are you truly doing this?” Leverton asked, with his eyes digging into Noah’s. “I am not above thinking you’re using trickery.”
“For what?” Noah snapped, “What on earth sort of trickery would evoke this?”
“The Lords in London know about our feud,” Leverton replied, “This can easily be you currying favor with them to spite me.”
Noah’s lips thinned, “I came to you in good faith, hoping you would put aside this damned feud, and get absolution for one we both love. Put suspicions aside, man—not everyone is as underhanded as you are.”
Leverton’s hands slapped the table and he glared darkly, “You are waking on thin ground, Newberry.”
“Are you not owning up to your treachery, then?” Noah inquired. “You cut off all my contact with London, and then offer me a flimsy deal, which pushed me to tell the Lords in London about your actions. I am not born a tattletale, Leverton, but I will go to all ends to defend my people, even if that means sacrificing my honor and pride in the process.”
“Honor.” Leverton snorted while leaning back smugly, “Please give me your definition of honor.”
Oh, for the love of God!Noah cursed internally. “Honor is sacrifice, which is the only reason I’m here staring my archenemy in his face. Honor is doing what is right, even if it means forsaking your own family or birthright to do it.”
“A very eloquent speech, Newberry,” Leverton replied contemptuously, “Did you happen to give my sister the same drivel?”
“I wasn’t given the opportunity to tell her that I would have thrown myself in the projection of a lead ball for her, or brave the ten trials of Hercules if her hand was the prize,” Noah said calmly, “She could have asked me for a blood ransom, Leverton, and I would have barred my arms. That is how much I love your sister. Think of that speech in any way you desire.”
The words Noah had just said had come from the bottom of his soul and after uttering them he felt empty like a malevolent force had come and ripped him in half and spilled his entrails.
Leverton looked uneasy as he shifted in his chair, “Love…you saidlove.”
Noah frowned, “Yes, and what of it?”
