Page 60 of Her Heart's Rightful Earl
Tears of betrayal and rage filled Alexander’s eyes, clouding his vision so he could read no more.
***
When Thomas arrived to speak with Alexander that afternoon, he found his friend sitting upon the floor of the mill, poring over a leather-bound book.
‘What of the visit to Joseph Evans?’ Thomas asked as he sat tentatively beside Alexander, on a bale of hay. He sensed his friend was in some melancholy state and wanted to respect his low mood, whilst desperate to discover what had dampened his enthusiasm.
Alexander looked up at Thomas as though the visit to meet with Joseph Evans was an event from long ago and far away. It was true that so much had happened since then, and Alexander took a deep breath before recounting the trail of events.
‘Edmund left Evans with this journal—’ Alexander held it aloft. ‘And these musings by my cousin declare that Marcus murdered our father.’
Thomas’s mouth dropped agape. He had yet to hear his friend make such an admission.
‘It seems I owe you and Captain Morrison an apology,’ Alexander said, looking away, ashamed. ‘You were right, and I was blind to my brother’s faults, insistent that he was a victim.’
‘Friend …’ Thomas reached out to place a supportive hand on Alexander’s shoulder, but Alexander flinched out of the way.
‘No! I have been ignorant. You and the captain have worked tirelessly to uncover the truth, and my blind loyalty has stood in the way of you advancing this investigation to the point where an arrest can be made. In truth, you are helping to grant me back my freedom! And I have been nothing but an obstacle for you both!’
‘It is completely understandable that you should struggle to believe your brother could be guilty of such atrocities! We did not judge you in your reluctance to agree with our theory,’ Thomas consoled him.
Alexander took a moment to sit in the feeling of sadness before explaining to Thomas, ‘My brother not only killed my father, but he purposely framed me as the murderer …’
Thomas nodded a sympathetic understanding.
‘This had not occurred to me initially. That if he were the killer, how heinous a situation and horrendous a person he is, but that additional fact that he wanted to implicate me as the perpetrator, it cuts me deeply.’
‘It is awfully hurtful,’ Thomas agreed.
‘I have been trying to console myself with the idea that he bid me run. But if it had not been for my running toyou, and your rescue mission in promptly sourcing help from Laird MacLeod to relocate me in Scotland, then I may well have been killed, just as his fabricated story suggested.’
Thomas dropped his eyes to the dusty, straw-laden floor. No words could assist his friend through this stark realization.
‘I am utterly betrayed. It feels devastating that the boy I helped to raise has turned on me, framed me as a murderer, saved me from the magistrate in theory, but done nothing in any effort to reach out to ascertain whether I survived, where I went, and what became of my life. He would have had me die in a ditch as an anonymous body.’
Thomas reached out to land a supportive hand of solidarity on Alexander’s shoulder. This time, Alexander did not flinch away.
‘At least now we know. The positive we must take from this devastation is that we have a clear picture of who actually killed your father and evidence,’ Thomas placed his hand on the journal, ‘to prove it. We must take some optimism for the future in this …’
‘But while I have been dawdling around unlikely alternative scenarios and wasting precious energy defending Marcus, the scoundrel has been free and likely weighing up who is to become his next victim!’
Thomas’s eyeline dropped to the floor, as he could not deny that this was likely the case.
‘I have endangered you, Captain Morrison, my mother,anddear Arabella! I feel certain he must be aware of our investigation and suspicions. And weknow,Carrington, that he does not allowpeople to survive if they pose a threat to compromise his status and freedom!’
Thomas nodded sadly. ‘It is true. Then how do we plan on rectifying it?’
Alexander shrugged. ‘I know that we need to report him, but it is counterintuitive for me.’
Thomas nodded and sensitively added, ‘It is right that we bring him to justice.’
‘The problem with this justice is that it feels more as though I am destroying the last remnant of my family.’
Chapter 21
Margaret and Arabella sat at the breakfast table quite silently, lost in their own tense thoughts, while Charlotte chattered happily about what a beautiful morning it was. She may have seemed oblivious to their discomfort but tentatively attempting to draw them out from their dark moods.
‘Sister, shall we visit town tomorrow? There is a new boutique I wish to visit. Marjorie Simpkins mentioned they have the most darling dresses!’
