“You’re serious, aren’t you? About the potential for financial difficulties?”
Lakehurst looked at him solemnly. “Very.”
“What are Cassandra’s—excuse me, Lady Darkford’s thoughts?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t shared my concerns with Lady Darkford as I don’t wish to worry her needlessly.”
Mr. Stillworth followed Lakehurst into the study and looked around at the books and papers piled about.
“I wonder,” Mr. Stillworth said softly.
“I beg your pardon?” Lakehurst said.
Mr. Stillworth waved his hand negligently. “Nothing. Just musing if Uncle Edmund had a hand in the Gallaghers actions. Doesn’t seem like he’d have the stomach for it, but it was a passing thought.”
“Everything should be a consideration until we know what has happened.”
“So why have you taken such an extreme interest in Lady Darkford and her affairs?” Mr. Stillworth asked, looking suspiciously at him.
“Because she threw a book across the room.”
“She threw a book?”
“Yes, a new gothic novel called‘The Game’by Anonymous.”
“I read about it in the newspaper. It’s causing quite a stir.”
“She claims chapter seventeen is like what she experienced the night the Marquess died.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll lend you a copy, and you can read for yourself.”
“Why can’t you just tell me? I ain’t much for novels.”
“It will make more of an impact, and you might understand better why Lady Darkford threw the book across the room.”
“Well, show me this proof about the Gallaghers,” he snapped, his tone eloquent in his vexation with Lakehurst.
Lakehurst ignored his attitude. “Right here,” he said, leading him to the round table where Lady Darkford had been working the previous day. “Here are receipts for expenditures. Note the date, amount, and vendor. Now we will look at the ledger book for that same time.”
Mr. Stillworth looked like he would protest the effort but instead sat down at the table to better look at what Lakehurst showed him.
He was silent a moment as he studied the entries, and then he looked up at Lakehurst. “The amounts recorded in the book are higher!”
Lakehurst nodded as he sat down opposite him. “Exactly, and there is a pattern of this occurring.”
“That was rather bold.”
“They either didn’t think they would be caught or that anyone would care.”
“A bit of both, I’d say. Now I understand your concern for the marquessate coffers. What about the estate steward? I met him once. I think his name is Brown, or Browning, or something like that. Isn’t he going over the books?”
“From correspondence we found, it appears your uncle limited his involvement to the income half of the ledgers and let the Gallaghers handle the expenses to save money.”
“No wonder Lady Darkford is incensed with Uncle Edmund,” he said disgustedly.
“It would be difficult not to be in the face of this evidence,” Lakehurst said, pointing to the books and papers. “It will be interesting to see what he says in the face of all this. And until he does, this door will stay locked.”
