Page 40 of Masquerading with the Duke
Jared looked at her more closely. ‘What brought you to that conclusion?’
‘My earliest memories are of Spaniards suspecting one another of having been French spies, even when there was next to no evidence. Such doubts ripped families apart and caused no end of ill feeling. As often as not the allegations proved to be false but the stigma of suspicion never went away.’
Jared decided not to insult her intelligence by denying it. ‘There have been problems with intelligence leaks. My own father was suspected of sympathising with Napoleon, which by association has left the stigma you just referred to hanging over my head.’
‘Which is probably why you worked so hard for the government to prove them wrong.’ She looked both bewildered and affronted. ‘But despite your loyalty, they think you are the guilty party.’
‘Arthur, my brother, pontificated on that very matter in my drawing room earlier today.’
She seemed perplexed. ‘I thought he wanted a handout.’
‘He does, but he’s also involved with Redrow somehow. I just don’t know in what capacity. Yet.’
‘Other than to point the finger of suspicion away from Redrow and directly at his own brother.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘He sounds despisable.’
‘Despicable.’
‘Yes, that too.’
Jared found himself smiling when there was nothing remotely amusing about the subject matter. It was the way that she sprang to his defence that drew his admiration. ‘Arthur is not overburdened with brains, but this clumsy attempt at manipulation is a sign of desperation.’ Jared rubbed the back of his neck, glad that a breeze had sprung up after weeks of unrelenting heat. Lord Amos was in the right of it. He could smell rain in the air.
‘Let me see if I have got this straight. Redrow and your brother are somehow in league. You suspect Redrow of being disloyal to British interests because he doesn’t have the means to support his lavish lifestyle and, presumably, because he is party to the secrets that have been leaked.’
‘Go on.’
‘Redrow knows of your father’s questionable loyalties and has cleverly made it seem as though you are following in his footsteps, if only to avoid suspicion falling on him. And you have resigned from the diplomatic service because you are tired of being used as a scapegoat, but you purchased an estate close to Redrow’s so that you could keep an eye on him and catch him at his own game.’ She grinned at him. ‘That is what you did not tell me when I asked you why you settled in this particular district.’
He grinned and tweaked her nose. ‘Very astute.’
‘It hardly requires a great intellect to reach that deduction.’
‘In that case, perhaps you can tell me what’s possessed Arthur to behave in a manner that can only tarnish his name by association?’
‘Jealousy, of course. He wants what you have and resents you for having it. Besides, I dare say Redrow realises that you suspect him. He made it his business to find out that you had a resentful and, excuse me, not terribly intelligent brother with empty pockets and gave him a financial incentive to point suspicion your way. Arthur, to his credit, came to you in the hope that you would give him the money he needs to survive before taking the unpalatable alternative, which is to discredit his own brother.’ She smiled up at him, but he could see anxiety etched in her features. ‘There, I have reasoned it out for you. All that remains is to decide how we shall draw Redrow out.’
‘Weshall do no such thing,’ he said firmly, warding her off with both hands thrust towards her. ‘Thank you, but this is my dilemma and I shall solve it alone. I don’t want you involved. It might be dangerous.’
‘Fiddlesticks!’ she replied, tapping her foot impatiently.
‘I have the advantage in that Arthur doesn’t know that I am aware of his connection to Redrow. My man will follow Arthur tomorrow when, I suspect, he will meet with Redrow to talk over his discussion with me. Hopefully he will hear what is said. Then I shall have a better idea how to clear my name and redirect suspicion to the right quarter.’
‘Then I wish you good fortune,’ she said, making Jared suspicious when she capitulated so readily.
‘Thank you.’ He placed a hand on her elbow. ‘We have been outside for too long and had best rejoin the party.’
Chapter Eleven
Zach and Amos stood on the terrace, benefiting from the cool breeze that had sprung up. It was one in the morning and the last of the guests had just left. Zach anticipated joining Frankie upstairs shortly, but was reluctant to leave his brother alone. His distant expression as he twisted the stem of his glass between his fingers and stared vacantly out at the darkened grounds made Zach anxious.
‘Something on your mind?’ Zach asked, sipping at his brandy.
‘Braden,’ Amos replied, raising his own glass to his lips. ‘I don’t think he’s Clarence’s traitor.’
‘I agree, but then if men who were disloyal to British interests were implausible, they wouldn’t get away with it for very long.’
Zach threw his head back and roared with laughter when Amos told him about Braden’s interlude with Martina at the lake.
‘Something tells me that Martina took seeing himau naturalin her stride.’
