Page 64 of Long Live the Baron
“We will keep our guards to patrol the house?—”
“What?”
Brendan glanced over at Lily, who had straightened in dismay. She did not want to be followed around the house now that they knew Wesley had been the one on their staff working in collaboration with the true perpetrator.
“They do not need to shadow you. Simply take care of our home until we know we are safe. In addition to that, we will have a new housekeeper and maids at the end of the week, so Ridley House will be properly staffed, along with a new lady’s maid. It will be far more difficult for any attempt at intrusion once there is a full staff on duty.”
Lily turned her gaze to her brother, who appeared mollified by Brendan’s assertions.
“See that you do, Filminster. My sister is irreplaceable.”
* * *
Brendan wishedhe could speak with Lily, and communicate to her all the thoughts simmering in his head, but after allaying Abbott’s fears, more family arrived.
First Lord and Lady Moreland, the latter sweeping in the room with a frantic expression and wailing in distress when she caught sight of her daughter. Soon Lily had been enveloped in her embrace, appearing to be crushed by the taller woman.
Then Lord Moreland had shaken his head, dragging Lily into another hug. In her father’s arms, Lily was the most diminutive Brendan had ever seen her. Just when he thought he might be able to speak with the Abbott family to assuage their panic, Richard and his wife were announced.
That was the moment when Brendan realized that his family connections had grown significantly in the past week. Richard and he were vaguely related through the duke because of Annabel, the earl and duke being cousins. They had not really thought of each other as family, the tie being rather distant. Now he was married to someone the earl considered to be under his protection, a mild throbbing of his jaw reminding Brendan just how protective Richard could be about his wife’s cousin and closest friend.
Then, too, he now had a new brother-in-law, who was currently watching him with a tense expression. Given the younger man’s fears for his sister’s safety, Brendan suspected he would be seeing Abbott regularly.
Then there were Lord and Lady Moreland, who after they had checked on Lily, turned their attention on him. Lord Moreland gestured him over.
“This is quite a pickle, son. I am just glad no one innocent was harmed. Is this matter settled now?”
“Not fully. We still need to confirm that the footman was acting with someone, and try to uncover their identity. But our household itself is now safe, I believe.”
“Wesley confessed to his involvement?” Richard demanded.
“He did. The killer paid him, according to what he told us.”
“If he was paid, why was he still here? Do you think he was waiting to quit in order to not raise suspicion?”
“That, and he had been promised additional blunt if he could find a letter that the baron had written.”
“A letter?”
“I was going to task Briggs and Michaels with searching the house to see if they could locate it. It might reveal the identity of the murderer.”
Richard exhaled hard, shaking his head. “That would be a wonderful thing, if we could find it. This situation this morning with Lily could have turned lethal. Sophia would be devastated if …”
The earl turned his gaze across the room where Lily and the countess were seated together, Lady Saunton’s arm around Brendan’s wife as they both sat in relieved silence together.
“There are no words to describe how devastated I would be right now if something had happened to Lily.”
When Brendan turned back, he found Richard contemplating him thoughtfully, his emerald eyes glimmering. “There is something special about these Abbott girls. Have you informed your wife that you are in love with her?”
Brendan felt a blush rising up his neck. “Not yet.”
Lord Moreland, whom Brendan had quite forgotten, clapped a hand on his back. “That is excellent news. Life is far more rewarding when you love your wife, not so Saunton?”
The duke and Annabel arrived, his sister rushing in with no thought to her dignity to lay eyes on him. Running across the room, she pulled him into a hard hug, trembling with emotion and wiping the tears from her eyes as she scolded him. He did not know for what, but he recognized her fear and acquiesced to her admonishments before she pulled him into another hug. Halmesbury clapped him on the back, swallowing hard as if he could not find the words to express himself, so he just shook his head before clapping him on the back once more.
Then Briggs appeared in the doorway, and Brendan left the gathering to inform the runner of what had happened. Richard and the duke joined them, and they all agreed to meet in the library. Peering back into the drawing room, Brendan assured himself that Lily was surrounded by family before descending the stairs.
It was when he entered the library where the others were waiting, turning to shut the door behind him, that he noticed Abbott had followed him down.
