‘Gambling debts. Not just a few guineas here and there. Debts I could never hope to repay, even if my father dropped dead tomorrow.’
Sebastian narrowed his eyes.
Harry sighed heavily. ‘You may as well know the whole story. I founded a company: The Golden Adventurers Club. Forged some convincing reports of gold mines in Guinea and promised a fortune to be made. It was so easy to gull the investors. I soon made my fortune back, paid off my creditors.’
‘And the investors?’
Harry’s smile made Sebastian’s flesh crawl. ‘Oh dear, the mines were a failure. As far as the investors knew, a legitimate investment had been badly made. They didn’t make a fuss, didn’t dare risk their own reputations.’
‘And Anthony was one of them. He put everything he ownedinto that investment in one last gamble to rid himself of Freddy. Did he know it was you?’
‘No. I covered my tracks well. Even pretended to be one of the fools caught by the collapse.’
‘Anthony lost everything, including Isabel’s jointure in that venture.’
‘Well more fool him,’ Harry said, his swagger and confidence returning.
Sebastian rose to his feet. ‘Get out of my house, Dempster. You have twenty-four hours to examine your conscience.’
Harry straightened his shoulders and, without looking at Sebastian, walked over to the door.
As he put his hand to the doorknob, he said, ‘Your problem is you are too trusting, Alder. You see good in people where there isn’t any to be found.’
‘Get out before I change my mind.’ Sebastian turned his back.
He heard the click of the door and waited a long moment before he let out his breath. He knew the decision Harry would make. He would run, like the coward he had shown himself to be.
Tomorrow he would exercise his powers as magistrate and give an order for the body of Amy Thompson to be buried within the churchyard with a proper Christian funeral. He had already housed the Thompson family in a grace and favour cottage on the estate and found a proper nurse for Mrs. Thompson.
He could not bring Amy back to life, but he could give her some peace and dignity.
Chapter Sixty-Six
Isabel looked at the card on the silver tray and picked it up, her fingers playing with the sharp edges for a minute. Her maid shifted uneasily, anticipating the response, but Isabel nodded.
‘Show her in.’
She rose to her feet as Lady Kendall entered the room wearing a soft, green-sprigged dress and green pelisse.
Isabel extended her hand. Lady Kendall’s green eyes flashed in surprise, and she took the hand in her own green-gloved fingers.
‘Thank you for seeing me,’ she said.
‘Please take a seat.’ Isabel indicated the chair across from her. ‘Roberts, some tea for my guest.’
‘I came to offer my felicitations on your betrothal to Lord Somerton. He is a fine man,’ Lady Kendall said as the maid closed the door behind her.
Isabel allowed herself a gentle smile as she thought about Sebastian.
‘He is. I am fortunate,’ she agreed.
Lady Kendall fidgeted. To see Georgiana Kendall discomfitedwas a novel experience for Isabel. She looked at the woman curiously.
‘What can I do for you?’
‘I have come to make my peace with you, Lady Somerton. Anthony is dead, so it falls to me. The knowledge that I knew your first husband may not have been what you thought him to be has plagued me,’ Lady Kendall began delicately.
Isabel looked down at her hands.
