“At Lady Davenport’s luncheon, Gabby told me that Mr. Clemens had helped her father to set up a trust to protect her inheritance from fortune hunters,” Thea explained. “When Davenport said he didn’t have access to his wife’s fortune, I put two and two together.”
“Through brilliant legal maneuvering, Clemens managed to fool Davenport into signing the trust. Under its terms, Davenport has no access to the bulk of his wife’s fortune. She could withdraw from her accounts, but Clemens put limits on that too. If anything should happen to her, the money went to the designee of the trust, a distant cousin. Killing her would accomplish nothing for Davenport; in fact, he’d lose the use of her generous quarterly spending account.”
“Mr. Clemens thought of everything,” Thea said.
“He loves his daughter very much. Indeed, he wished to express his gratitude to the anonymous benefactor,”—Ambrose’s eyes crinkled at the corners—“who rid her of her dastardly husband.”
“All’s well that ends well,” Marianne murmured.
“As to that, any news on Heath?” Kent asked Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded. “Malcolm and I spoke to the magistrates. They’re releasing him.”
“Not that Heath seemed too overjoyed about it. Poor chap’s not in his right mind.” John Malcolm—formerly known as Marius—spoke for the first time.
Thea liked Gabriel’s old friend. Especially since Gabriel had admitted to her privately that he understood why Malcolm had faked his own death all those years ago. Malcolm had only wanted to escape the nightmare of espionage and hadn’t realized that Gabriel would be wracked with guilt over his death.
Malcolm had apologized; Gabriel had accepted.
The two had come to terms with the past.
“The opium’s not helping,” Gabriel said soberly. “I hope Heath will take our advice to heart. Try for a fresh start with a clear head.”
“I’ll be here to keep him in line if he doesn’t.” Malcolm’s countenance was set into determined lines. “It’ll be just like the old days, only without the spying, killing, and betrayal.”
“I’ll be here, too,” Gabriel said.
Thea smiled, and when Gabriel looked over at her, she saw that the shadows had lifted from his eyes. One by one, his ghosts were being vanquished.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Jarvis entered to inform them that Lady Blackwood had arrived. She swept into the room a minute later, wearing a dashing aubergine-and-cream striped carriage dress. Thea noted, however, the slight redness of Pandora’s eyes and the puffiness underneath.
Going over to her, Thea said worriedly, “Has something happened?”
Instead of answering, Pandora absently kissed the air near Thea’s cheeks. “I’m here because I received Tremont’s note this morning. I had to come see for myself.” Her gaze landed on Malcolm, who’d stepped forward. “So Tremont wasn’t hallucinating after all.”
“Hello, Pandora.” Malcolm bent over her hand. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“It is ashockto see you.” Despite her tart words, there was a catch in Pandora’s voice that she couldn’t quite hide. “To think, I may have shed a tear or two over your demise. Where have you been hiding all these years?”
“In places you wouldn’t care to know about, my lady.” There was humor in Malcolm’s faded blue eyes. “Now that you’re a marchioness, I’m sure you don’t want to be rubbing elbows with us common riffraff.”
Pandora’s violet eyes shimmered. Her lips trembled.
“I meant no offense,” Malcolm said hastily. “’Twas a jest—”
“No, it’s nothing you said.” Pandora allowed Thea to lead her to an empty chair. Her face crumpling, she said, “It’s my marriage. I think… it is over.”
“What happened?” Thea said with concern.
“Blackwood knows everything. About my past.” Between halting breaths, Pandora said, “Cicero, the bastard, couldn’t resist a final act of destruction. He sent my husband an anonymous letter, and it arrived this morning.”
“How dastardly of him.” Crouching, Thea took the other woman’s hands. “But perhaps honesty is not the worst thing that could happen. Surely if you clear the air now—”
“It’s too late.” Tears tracked down Pandora’s cheeks. “He’s left me. He had his valet pack his things, and he left Town. I don’t even know where.”
“Perhaps he needs time to cool his heels. And his head.” This came from Gabriel, who brought Thea to her feet, his arm around her waist. “We men sometimes let our tempers get the better of us.”
“Not my husband. He’s a proud, loyal, good man.” Pandora took the handkerchief Thea offered and dabbed at her eyes. “And I’ve deceived him from the start.”
