Page 122 of The Rogue's Last Scandal
“No. I will take a chair, and you will take a separate one.”
Gripping the chair arms, she asked him to explain.
His jaw firmed. “Your father wouldn’t want me to upset you.”
“And yet, here we are. You are saying to me that my father and Lord Shaldon were enemies?”
“Let us say, they were at cross-purposes. Your father was spying for a Spanish duke who was under the French thumb.”
“The Duque de San Sebastiano?”
“Perhaps. Shaldon, as you probably know, was a leader of the English spies.”
“And for this he would send a man from England to kill my mother? You make no sense. The war with Napoleon was over when Mama was killed.”
“The war in the Spanish colonies is not over.”
“But you believe Lord Shaldon meant to kill my mother.”
“I do. His man would have known your father’s ship was not yet in the harbor.”
“I see. Tell me what happened that day, Captain.”
“I don’t want to upset you.”
Or I don’t want to tell you. She watched him, her mind reeling. Lord Shaldon would not send a man to kill another man’s wife. She could not believe that about him.
“You have said that already. You have made an allegation that makes no sense. The crime has no motive.”
“I know what I know. What do you remember from that day?”
“I was not lucid that day as you know. I remember that you were there, but when I came fully to my senses, my father was with me. Tell me about the killer.”
“Your father asked me, if I arrived first, to check on your mother and you. We had heard there was an outbreak of fever. When I arrived at the house, your mother was dead, and the killer was standing over your friend’s body, knife in hand. I drew my sword and killed him.”
“Who was he?”
He looked away and again bit his lip. “I don’t know. The clothing was English. We believe he was also. We traced him to an inn frequented by foreign merchants.”
“And the connection to Lord Shaldon?”
Captain Llewellyn shrugged. “Your father’s hunch. He was pursuing it.”
“He shared those details?”
His sharp gaze turned on her. He had heard the doubt in her voice.
“I mean, please, you must tell me what he shared with you. It would help me to know what to do.”
“The only thing for you to do is leave here.” He leaned across the space separating the chairs. “I’m staying tonight in Southwark at the Talbot Inn. I’ve had my ship brought up, and tomorrow I’m returning to it. I’ll send a carriage for you.”
“That will be too obvious. I can hire my own carriage.”
“Do you have access to money?”
“Yes. I have enough, and Juan can find a hackney. My servants—”
“May come also.” He pursed his lips. “And the child.”
