“Do you trust him?” demanded Cordelia, once the two of them had settled into their carriage for the journey home and Charlotte had recounted what Wheeler had told her.
“Ah, that word “trust” again.” Charlotte sat back against the squabs. “He struck me as sincere. But as I know nothing about him, I won’t form an answer based on a first impression.”
The town’s cobblestones gave way to the ruts of the main road heading west.
Wheeler’s answers had stirred several other questions. Awkward as they might be, Charlotte knew that she couldn’t in good conscience avoid asking them.
“How well do you know your cousin?”
Cordelia’s face fell. She was too familiar with investigations not to hear the darker questions hiding behind the seemingly harmless query. “Not as well as I knew Jasper. It was I who introduced the two of them when they both began their studies at Cambridge. I was already sneaking into Professor Sudler’s mathematics lectures, and they were quick to support my quest for knowledge by helping me gain entrance to some of the other offerings.”
She seemed lost in thought for a moment, and then continued. “Oliver and I had a casual friendship, formed over the years of family gatherings. It deepened during his time at university, and we’ve maintained a certain closeness since then. However, his interests in roads and bridges have kept him moving around to different parts of the country, so it has been some time since we’ve seen each other.”
A sigh. “That was one of the reasons that I invited him to the wedding. I knew he was currently working within traveling distance, and I thought we might have a chance to spend several days together.”
“Can you think of any reason other than an unexpected travel delay that would have caused him to miss your wedding?”
“No.”
Charlotte hated asking the next question, but it had to be broached. “Were you aware of any reason for your cousin to be angry at Milton?”
“No.” Cordelia turned to the window and watched the cheery hues of the fall foliage flutter by as the carriage picked up speed on a level stretch of road. “But I’ve seen little of Oliver during the past year, and he’s a terrible correspondent. So I am as much in the dark about his possible motives as you are.”
CHAPTER 7
Afternoon was fading to dusk by the time the horses slowed to a halt in the main courtyard of the manor house. Claiming exhaustion, Cordelia had chosen to be let out at the Dower House, and Charlotte made no effort to discourage the decision. Given the recent events—a wedding and a murder within the space of twenty-four hours—her friend was no doubt craving some solitude in which to come to grips with the momentous changes in her life.
Charlotte, too, was feeling unsettled by the revelations from Milton’s friends and wanted nothing more than to retire to her workroom and be alone with her thoughts.
Though a pot of tea would be welcome company.
She repressed a wince as she climbed down from the carriage. It would offer comfort rather than raise any uncomfortable questions. Enough of those were already whirling around in her head.
Their country majordomo threw open the front door as she approached. “Welcome home, milady.” Something in his voice immediately stirred a frisson of alarm. “You have a visitor. Lady Peake placed him in the main drawing room to await your return.”
Charlotte untied her bonnet and shrugged out of her shawl. “Who is it?” she asked, handing over the garments.
“Mister George Belmont, milady.”
Peregrine’s guardian.
“He’s been served refreshments—”
The rest of his words were swallowed by the helter-pelter scuff of her shoes as she sprinted for the stairs.
Belmont rose as she rushed into the room.
“Y-You bring bad news about Peregrine?” she asked, her heart clenching in dread.
He blew out his breath. “Alas, the very worst news . . .”
The room suddenly began to sway. Charlotte braced her hands on the back of an armchair to keep herself upright.
“Oh, forgive me, Lady Wrexford! I did not mean—that is, the lad is quite fine in all regards.” A cough. “Save for his educational future. You see, he’s been expelled from Eton.”
Charlotte took a moment to steady her emotions, which required suppressing the urge to laugh once his words sunk in. “I’m greatly relieved to hear that Peregrine has suffered no harm.”
She gestured for him to resume his seat and moved to take the chair facing his. “Now kindly explain the terrible transgression that resulted in such an extreme punishment.”
