Page 15 of Long Live the Baron
“You do not deny he was here, then!”
“Why would I? Your word is inconsequential, so …”
“You will not help Mr. Ridley, despite his innocence?”
“I think … not.” The reply was callous. Heartless. The viscountess seemed to enjoy toying with her, entertained in the manner of a horrid little boy pulling the wings off an insect.
Lily clenched her hands lest they fly into the air to slap the shameless hussy across the face. The widow was several inches taller than her and merciless, so an attack seemed ill-advised. “But why? You must care for him? You were to spend the night with him!”
Lady Slight sneered. “Your naïveté is too obvious, dear. If I provide him an alibi, I shall be forced to wed him to save my public reputation. I would never marry a mere baron. I am the widow of an important viscount, with the freedom to conduct any affairs I wish, you ridiculous girl.”
Lily stuck out her chin, squaring her shoulders. “You have no honor, my lady!”
The viscountess froze, her jaw firming. An ormolu clock on one of the side tables ticked in the silence as Lily stared Lady Slight in the eye. Eventually, the other woman blinked and turned away. “The opinion of an unwed chit does not signify.”
With that, she moved back to her seat, floating through the air like a leaf dancing in the wind. Lily watched her carefully drape her skirts as she sat down and realized she was being dismissed. Turning, she grabbed Nancy by the arm, who was standing close to the door with wide eyes and craning to hear the exchange.
“We are leaving, Nancy.”
“We are grieving?”
“LEAVING!”
Lily stalked through the door as thoughts collided in her head. Had she made matters worse? How was she to fix this? Mr. Ridley was innocent, and the dreadful viscountess would not lift a finger to help him!
* * *
“You must informthe coroner where you were. It is the only way.” The earl’s frustration with Brendan was rising.
“Who is the lady you were with, Brendan? Perhaps I can visit and persuade her to assist.” The duke’s tone was even, but his concern was drawn in the lines between his bronzed brows and in the slight narrowing of his eyes.
Brendan shook his head. He could not reveal that without the lady’s consent.
Be honest with yourself.
He winced. Wishing to speak to Lady Slight before revealing her identity was part of it. However, the truth was his affair with Lady Slight embarrassed him. Richard despised the woman for her involvement with his brother, Perry. Brendan could not blame him. He knew that it had been a dishonorable move to knock boots with the ace of spades because of the vacancy left by Perry’s marriage.
You were thinking with your Thomas.
This was hard to refute. Lady Slight, while an elegant presence, certainly did not provide scintillating conversation or challenge him as an educated man. There was a reason Perry had fallen in love with a woman who bore no resemblance to the widow.
Richard stood with a grunt of disgust, stalking over to the library windows to gaze sightlessly. Shaking his head, he turned back to bark the question Brendan had been dreading. “Who is she? It must be someone we know or you would not be so reticent! We are your friends! Your family! We cannot help you unless you tell us all that happened.”
Brendan shook his head again. “The lady does not signify.”
Lady Slight might be interesting to bed, but he knew without a doubt that the woman was selfish and would never agree to be involved in his troubles at the cost of her reputation. It was one thing for her to engage in affairs privately, and most of polite society was well aware of her behavior. Admitting such formally would be ruinous. The lady would be shunned by the same nobility who had visited her in her boudoir, or had tittered behind their fans with her as they gossiped about their respective liaisons. The hypocrisy of their set was not lost on him.
If he had been more honorable himself, he might now have a legitimate alibi to call on. He could not blame Lady Slight for being in this predicament. There were only his own damned choices at fault.
“We must focus on finding the suspect instead.”
The earl shook his head in disgust at Brendan’s proclamation. “How are we to investigate while the taint of suspicion lies on you?”
The duke sighed, sitting back in his chair and resting his hands on his long, muscled legs. “I agree. I looked into this Grimes, and he has important supporters, as Briggs asserted. There could be serious repercussions to this if we do not clear your name quickly. Even now there is talk of your guilt running through the halls of Westminster, which could severely detain your confirmation as baron. Meanwhile, the household and tenants of Baydon Hall, along with the rest of your people, are without representation. There is no lord to sign any documents, or to approve any matters. No method to pay any wages. We must prevail on this woman to come forward, even if we must provide enticement.”
Brendan sat back, rubbing his temples as he tried to think. Two days ago, he had been an heir to a barony, spending his allowance and chasing skirts such as the widow Slight. Now he was on the cusp of being accused of murder, and facing possible confinement in the Tower.
How many leave the Tower as free men once they are imprisoned?
