Page 65 of Long Live the Baron
“I need to help,” was the only explanation Lily’s brother offered.
“What of Lord Moreland?”
“My father wishes to be with Lily. He asked me to apprise him of the specifics.”
Brendan nodded, stepping aside to allow him entry.
CHAPTER18
“For it is precisely when a force has fallen in danger that it is able to strike a blow for victory.”
Sun Tzu, L’Art de la Guerre (The Art of War)
* * *
“Where did you get the rifle?” Briggs was taking notes in his book, a stubby pencil in his hand.
Michaels huffed in disdain. “From the study. There is a collection of flintlock rifles displayed on the wall, which I believe you have seen.”
Briggs continued taking his notes, ignoring the butler’s rebuke.
“Those rifles are decades old. How did you know they would be serviceable?”
This time Michaels’s irritation was not veiled. “I am responsible for maintaining them. As you are aware, my father was a gamekeeper at Baydon Hall.”
“But how did you happen to have fresh gunpowder at hand? It would not have been advisable to attempt what you did with gunpowder that had been stored for three decades?”
Michaels’s expression was stony. “I ordered a small batch of fresh gunpowder through the household accounts when the late baron was killed.”
“Why?”
“Because I concluded that one of my servants must have assisted the killer or must be the killer. I felt it was my duty to take steps to protect the household.”
“Did you suspect Wesley?”
Michaels straightened in his chair, turning a frosty glare on the runner. “As a matter of fact, I did. I surmised you were too busy investigating me after over three decades of loyal service to the Ridley family to notice that his story about arriving back from Yorkshire on the morning after the coronation did not wholly line up with the mail coach schedules. I thought it possible that he reached London the same night as the murder, so I …” The butler gestured at the room in general, as if presenting the morning’s events as evidence of his conclusions.
Brendan grimaced. “I apologize you must be questioned thus, Michaels. We are in your debt for the swift action that you took.”
Michaels breathed deeply, then gave a brief nod of acknowledgment. “I grew up with Master Josiah. The idea that I could harm the man …”
He shook his head, and Brendan suddenly understood the cantankerous servant who had served him for nearly seven years. Michaels might be thorny, but he was loyal to Brendan’s family. He still referred to the late baron as Master Josiah, obviously remembering him as a boy at Baydon Hall all those many years ago, before he was assigned to maintain the London townhouse.
“I am sorry for the loss you must have suffered when Lord Filminster was killed. And I am sorry that you were put in a position where you had to take a man’s life today. You are a valued member of this household, and we shall discuss recompense for your courageous service and foresight in preparing the firearms in case of an emergency.”
A flash of emotion crossed the older man’s face, and he bobbed his head. Brendan could only be grateful that he had not attempted to pension the man off based on an overreaction to the events which had been transpiring. If the butler had not acted so swiftly, even now Lily could be missing or injured. Or worse.
Briggs interrupted the silence. “I apologize, Mr. Michaels, if my questions seem intrusive. I am hoping to collect all the facts before the coroner arrives so that I may facilitate a fast inquiry by his office. I believe this household has experienced enough troubles in recent weeks, and that your actions were in the right. You deserve recognition for taking action to protect the young wife of a peer.”
Michaels relaxed his defensive stance. “I appreciate that, Mr. Briggs. I have no wish to prolong this matter.”
“I shall definitely put in a good word and ask the Home Secretary to have this matter closed as quickly as possible. There are certainly sufficient witnesses to what transpired with Wesley to settle it.” The duke spoke from across the library, where he had been listening from the window facing the street.
Brendan reflected it would be a wonderful thing to close this chapter. Two dead men in their home in about as many weeks was a lot. Right now, he wished he could shoo every last visitor out and return to Lily’s side. He had so much he wanted to say to her.
“I suppose that leaves us with the question of finding the letter that might reveal the true killer’s identity.” Richard spoke out of the dim stacks.
Brendan shook his head. “We should not raise our hopes regarding that. Given that Wesley had been searching the house for about two weeks now to no avail, we may never find it. If it even exists.”
