He turned to me, his eyes quite black in the magnified light of the mirror-lit larder. “You must find out everything that they might try to conceal. Be ruthless. Leave them no secrets to cling to, use whatever tactics you must. No man deserves that fate,” he finished with a flicker of his gaze toward the shrouded form.
I glanced from Lucian Snow’s remains to Brisbane’s implacable face. “I will not fail,” I told him firmly.
THE SEVENTEENTH CHAPTER
Truth will come to sight, murder cannot be long hid.
—The Merchant of Venice
Iwas surprised to find Sir Cedric standing outside Lucy and Emma’s door, shouting at the footman who barred his way. Sir Cedric was clearly in a temper, his usually ruddy complexion dark red at the ears and nose. The footman, William V, I think it was, looked at me with something like desperation.
“Good morning, Sir Cedric,” I greeted. “Is there something I can do for you?”
He looked from the footman to me with narrowed eyes, silent for a moment as if he were trying to place an unfamiliar face. Tiny flecks of saliva had gathered at the corners of his mouth, and I felt a little rush of pity for Lucy.
“Lady Julia. I have a mind to see my fiancée, but this buffoon will not open the door to me.”
I cleared my throat gently. “Well, it is rather inappropriate under the circumstances.”
His complexion darkened further still and I began to fear he would have an apoplexy, an eventuality too gruesome to consider. To begin with, there would be no place to store another body.
“The circumstances are, my fiancée is ill, and no one will give me news of her and she will not see me.”
I gave him my most winsome smile. “How terribly frustrating for you. Why don’t you go and have a cup of coffee, or perhaps a nice cigar? I will speak with Lucy and bring you news of her straightaway.”
The narrow eyes relaxed a little. “Will you? Straightaway?”
I patted his arm, drawing him away from the door. The footman seemed to sag a little in relief. “I promise. Sometimes ladies do have these little indispositions. I am sure it is nothing for you to concern yourself about.”
“She better not have taken a chill in that chapel last night. I warned March not to leave her there, and if she falls ill from it, I shall know who to blame,” he warned me.
I smiled again. “Lucy has suffered a very great shock, and we all want what is best for her. Now, you go and make yourself quite comfortable and I will do what I can.”
He thanked me grudgingly and took his leave, glancing back once or twice darkly at the footman. When he had rounded the corner of the dorter, the boy leaned against the door.
“Oh, thank you, my lady. I could not make him understand that Lord March said to admit no one except yourself or a maid. I thought I would have to hit him, and I do not think his lordship would have approved of that.”
I smiled at his earnestness. “You might be surprised, William. Has anyone else attempted to see the Misses Phipps?”
He thought for a moment. “No, my lady. The maid brought them a tray for breakfast, and Lord March was here very early to look in on the ladies.”
“Very good. And how long have you been here?”
“Mr. Aquinas fetched me out of bed a few hours before dawn to keep watch and let no one past. He said it was on Lord Wargrave’s orders, and when Lord March came he said that Lord Wargrave had been quite right.”
I nodded. “Excellent. You were perfectly right to refuse Sir Cedric.”
He blushed with pleasure. “Thank you, my lady.” He stepped aside smartly and opened the door for me.
The room was warm and quiet, and I moved inside, motioning for William V to close the door softly behind me.
“Julia,” came a feeble voice from the bed. I approached, surprised to find Emma awake. Lucy slumbered on, curled as tightly as a puppy against her sister. Emma held out her hand to me and I took it. It was cool and light as a bird.
“How are you feeling?” I asked her in a whisper. Lucy stirred but did not wake.
Emma gave a short shake of the head. “As well as one may expect. Uncle March was here earlier. He explained about the laudanum in the brandy.”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and I tightened my hand over hers. She smiled mistily at me.