The man before her stilled, and Jade bowed her head over him before rising and backing away. She couldn’t be found there, especially not now. She had minutes to find any evidence of Arthur’s blackmail or who was behind his murder, so she set to work. Death was not foreign to Jade. Her time in the military had prepared her for moments such as this, where she was able to focus on getting the job done instead of being distracted by the loss of life.
Jade crossed to the desk, where a pen and blank sheets of paper sat out. She pulled open drawers, rifling through them for anything helpful, but came up empty. Instead, she found correspondence from a few people who supported his bid for the throne. Her eyes scanned the letters but found nothing incriminating.
She huffed out her frustration. Tonight would be a waste after all.
Jade glanced back at the body lying motionless on the floor, then at the glass inches from his fingers. There was no reason not to believe he died from rienevoir, but she wanted to do her due diligence and make sure.
She kneeled beside him again and examined his glassy blue eyes. On the edges of the whites of his eyes, she saw the faintest hint of green. Yes, definitely rienevoir.
Jade’s eyes trailed down Arthur’s lifeless form, and she spotted the corner of a paper sticking out of an inside jacket pocket. Jade reached delicate fingers toward the paper, careful not to disturb anything else about the body, and tugged the paper free. She unfolded it as her heart thumped with anticipation.
It’s a lie, all of it.
You’ve been deceived, my dear. I’m afraid we all have.
I think I’ve learned the truth, but I won’t dare put it in writing in case this falls into the wrong hands.
Let’s meet at my home on Saturday. Bring your sister. You can tell your father you are paying Juliette a visit.
Arthur
The throbbing of Jade’s temples threatened to derail her focus, and she read the words over three times. This letter was meant for Arabella; Jade could determine that much based on the mention of her sister and her father.But what had Arthur learned that was so dangerous? Was this the same as the information about Grannam that he was killed for?
Regardless, the “truth” had died with Arthur.
What Jade would have given to tear that room apart from top to bottom, searching for any hint of an indication of what he mentioned in the letter. But she had to get out of there. If anyone found her, especially with Arthur’s body, she would be neck-deep in trouble. Maybe she could come back another time, late at night when the occupants of the house were fast asleep, and take her time investigating the study.
With a sigh, Jade rose and folded the paper before putting it in her own pocket. She would keep it for now, but perhaps she could get it to Arabella based on how things played out in the aftermath of Arthur’s murder.
A window offered the easiest escape route. Jade took one last look at the man she had failed to save and hurried across the room. An unfolded piece of paper resting in the seat of a chair near the window caught her eye, and she stopped. Could Arthur have received it before sitting at the desk and writing a letter in response? Curiosity snagged her away from the window, and she picked up the paper, laid out like a gift for her.
I don’t take kindly to threats, Marquess, especially not when they involve my children. They have nothing to do with this.
I suppose I should be thankful you did nothing at the masquerade ball, and on Marguerite’s birthday, no less.
I would be remiss if I didn’t say that you will pay for this, Arthur, because your own children will be the ones suffering from your loss.
Jade’s hands trembled, shaking the paper in her grasp. He hadn’t signed it, but it was clear enough that Grannam had sent Arthur this letter. This warning that he was going to die.
This was exactly what she needed to incriminate Grannam.
Unable to still her trembling fingers, she clumsily added the paper to the pocket containing the letter from Arthur and continued to the window. Jade unlatched the window and pushed the pane open in one swift movement, then flung her leg over the windowsill just as a knock came at Arthur’s study door. As quick as lightning, Jade yanked her other leg through and pushed the window closed, tearing off into the shadows as a scream from inside the manor ripped through the night.
Twenty-Four
The moon had nearly setby the time Jade returned to base, her entire body throbbing with agony. Riding the horse back to the farmhouse with her already-sore muscles only exacerbated the pain, and then she still had to do the last mile to base on foot. She was ready to collapse, needing every hour of sleep she could squeeze out of the night, but she had to do something before she went to bed.
The troopers on gate duty called out to her as she approached. As soon as she replied, they opened the gate and one of them ran out to her to offer help as she limped toward base.
“Captain Ni’ihm! Are you all right?” he asked, his expression panic-stricken. “You missed curfew by—”
“Yes, I’m aware I’m back late,” she answered, shrugging off the trooper’s assistance. “And I’m fine.”
“I can let CommanderMatherson know—”
“No, Trooper. There’s no need to let Commander Matherson know anything.” Jade squared her shoulders as she pushed her feet to keep moving onto base and they shut the gate behind her. She whirled around to face the trooper who followed her. “I will report to Matherson myself. And as far as you are concerned, I amfine.”
The trooper nodded quickly and saluted with an arm across his chest. “Yes, Captain.”
