“Do you mean to tell me,” Edgerton hissed, “do youseriouslytell me that the fellow is not even planning to marry Miss Nicholson? Even though he asked her father’s permission? And confessed to murder to protect her? Sandy, do stop laughing. Does the lady know of this?”
“He said it never seemed quite the right time.”
“So he would never have married her, anyway?”
“As to that, she has him so bedazzled that he might well do it if she pestered him enough. She can be remarkably persistent, and look what she has already persuaded him to do. I would not wager sixpence on the chance of him resisting her, if she sets her mind to it.”
Sandy was still laughing unstoppably. “I’m goin’ hame tae Edinburgh,” he said, wiping streaming eyes. “Ye English — yer all mad. Completely mad.”
Edward chuckled, too. “I know. It is ridiculous, is it not? But if we can get Shapman out of prison and married to his poultry maid, that will put a stop to that. Better for him, better for his poultry maid and better for Tess, too.”
“And better for you, too, my lord,” said Neate. “It shortens the odds considerably.”
“I think my odds are impossibly long, sadly, and I am not sure I see a way of protecting Ulric from her, which is what I set out to do.”
“I cannot see a way either,” Edgerton said. “But there is one very bright spot in all this swirl of subterfuge. If Shapman has an alibi for the murder, then we can go back to Lord Rennington and get permission to resume our investigations. If we can persuade him to allow us access to Miss Nicholson’s house, and with these businesses of Nicholson’s in the town we definitely have enough evidence to look at it, we shall be able to discoverthe safe and the gold bars legitimately, and there need be no mention of tree climbing or breaking in.”
“You will still have the problem of what to do with them,” Edward said.
“True, but it gives us a little time. Or rather, it gives you time to get Shapman married off, and to convince Miss Nicholson to marry you instead.”
“Good luck with that,” Sandy said, grinning at him, and raising his wine glass in salute.
Edward smiled, but he rather thought he would need more than luck. He would need a miracle.
13: Truth And Lies
Tess was pacing round the parlour when Edward returned from the Black Swan. Naturally she was. He would expect nothing less of her.
He smiled to see her, wondering for an instant if her antics would always seem so amusing to him. Would there ever come a time when he sighed, and wished for once for a quiet life? He could not imagine it. He had enjoyed a quiet life for twenty-seven years, and it had been so tedious that sometimes he had wondered if he should provoke a duel with someone just to make life exciting. But then he remembered that being dead or horribly injured or forced to flee the country would be even more tedious, and gave up the idea. He had his own little secret excitement in London, although even that was becoming a trifle dull. But then Tess had come along and all thought of boredom had flown out of the window, never to return.
“Well?” she said, hands on hips.
“Well what?”
“Am I to have my fortune or not?”
“That is not yet decided. It is out of my hands, now. Tess…” He hesitated. Was this the moment to push? Not ideal, perhaps, but he had to try. “Tess, I know you despise me, but if you cannot get hold of your fortune any other way, you would do well to consider my offer. I could ensure that your settlement is generous, and that you have as much freedom as you want. I promise I would not constrain you.”
“Promises, promises. Why should I trust you?” But he could see that she was thinking about it, and she had stopped pacing.
“Because I give you my word.”
“You promised you would give me my fortune, but you never intended to.”
“I made no promise, other than to try to find it, which I did. I am attempting to find the best future for you, Tess, I wish you would believe me.”
“Marrying you? What sort of future would that be?”
“One that does not set you at odds with your family or society at large.”
She paced again, chewing her lip. “Why do you want to marry me anyway? Why not find yourself a demure little earl’s daughter, someone who knows her place and will make you a proper wife?”
“London is full of demure young women, and there is not one of them has half your strength of mind. I want a wife who will challenge me, Tess, not a doormat.”
She gave a little grunt of laughter. “Oh, I would challenge you, all right. You may depend upon it. Would it be… a marriage of convenience?”
“No!” he said sharply. Then, more gently, “I am a peer, so I have to have an heir, to displace my wild cousin Tostig. You have met him, so you know how unsuitable he is.”
