Page 33 of The Trouble With Titles
Nicholas gave a half chuckle, shrugging it off. “Do not grow maudlin on me, stinker.”
Simon laughed. The urge to embrace his brother was overpowering, but he knew it would be too much, so he kept his arms fixed to his sides and enjoyed the first win he had experienced in days. Nicholas had agreed to see a doctor otherthan that medicating fraud, Dr. White. This was a splendid day despite his numerous botherations.
Madeline spedalong the garden path as swiftly as her skirts permitted, her slippers crunching loudly as she almost ran. Her conversation with Henri had delayed her from meeting with Molly, and it was imperative she speak with her.
She hoped her friend had waited for her, but it was not a formal arrangement that they meet after breakfast. More of a happenstance of their morning routines converging. Given what her sister had revealed, Madeline was even more determined to learn what she could about the goings-on of the Scott household.
Bursting through the archway, she was elated to find Molly reading a book in the morning light. As she approached, she realized Molly was not reading, but staring at the cover as if she had forgotten what she was about and never opened the book.
“Molly?”
She flinched, raising her head. “Madeline. I am sorry. I was woolgathering.”
Madeline sank onto the bench, worried about her friend because she knew she had been making noise equivalent to a stampeding herd of elephants. It would take a smothering of worry to render Molly so deaf. “Is something wrong?”
Molly’s face was bemused. “I do not know. I have been thinking about this situation with Simon and … I suppose I feel rather helpless. He is an honorable man, and it is not right that he is in this situation. And …”
A cloud passed over her features, and Madeline had an intuition about what she did not wish to state out loud.
“You are wondering if there is a reason why the evidence points to Simon?”
Molly did not respond for several seconds, her voice weak when she finally answered. “Is someone in my household responsible for the baron’s death?”
Although it was causing Molly such anguish, Madeline found herself giddy to hear the sentiment voiced. Despite the horrific nature of their speculation, it eased Madeline’s guilt to hear her own thoughts echoed back to her from another source. “I confess, sleep eluded me as I turned that very fear over in my mind.”
Molly turned to her with an expression of profound relief. “Truly?”
“I believe that it is not only possible, but that someone must look into it.” Madeline steeled her nerve to say what she had come to say. “Wemust look into it.”
Her companion’s eyes rounded in alarm. “Could we not just convey our worries to Simon?”
“I attempted it just yesterday, but Simon is compromised when it comes to the Scotts. He will not admit the possibility that one of his relations may be a cold-blooded killer, and along with all the other issues he is dealing with?—”
Molly interrupted, intense with earnest interest. “We should. We should look into it without adding to Simon’s burdens. I so want to assist, and what can it hurt for us to do so? It would be better to uncover any disreputable secrets without external intervention.” She sounded emphatic, reaching a decision from only a gentle prod. It was as Madeline had hoped when her mind had plagued her with the worst outcomes all night.
“Just so. There is scandal brewing, so I do not wish to add to it, which is why I think we are uniquely positioned to investigate. A little. To be sure.”
“So what do we do?”
Madeline grimaced. This was the part that made her feel queasy. It would be such a horrible violation of privacy, and they would need to forget anything they found that did not pertain to the murder or an attempt to hide knowledge of the heirs.
“We search their desks and papers to see if there is any evidence pointing to contact with the late Lord Filminster or his relations, knowledge of the heirs in Italy, or …”
“Or what?”
Madeline pouted in thought. “I do not know. I have never investigated anything before. Perhaps the letter Lord Trafford sent? The one that has gone missing? If Trafford is correct, that letter was used to seek him out to attack him. Simon cannot find it, which means the killer may have it.”
An audible groan followed that statement. “I hope not. It would be a wonderful thing to confirm there is no hint of foul play, and the killer does not live in my home.”
Madeline chuckled despite their macabre topic. “I will certainly sleep better if I know you and Simon are not in the proximity of a deranged villain.”
“That is true.” Setting her book aside, Molly clapped in assent. “It is something. Better than nothing. Let’s do it!”
“Where do we begin?”
Tapping her fingers over her mouth in deep thought, Molly mulled the question over with care. “John has a desk in his rooms that he keeps locked, but I know how to unlatch it because he sent me to collect his journal for him when I first arrived because he was not feeling well.”
Madeline arched a brow. “That seems secure.”
