Page 25 of Her Heart's Rightful Earl
“A Military Investigator, well-versed in criminal networks and suspicious deaths. I have it on good authority he is methodical and thorough.”
Alexander wiped his mouth with his thumb. “I certainly hope so.”
With that, the door creaked open. Thomas and Alexander stepped aside to see a tall, grizzled man whose face was lined in a way that suggested he frowned often and smiled little. His dark eyes darted between Thomas and Alexander with suspicion.
“Lord Thomas Carrington?” he asked, his voice gravelly and intentionally low.
“How do you do?” Thomas bowed slightly, and the captain bowed back, turning his attention to Alexander.
“Good day. I am …” Alexander paused, unsure how to introduce himself. Thomas came to his rescue.
“The Right Honourable Earl of Wellwood-”
Alexander turned quickly to his friend. “I am not. My faithful brother assumes that title now.’
“How should we have you addressed, my dear fellow? Any alternative station is below your standing.”
Alexander dropped his eyes to the floor. He had been simply ‘James MacLeod’ for so many years now that he felt unworthy of a title.
“My friend is Alexander Hartwell and should be The Right Honourable Earl of Wellwood,’ Thomas clarified for their visitor. ‘But of all of this, I feel sure you are aware.”
“Indeed, I am.” The captain spoke with an unexpected compassion in his voice. “We shall reclaim your honourandyour title, I have confidence.”
Both Thomas and Alexander looked at the captain in shock.
“Do you believe so, Captain?” Thomas gasped.
“There is much work to be done. But already I sense the unravelling of something tremendous and revelatory.”
“Pray, do tell,” Thomas encouraged. All Alexander could do was stare, stunned by the potential concept of exoneration.
“Is the location secure?” The captain looked from side to side, his eyes hungrily seeking out each corner. “Are you satisfied our conversation is in no way compromised?”
“Fully satisfied,” Thomas asserted.
“Then I have some details to divulge …” The captain performed a strange twitch; it began at his collarbone and ascended as a tremor through his neck and up into his face, where he shook his head rapidly to rid himself of it.
Thomas and Alexander exchanged a glance of bewilderment.
The captain sniffed and continued as if nothing had happened, addressing Alexander directly.
“Lord Carrington and I decided the most effective place to start would be the death of your unfortunate cousin, Edmund Spencer. As his passing was more recent and utterly unexpected, we considered that perhaps there may be some suspicious circumstances–”
“But my cousin died of heart failure; natural causes—is this not what we were told, Carrington?”
“Indeed, it is …” Thomas frowned, as perplexed by this turn of events as Alexander.
“I spoke with the physician to ascertain this was indeed the case; however, it has transpired that Edmund suffered unusual discolouration and muscle spasms, which are inconsistent with a death from natural causes.”
“What does he suggest may have been the cause?” Alexander eagerly asked.
The captain looked both of them in the eye individually before announcing, “Poison.”
Thomas and Alexander inhaled sharply as a collective.
“But how can this be?” Thomas flailed.
“You are suggestingmurder!?” Alexander demanded.
