He kissed the top of her head. ‘Don’t lose sleep over me, Con. I am sure something will work out in the end. Now go to bed and I’ll see you in the morning.’
He waited until her bedchamber door closed and allowed himself a small smile. He had an hour to make the necessary arrangements.
Chapter Fifty
Harry let out a breath. ‘I don’t think he’s coming,’ he whispered, shifting his weight. They had been secreted behind barrels in the chaff room for a couple of hours and were both stiff and cold.
‘Shh,’ Sebastian responded, stiffening as, over the familiar sound of the horses moving restlessly in their stalls, he heard booted feet on the cobbled floor of the stable.
Harry nodded and raised his pistol.
They had left the door to the feed room ajar and it squeaked on its hinges as an unseen hand pushed it back. In the dark, Sebastian glanced at Harry and laid a hand on his sleeve. He had been expecting only Freddy but three figures entered the room.
Freddy’s man, Jenkins, the large, silent man whom Bennet uncharitably referred to as ‘the dumb ox’, set a lantern down on the table, illuminating the room and the faces of the other two men, Freddy and Matt. Seeing his brother, it was all Sebastian could do not to let out an audible groan. What in God’s name was Matt doing with them? His orders to Matt had been only to engage Freddy in cards and a few drinks. He had been quite explicit that Matt was not to get any further involved.
Insubordinate brothers, he thought, grinding his teeth.
He had counted on Freddy coming alone and he did not need his inebriated brother caught up in this matter, nor, for that matter, Jenkins. Why would Freddy have brought a witnesses? He could have slipped into the stables unseen and dealt with the incriminating evidence without anyone knowing.
Matt looked around the room. ‘So, which bin do you think it’s in?’ he asked, his words slurring.
Freddy gestured at the chaff bin furthest from the door.
‘Start there, Jenkins,’ he directed his man.
Freddy was no fool. He would have worked out that anything concealed in the more convenient bins would have been easily discovered. The big man shambled over to the bin and Sebastian heard the soft rustle of the chaff as Jenkins rummaged in its depths. Finding nothing, he moved to the second bin and gave a grunt of satisfaction as his questing hand found the sack.
Freddy looked down at the hessian bundle Jenkins thumped onto the table. When he pulled the sacking away to reveal an old, battered saddle, he swore.
‘Wassa matter?’ Matt asked.
Sebastian stepped out of the shadows, his pistol held steady in his hand and pointed straight at Freddy.
‘Found what you were looking for?’
Freddy whirled to face him. The light from the lantern cast his fine features into a hard relief and Sebastian could almost see his mind grappling for a logical explanation for his actions.
‘Your brother thought it would be a lark to find the saddle,’ Freddy said in a light tone. He gestured at the saddle on the table, ‘I hate to disappoint you, Somerton, but that’s not Anthony’s saddle.’
‘That’s because the saddle I found has been secured elsewhere,’ Sebastian said.
‘Now who’s playing games,’ Freddy said with a laugh. ‘I wouldn’t have thought hide and seek was in your nature, Somerton. Now, do be a sport and put that weapon down. What is so special about an old saddle anyway?’
‘The interesting thing about the saddle I found is the fact that the girth was cut through. Not enough to snap immediately but enough to fail when put under strain, such as taking a fence. Of course, a sharp-eyed groom would notice the cut, but apparently the distressed widow gave an order for the saddle to be destroyed on the morning of Anthony’s death before it could be inspected.’
‘Dear me! Are you suggesting our dear Isabel cut the girth?’ Freddy ventured.
‘I think that is what the killer would have liked the curious to think, except that the order relayed to the stable hand came from you, Freddy, not Isabel.’
‘Of course it did. She was too distressed to deal with so trivial a matter, so she asked me to relay her orders. I would be prepared to swear to that.’
‘Your word against hers?’
‘If you are implying that Anthony’s death was foul play then dear Isabel had more motivation than anyone else in the house to want Anthony dead.’ Freddy sounded more confident as the conversation progressed.
Sebastian shook his head. ‘However abominably Anthony may have treated her, she’s no killer and, in a court of law, it would be her word against a proven imposter, blackmailer and card cheat.’
‘Bas? Whatcha talkin’ about?’ Matt interposed.
