“They still need to be punished.”Zachary slammed his fist into his palm, looking around the circle at the rest of them in disbelief that no one was jumping to agree with him.He looked at Drake, who was still sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed, the rise and fall of his chest so even with long, deep breaths that he might have been sleeping, but they all knew he was not.“Drake… you loved your father…”
“I did,” Drake confirmed.
“You cannot just arbitrarily punish everyone,” Christian interrupted, with surprising heat.He glared at Zachary.“This plot seems to go wider and deeper than we realized, and?—”
“Easy for you to say.Everyone knows your father thought you were a disappointment and your mother is dead, so you do not have to explain to her why you’re unwilling to punish those involved.”Zachary snapped out the words.
Everyone leaned back in their seats, and Drake’s eyes flew open.Gregory hissed under his breath as Christian’s face went stark white.
Zachary closed his eyes and shook his head.“I’m sorry… I… I’m sorry.I did not mean… but I stand by what I said.Someone needs to pay for what was done to our fathers.”
“The right people need to pay,” Drake said firmly, staring at Zachary.His expression had hardened to stone.“I do not want dupes and scapegoats; I want the person behind it all.”
Zachary looked down at the floor, his shoulders tight with tension.He did not respond to Drake’s remark as he sank back into his chair.Matthew got the feeling that Zachary would happily have everyone hang, even those who did not know what they had gotten themselves into.Johanna had been right to be fearful.
He brushed his fingers over his pocket again.
He did not know if he should keep going.
But he did not know if he could just stop now, either.He had already started to tell them.
“Someone has to pay,” Zachary repeated, but now he sounded more forlorn than angry.
Sebastian leaned over and put his hand on Zachary’s shoulder.
“They will,” Sebastian said gently.He was pale, too.Like Zachary, he’d had a good relationship with his father.Matthew was thankful that he was not rushing into anger in the same way.“But Drake is right, we want the person behind the plot.”He looked up at Matthew.“This person, did they know what the sleeping potions were to be used for?”
“No, of course not.”
“They should have asked,” Zachary replied bitterly, sitting up and shaking Sebastian’s hand off his shoulder.
“Ah, yes,” Christian quipped dryly.He was still pale but had rallied.What Zachary had said to him was cruel.“I’m sure that if they had asked Montblanc, he would have told them it was to assist him in murdering a bunch of nobility.He certainly would not have lied about that.”
Zachary looked down at the floor again, shaking his head, but he did not say anything.He likely did not want to say anything else so harsh to Christian, not after his first outburst.
“We do not even know ifheknew how many of our fathers were targeted,” Gregory said.“Since the note he left said that he did not realize what he’d gotten himself into.How can a… well, anyone, selling sleeping potions think that they would be used in such an outrageous manner?”
“That is also not the important part,” Matthew interjected.His fingers came up empty again, but it did not matter.Regardless of what Zachary, or any of the others, thought about him protecting Johanna’s mother, he was going to do it, and he was going to focus them on the most important part.The actual new clue.Hopefully, it would be enough to divert Zachary’s attention, though he would have to tell Johanna not to trust Zachary in the future.The thought made his chest ache, but Zachary’s rage was too hot to be logical.“The important part is that the steward sent a man to pick up some of the potions, and I recognized his description.”
“Another dupe?”Zachary asked sarcastically.“And what does that matter that there is now another person we have to chase down, who was not directly connected to our fathers’ deaths?Or are you saying that you believe this man might be the leader of the plot?”His voice dripped with disdain, obviously still unhappy that he was not getting what he wanted.
Matthew shook his head and leaned forward.
“Because, unlike the person who came to me with the information, who had no connection to any of our fathers, this man had good reason to want my father dead.”
ChapterForty-One
Johanna
Lady Chesterham greeted Lady Stark, Johanna, and Rose with warmth and a wide smile as they congratulated her on her granddaughter’s marital match.
“We owe it all to Lady Hu,” Lady Chesterham enthused.“It was her keen insights that made my daughter aware of the marquess’ interest in my granddaughter.He was too shy to put himself forward, but once they were formally introduced… well, they’ve been nigh inseparable ever since.It looks to be a very happy union.”
“How lovely,” Lady Stark said, patting Lady Chesterham’s hand.“I am so glad to hear Lady Hu was able to help.”
“Oh, yes, and she is here today with her granddaughter.”Lady Chesterham beamed.“Do go on and say hello, they’re a bit further into the garden.We are being a tad informal today.There are tables and sitting areas set out all throughout the space.I wanted to be a bit frivolous.”She giggled, blushing, looking quite girlish despite her years, as the joy for her granddaughter filled her face.
They thanked her and went onward, down the stairs from the porch where she had met them and into the gardens.