Page 37 of Lord Trafford's Folly
“I am made of resilient stuff.”
His friend shook his head in disagreement. “Nay, Julius. This is not a jest. If Miss Gideon had not been there to help fend off the assailant, or to nurse you back to health, you may very well have been killed.”
Julius glanced away. He was well aware of how much he owed the remarkable young woman. He was still trying to work out his thoughts so he could inform Audrey of his intentions. His proposal must be done so as to not raise false hopes. The notion of hurting her was more than he could bear, but his vow to never marry was at war with his honor. Subsequently,he had not settled on his precise offer to save her. The scandal she would encounter the moment they left Aunty Gertrude’s to return to the real world would be great. His sense of loyalty rang strong in his veins, and offering a marriage in name only while he gallivanted around London did not sit right somehow. He needed to find a compromise that addressed all ramifications so that Audrey was well taken care of.
Seeking a distraction from these uncomfortable issues, Julius endeavored to change the subject.
“Has anything happened since we last met? Sunday, was it not?” It was hard to believe it was less than a week since the baroness had been startled by the intruder in the Ridleys’ library.
Brendan cleared his throat but did not respond.
Abbott interjected from across the room. “An intruder broke into Filminster’s study. Michaels fought him off but was injured.”
Julius straightened in alarm. He had known Brendan’s cantankerous butler for years, and often teased him into rousing arguments to break Michaels out of his belligerent moods. In other words … Julius was fond of the old man.
“Is he … well?” He tensed, bracing himself for the worst of news. Michaels was not young, and a hired thug could well wreak some damage.
“Michaels is recovering. He was back on his feet despite doctor’s orders by the next morning. I have one of the footmen reporting to me, and I have ordered him to take it easy.”
Julius exhaled in relief at this news. “So he is to work ten hours rather than twenty?”
Brendan grinned. “Most likely. I told him he could work four or five hours at most, so ten would be a good guess by my estimation. He is determined to prepare Ridley House for the renovations we plan with Barclay Thompson when he returnsto London. Not to mention the new staff we hired that must be trained in the ways ofhishousehold.” The last was laced with irony.
“He is serious about his work.” Julius snorted.Unlike moi.
“He is serious about the Ridley family. I always thought the old goat was critical of me, but it turns out that it is just his personality. He is loyal.”
A man I can respect.
Julius paced up and down, thinking about this revelation and the lack of progress he had made over the last few days. They now knew the killer must be Stone, Montague, or Scott. But beyond that, no further evidence had come to light.
“This is so frustrating. There must be a way to force progress in this investigation!”
Abbott snapped back, “Not if it gets you killed!”
Julius stopped, arms akimbo, as he tried to find a path forward. “I will remain low, in the hopes that it keeps the killer on the hook. If he believes there is a possibility he will remain unaccused—that he can still walk away from this crime as long as he can silence me—perhaps he will make a mistake in his desperation to keep me quiet.”
Brendan nodded. “Agreed. You remain hidden.”
“But,” Julius continued, “we must come up with a plan to draw him out.”
Abbott scowled. “You are not to go off and do something foolish!”
Julius was not accustomed to answering to anyone, but considering Audrey was with him, he would have to act with more discretion than the clumsy attempt earlier this week. He had no wish to meet his death, but, more than that, he could not drag Audrey into unnecessary danger.
“Agreed.”
Audrey heardfootsteps on the stairs. She watched the two men departing from the alley, vigilant to her duties as guard, while she waited for Julius to join her.
“This situation is so frustrating,” commented Julius as he entered the room and took a seat on one of the cots that the grooms slept on. “I feel I am so close to uncovering the killer, yet we make no progress. Three days of following these men has brought nothing to light other than … well … they all seem to go about their daily business with no cares about the murder.”
Audrey moved away from the window after ensuring there were no signs of movement. His friends had disappeared from sight several moments earlier, and the alley was still clear, so her work was done for now. She walked over to take a seat on the opposite cot, watching Julius with sympathy.
“I would agree that none of these men appear to have dire emergencies pressing on their thoughts. On the other hand, the guilty party is a stone-cold killer, so we cannot expect him to behave as we would under similar circumstances. The baron may have been killed during the heat of passion, but that ruffian attacking you in the street was calculated.”
Julius heaved a deep sigh. “There must be something we can do to draw him out.”
Audrey felt selfish, falling silent while she struggled with her desire to remain on this adventure with Julius. Struggled with the notion that the longer it took to solve their dilemma, the longer she could spend time with him and enjoy herself.
