I heard you visited the Burton family. You will not do so again, as they are not fit company for my wife and heir.
The notes she’d received from London, or wherever her husband left for, were constant. He had spies all over the house, watching her every move.
“I don’t know why it says what it does, or why it was in my late husband’s possessions. But I knew I must give it to you, Lord Montgomery.”
“Thank you, Iris. For bringing me this.” He regained his feet. “Can I keep it?”
She nodded. “Of course. I have no wish for it in my house, considering what it says. As I have stated, there are more documents I have not gone through. However, I brought the remaining papers to London, as I know I must.”
“You brought them with you?”
“I did. Those men were persistent. I did not want to take a chance of them or my former brother-in-law entering the house when Henry and I left for London.”
“And you believed they would?” he asked her.
She nodded.
“Did they threaten you, Iris?”
She knew he had not even realized he’d again used her first name.
“It matters not. What matters is you find out what the letter means and why my husband had it in his possession.”
“Could you please give me the names of the men who called to go through your late husband’s possessions, other than his brother, who I believe is his only remaining relative?”
“Yes, Mr. Renton came often and demanded to enter the house. Once, he gained entry, but I had locked the study again and hidden the key, so he could not get in there.”
“Did he use force on you, Iris?” Theo asked.
“The men who wanted access were Lord Picton, Lord Heather, Mr. Clipper, and Mr. Buford,” Iris said instead of answering his question. “They each had a different reason for seeing my late husband’s papers.”
“What reasons?”
“He owed them money, or they’d purchased something together. Lord Heather said my late husband was running a venture that he had helped fund, and he needed the paperwork to take control of it.”
“And you didn’t believe them?” Theo asked.
She shook her head. “My late husband’s man of affairs, or his lawyer, would hold these documents, surely?”
“Yes, it’s my belief they would. Where are they?”
“What?”
“The papers you brought to London,” Theo said.
“At the Challoner town house.”
“Then we must go there and look through them at once.”
“Pardon?” Iris regained her feet, feeling like she needed to be standing suddenly. “I do not have to do anything of the sort.”
“Iris, I need to know if there is anything else in your husband’s files that relates to this.” He waved the papers at her. “They may finally offer me a clue as to who killed my parents.”
“Lord Montgomery—”
“Plunge,” he cut her off.
“I told you I’m not using that silly name.”
