Page 47 of Moonlight Encounter
Aidan had been wonderful while she had been … too damn needy. It was clear that she was scaring him away.
Aidan fingeredthe letter in his pocket. Filminster was cryptic as ever, presumably fearing to commit the details to the page, but Aidan understood what it meant. It was time for him to take action and discover what Smythe was up to.
It happened again. I have doubled the guards. - Filminster
Ridley House was still being watched, and someone had attempted to breach his sister’s home again. The only consolation was that there were men there to protect her from harm.
He headed to the library, trying to think what to do. Smythe was still up in his rooms, presumably getting some sleep after being out all night, which only confirmed Aidan’s suspicions he had been out.
Perhaps I could try to search his study once more?
It seemed pointless, but perhaps something new would turn up. Aidan was growing more certain that he should follow his father-in-law. Perhaps Smythe would leave his home again this afternoon and Aidan could find out what he was about?
That did not leave Aidan with many options. He supposed he could visit Ridley House to find out what hadhappened exactly, and then return to the Smythe home in time to see if Smythe took off on his errands again.
This seemed like the only course of action available. He could not just pace up and down in the library for several hours while Smythe was upstairs asleep.
His mind made up, he returned to the hall to order his mount prepared. When he reached the entry hall it was to find the butler engaging with two workmen. They were carefully lifting the grand painting hanging above the primary staircase, a large landscape of English ladies of the last century promenading in their finery. Lavish hats boasted ruffles and lace, perched on powdered hair while dogs ran around their feet. It appeared to be set in one of the parks of London, perhaps St. James’s.
And it was clearly valuable, possibly a Gainsborough.
“What is this, Jenson?”
The butler, a slim man in his fifties with iron-gray hair, glanced over his shoulder, then quickly turned back to the task at hand as the three men slowly lowered the heavy, gilded frame to the floor. Ordinarily, a gentleman would not demand such information from another’s household staff, but Aidan was the heir to a viscount, so few would have the temerity to deny him.
“Mr. Smythe has sold the painting, and these men are here to collect it.”
Aidan ran a hand through his hair, fighting back a growl of fuming frustration.
Smythe must be at the bottom of this!
The ongoing liquidation of assets coincided with both the murder and the recent attempts to breach Ridley House. Both reeked of desperation. A killer who needed to hide evidence of his dastardly deeds and obtain funds for some mysterious reason. Covering up the murder of a peer would cost coin. There were men being paid to watch Ridley House,and the now-deceased footman who had attacked Lily weeks earlier had hidden quite a stash in his things.
Most of Gwen’s dowry had been forfeited in light of the scandal, the Abbotts providing for her and their future progeny in the marriage contracts. Something Smythe had insisted on, and his own father had acquiesced to. Yet another indication that Smythe was obsessed with obtaining funds for some undisclosed reason.
As a result, Smythe had not been in a position to deny Aidan access to his residence because his contribution to Gwen’s future had been practically non-existent.
Smythe’s perfidy was on full display, and it was imperative that Aidan prove it and end this threat. If anything happened to Lily or her husband, the guilt would be too much to bear.
CHAPTER 12
“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals;separated from law and justice he is the worst.”
Aristotle
Gwen paced up and down in the library, doing her best to wear a hole into the wooden boards of the floor. They once had a luxurious Aubusson rug in here, but her father had had it taken away the month before, which was why her footfalls were not dampened by its wool pile.
She was stuck in a strange netherworld. Her new life had not truly begun because she was still residing in her father’s house, which was becoming unrecognizable, piece by piece. When she and Aidan moved into their own residence, surely an improved life would arise?
Stomp, stomp, stomp.
Patter, patter, patter.
Buttercup evidently thought the pacing was some sort of game, chasing along behind Gwen.
But they were not to move for several more weeks, and Gwen needed to find a way to repair her error soon or their marriage would begin poorly. Aidan must be repelled by her naïve statement, but there had to be something she could do to return them to the state of bliss from the night before.
She walked toward the towering shelves, then turned.
