“Lady Philippa,” Northwich greeted formally.
“I prefer Mrs. Shaw,” Pippa said coolly.
“I prefer Lady Philippa,” he countered, with an equal amount of ice.
The air in the room was thick and tense.
“I do not expect you have invited me to take tea,” Pippa said, her lips thin with displeasure.
“You will want to sit down, my dear,” Tilly said, guiding her friend to the seat which was farthest from Northwich.
When the four of them were seated, Tilly broke the stilted silence once more, thinking it would perhaps be an easier blow for her friend to accept if she were the one to deliver the news of her husband’s business dealings.
“Pippa, the reason we have asked you here is that earlier today, Adrian and I came upon a stack of correspondence between Mr. Shaw and Longleigh,” she said softly. “Longleigh had hidden the letters inside a locked drawer in his study desk. The letters suggest Longleigh paid Mr. Shaw a great deal of money to arrange for Adrian to be arrested for theft and sent to prison.”
All the color leached from her friend’s countenance. “I do not believe it. George was scarcely an acquaintance of Longleigh.”
“The letters do not lie, I am afraid,” Adrian said gently, sympathy evident in his expression.
“Examine them if it pleases you,” Northwich said, passing one of the epistles to Tilly, who in turn gave it to her friend. “You shall no doubt recognize the handwriting. He signed his name quite plainly, and there is no other way to read this series of letters without understanding your husband was engaged in criminal activities on behalf of the Duke of Longleigh.”
With shaking hands, Pippa examined the letter.
Silence descended once more, interrupted only when Pippa rose from her seat, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I do not believe George would do something like this. I would have known if he were capable of something so dastardly.”
She paced to the opposite end of the drawing room, and Northwich was on his feet in a moment, chasing after her with long-legged strides.
“Sunshine,” he said to her back, a new, strange tone in his voice.
Suppressed longing, Tilly thought. Just what had transpired between Pippa and Northwich? It had to have been something far more than she had previously supposed.
Pippa, however, spun about, recoiling from him. “Do not call me that.”
Northwich took a step in retreat. “Forgive me. I merely meant to offer comfort. I am sure it is a shock to you, discovering the truth about your husband.”
“The truth according to you?” Pippa snapped. “I beg your pardon, Northwich, but I will not believe anything you say of George.”
She stormed back across the drawing room, depositing the letter upon the stack of others as if it were a venomous snake instead of paper and ink. Tilly rose, going to her friend. “I am so very sorry, Pippa. I know you do not want to believe this, but I have read all the letters. Northwich is not exaggerating. He has reason to believe Mr. Shaw was engaged in far more than what happened to Adrian.”
Pippa dashed at her tears. “How could you involvehimin this?” she hissed. “I shall never forgive you for it.”
“Pippa.” She reached for her friend, hoping to offer comfort.
But Pippa was having none of it. She shrugged away from Tilly’s touch, pressing a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob. “I must go.”
She turned away, fleeing to the door.
“Please, Pippa.” Tilly moved toward her, not wanting her friend to leave in such a state.
But Adrian caught her hand, holding her still.
“Allow her to go, love,” he said in a low voice. “Think of the shock this must be to her. Let her grieve in peace.”
She nodded, swallowing against a rush of her own tears. How she hated to think of her friend hurting. But it had been necessary to bring Pippa here, to show her the letters. She deserved to know the truth about the man she had married.
“It had to be done,” Northwich agreed, striding past them. “I will make certain Lady Philippa gets safely home and that the letters are delivered to Scotland Yard. Thank you both.”
Tilly wanted to argue, but the duke was already stalking from the drawing room, determined. Adrian slid a reassuring arm around her waist, drawing her against him.
