Page 35 of An Unbending Lady for the Desperate Earl
The Duchess turned her focus to Christian. “And you trust this young lady? You have trusted her with the safe return of Lady Helena?”
“I trust her entirely, Your Grace. I don’t believe I would trust anyone else with this case, for she has already made more progress than anyone else who is supposed to be looking for these ladies.” Christian looked to the Duchess in earnest, warming Victoria’s heart despite herself.
“Very well.” The Duchess dabbed at her eyes. “Ask your questions, and I will answer. Although, I must say… it is rather peculiar to encounter a female investigator, but… I feel more at ease with you than I would with any brutish gentleman who might have tried to sit where you are. I d-do not feel afraid.”
“You have nothing to fear from me,” Victoria reassured. “My sole purpose is to solve this case and bring those ladies back. I seek no glory for myself, as other investigators might. I only want justice to be served.”
The Duchess hiccupped. “Then… I will endeavor to trust you as Lord Galbury seems to. You are certainly convincing. I only hope there is substance to your words, and it is not bluster.”
“I assure you; it is not.” Victoria kept the affronted edge out of her voice. The Duchess was in the midst of the worst possible nightmare. That allowed for a curt or thoughtless sentiment or two. “Now, may I begin with my questions?”
The Duchess inclined her head. “You may.”
“What time did you depart the ball last night?”
“Midnight,” the Duchess replied. “I remember, because the clock in the entrance hall at the Whitfield household began to chime as we exited.”
Victoria squeezed the Duchess’ hand tighter. “Very good, Your Grace. And did you take your customary route from the Whitfield residence to your own?”
The Duchess froze.
“Your Grace?” Christian prompted.
“N-no… we didn’t take our customary route.” The Duchess inhaled sharply. “We tried to, but then… the driver stopped. I peered out to see what the delay was and saw a carriage across the road. It looked as though a wheel had loosened, or something of that ilk. The driver asked what the matter was, and a fellow replied by saying that the carriage needed repairing. As such, our driver had to take an alternative route home.”
Victoria’s heart quickened. “Did you see the fellow who spoke?”
“Yes, I believe I did.” The Duchess furrowed her brow. “Well, in a manner of speaking. He wore a long, hooded cloak, so I couldn’t glimpse his face, but he was exceedingly tall and slim—I remember thinking he reminded me of a heron. I even remarked it to my darling Jane, though she was having difficulty staying awake.”
It is him… the skinny fellow that Miss Jennings spoke of.She felt certain of it, but another thought pricked at her mind. A darker, more unsettling one.
“Did her sleepiness come on suddenly?” Victoria pressed.
“Y-yes… actually, it did. One moment, she was imploring me to allow her to stay, so she might continue to speak with Lord Marchmont, and the next she could hardly hold up her own delicate weight.” The Duchess’ voice held a note of panic. “Lord Marchmont himself helped her to the carriage. Goodness, he was so very concerned for her.”
“Who is Lord Marchmont?” Victoria interjected, wondering if they may have happened upon another suspect. One who had resorted to a chemical of some kind, to bring on artificial weariness in the unsuspecting Lady Jane.
The Duchess shifted awkwardly. “It is not yet common knowledge, but… Lord Marchmont is to wed my sweet Jane. He made his proposal but two weeks ago, so we are awaiting the first of the banns to be placed in the papers.”
A gasp escaped Victoria’s lips before she could stop it. “Lady Jane is engaged?”
“A recent occurrence, but yes.” The Duchess paled, biting her lower lip.
Then why did you attempt to foist Lady Jane upon Christian, despite him being woefully unavailable as a suitor?With Lady Helena’s continued absence, it was easy to forget the reason that Victoria and Christian had been brought together in the first place—because he was to marry Lady Helena, and desired to have her found. He didn’t behave like a gentleman with a betrothed, but then, he had explained to Victoria that he had never quite felt as though hewerebetrothed, given the friendly nature of his relationship with Lady Helena.
Do not dare to get your hopes up, Victoria,she chided herself. After all, she had said it herself—Christian was woefully unavailable.
“Do you not care for Lord Marchmont?” Christian came in unexpectedly.
The Duchess hesitated, saying a great deal more with her stilted silence than if she had indulged in an outburst. “I… had higher ambitions for my beloved Jane, that is all. It is not that I do not care for Lord Marchmont. I like him well enough.”
“He is the firstborn of an Earl,” Christian countered. “Did you seek a Duke’s son, instead?”
“I do not know what I sought,” the Duchess admitted. “But I never thought him worthy of my sweet girl. Her father adores the gentleman, of course, so there is little I can do about it. Oh, I do not know… perhaps there is no one, in a mother’s mind, worthy of their only daughter.”
“Does Lord Marchmont know what has happened to Lady Jane?” Victoria moved the conversation along. If Lord Marchmont was not a suspect, then he was not important to this case. Blunt, but true. And Victoria was content to strike him from her list, considering they had been recently engaged. There would be no benefit to Lord Marchmont drugging his fiancée and stealing her away, as he could have used the subterfuge of a loving excursion if he had wanted to do such a thing. Besides, Victoria could think of no reasonwhya fiancé would want to do such a thing, which was more the point.
“Not as yet. The Duke departed shortly before you arrived, to tell him of the news.” The Duchess lowered her gaze, shaking her head faintly.
