“Near to Gunters, my lord,” the man answered, as Rupert closed his eyes to try and make sense of it all. “She came out of the gloom and the dark, my lord, a cloak over her head, and as far as I could see, no one with her.”
Lady Eleanor let out such a gasp that everyone, the driver included, turned to look at her. Her eyes were fixed and staring, though not at the driver. Clearly, she had come to some conclusion, and Rupert, glancing back at the driver and then to Lady Eleanor, forced himself to wait for her to speak instead of asking her outright what it was she had learned.
She looked at him. “I have to speak with you.”
“Alone?”
Her eyes darted to the driver.
“I do not think there is anything else I need to ask you,” Rupert said to him, aware now that the lady wanted to make sure they were not overheard. “You have told me everything, yes?”
The man nodded. “I promise you, I have.”
“Then be on your way.” Going to the door, he opened it for him, pulling out a few coins and handing them to the driver. “And not a word of this to anyone.”
The man nodded, ducked his head, and hurried out, counting the coins in his hand as he did so. Eager now to hear what Lady Eleanor had to say, Rupert rushed back into the room and then shut the door, looking back at her. “What is it? What conclusion have you come to?”
She came towards him, her hands outstretched. “It may not be anything of consequence,” she said, searching his face. “Do not think that I have reached some marvelous understanding, for I can assure you, I have not.”
“But what is it?” Preston asked, before Rupert could do so. “Clearly, you have thought of something.”
With a nod, Lady Eleanor looked from Lord Preston to Rupert and then to Catherine. “I have realized something,” she said, eventually. “I think we were all, first of all, astonished to realize that the perpetrator might well be a lady, but that in itself is important.” She licked her lips. “Finchley, let me state this all as clearly as I can and see if you can come to some conclusion or thought.”
“Of course.” Holding her hand in his, Rupert waited for her to speak, his heart thrumming in his chest.
“We know that it is a lady,” Lady Eleanor said, holding his gaze. “There is a gentleman involved also, butsheis the one who instructed the driver and who, I presume, sent the note.”
Rupert nodded in agreement.
“This lady knows your sister,” Lady Eleanor continued, her voice softening. “Somehow, she knows of the child also. Therefore, she can threaten you because of her awareness of the situation.” Her shoulders lifted. “She was also at the ball the night that you were meant to leave money in your carriage. Hearing of what had happened, she made another plan to gain the money she wanted.”
“But she must have known that my brother and I were to go to Whites,” Preston said, frowning. “The plan could not have been made until after we made our way there.”
“And did you speak of it to anyone else at the ball?” Lady Eleanor asked, as Rupert’s brow began to furrow. “Did you discuss it in the hearing of others?”
“Yes,” Rupert confirmed, his throat going dry as his mind began to settle on an idea. “We did speak of it together at the ball. A few gentlemen were discussing the notion of making their way to Whites thereafter, and we both agreed it to be a good thought.”
Lady Catherine’s eyebrows. “So either this lady or the gentleman working with her overheard you speaking.”
“And thus, the plan was made,” Lady Eleanor finished, as Rupert ran one hand over his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to tell himself that this idea he had, thisthoughtcould not be the truth. “Think of it, Finchley. The person responsible is a lady who somehow knows your sisterandthe child, but who is also present here in London. It is someone who requires coin, who needs more money for some reason.” Her eyes held to his, her face pale. “Tell me, is there anyone you can think of who might fit?”
His stomach began to swirl as he nodded, seeing his brother’s furious frown. “I am afraid there is,” he said, heavily. “I cannot be sure, of course, and I would never suggest that she was guiltywithout purpose, but yes, there is someone who has come to mind.”
Lord Preston let out a low groan and shook his head. “Surely it cannot be!”
“It may not be,” Rupert replied, as his brother’s lips pulled flat. “But she knows our sister, does she not? They have exchanged letters.”
“And she is eager to wed a gentleman who has very little coin and is foolish with what hedoeshave,” Lord Preston agreed, wincing. “It is not something I want to think of, but I fear it may be so.”
Lady Eleanor’s fingers tightened on his. “You have both reached the same conclusion, then?”
With a long, drawn-out sigh, Rupert nodded. “Yes, I fear we have,” he said, with a weight in his stomach that pulled him low. “If my thoughts are correct and my concerns true, then the person we are now considering is none other than Miss Emma Gladstone… my cousin.”
17
Eleanor sipped at her tea and tried to read a paragraph of her new book. None of the words made sense, and her gaze seemed to slip off the page. Yesterday afternoon had been a most extraordinary one; one where she had learned that both Lord Preston and Lord Finchley now believed their younger cousin was responsible for the threats and the bribery. Eleanor had not fully understood initially, but once Lord Finchley had explained about Lord Wigton and the dire financial straits the gentleman was in, the future for her niece had become quite sobering indeed. Lord Finchley and his brother had decided they would sit and think and then discuss what they were to do. Eleanor had thought they might have come to some sort of conclusion the previous evening. This morning still, there had not been a note of any sort, making her both worried and concerned for them both. She had to hope that the reason for Lord Finchley’s silence was that he was still thinking of how best to proceed.
“Daughter, good morning.”
