“I’ve been better,” he said quietly.
“We know everything. And we’re here to help,” Lady Blackwood declared.
“Thank you, my lady.” Humbled, he said, “That means more than you could know.”
“We were talking to Kent just now. He has his doubts about your brother’s guilt. As a matter of fact, he’s sent his partners to investigate some other possibilities.” Blackwood’s words ignited a spark of hope. “But he felt duty-bound to inform Jones about the ring and the pillow and, well, the magistrate took matters from there.”
“I understand that Kent only did his duty. It was my mistake for hiding evidence in the first place.” Hunching his shoulders, Richard said gruffly, “I respect the man for doing what is right despite what his personal feelings must be.”
“Make no mistake, Carlisle, you are not his favorite person at the moment,” the marchioness said dryly. “The concealing of evidence aside, what possessed you to take such a risk with Violet’s reputation this afternoon?”
Other than the fact that I’m an ass?
He dragged a hand through his hair. “I mistook an innocent moment between her and my brother for a … a tryst. I was angry and snapped at her.”
“You forced yourself on Violet?” The marchioness’ voice was sharp as a blade.
“No.No, it wasn’t like that.” Flushing, he tried to explain the baffling events. “My behavior was abominable, but she was… willing.”
More than willing, in truth. Violet had been incredibly, unbelievably aroused. And she’d been that waybeforehis arrival. He recalled how she’d looked when he came upon her and Wick: her cheeks flushed and eyes glassy, her bosom heaving. Seeing her thus had fed his jealous rage, catapulting him to the wrong conclusion. But if she and Wick hadn’t been up to something, then what had caused her to be that way…?
“Why would she be willing if you were maligning her?” Lady Blackwood demanded.
Good bloody question.What had Violet said?I wasn’t feeling well… might have been that cider Wick gave me… tasted a bit off.Richard frowned; Wick had mentioned something about the cider, too.Might have made her foxed, he’d said.
One cup of cider? And Violet hadn’t been acting foxed, exactly, more like she’d been…
The answer slammed into Richard’s brain.
“Drugged,” he said.
“Pardon?” Blackwood said.
“I think Violet might have been drugged. With one of those infernal powders that heighten the senses…”
Frowning, Blackwood said, “An aphrodisiac, you mean?”
“Aye.” It would explain Violet’s symptoms, her odd behavior. Why she’d been so randy…
“She was flushed? A bit groggy? Her eyes dilated and glassy?” Lady Blackwood said.
For a lady, Richard thought the marchioness had rather worldly knowledge.
“Aye, and she said she’d drank some cider that tasted strange,” he said.
“Who gave her the cider?” Blackwood said.
“Wick—but he wouldn’t drug Violet,” Richard said quickly.
“Then who did it? And why?” Lady Blackwood’s violet eyes were narrowed.
Richard’s gut told him that Violet’s drugging was no coincidence. “I think it may be related to the murder and the theft of the necklace,” he said slowly. “First, someone frames my brother, and now Violet, who has been making headway in the investigation, gets ruined. Discredited.”
“Distraction and diversion are two of the best strategies for obscuring the truth,” Lady Blackwood agreed. “The question is who committed these vile deeds?”
Again, it occurred to Richard that Lady Blackwood’s shrewdness was odd for a gently-bred female. He glanced at Blackwood, who didn’t look surprised by his wife’s acuity. In fact, the other looked proud—and not a little besotted.
The way I feel about my lass.
