Chapter Nineteen
William came to a skidding halt in the doorway, fists clenched, glaring at the attorney’s back. Lethbridge stood before his desk. Lanora wasn’t in the room. Her carriage waited out front, though. Her coachman said she’d entered. The only other way out was through Lethbridge’s window. The curtains were pulled tight. No breeze stirred them.
“Lord William. I should have expected you.” Lethbridge set a neat stack of papers on the desk, beside another. He turned, brandishing a pistol.
“I asked you a question,” William snarled. “What have you done with her?”
“You seem to think I won’t use this.” Hatred glinted in Lethbridge’s eyes. “You nobles. You think yourselves untouchable.”
“Oh, I think you’ll use it. Never fear.” William kept his voice low, menacing. “I just don’t think one shot will stop me from throttling the life out of you. Tell me where she is.”
Lethbridge paled, hand shaking slightly. “She’s not here, or are you blind as well as stupid?”
“She came in. No one saw her leave.” William looked to the only other door, leading to the small room where Lethbridge kept his records. Was the knob moving?
“She’s not here. What right have you to barge into my office? I have business to attend to. I will be on my way.”
“What sort of business, Lethbridge?”
“None of your concern. Something for your father.” He looked at the pistol in his hand, seeming confused. “I will use this if you continue to behave in so violent a manner. Don’t think I won’t.”
“We established that.” William folded his arms across his chest. “And you can take a seat. You have no business with the marquess.”
Lethbridge shook the pistol at William, as if the gesture could increase its intimidation. “My business is mine, and the marquess’s. You have no say in it.”
“No, I don’t, but neither does he.” A hard grin curved William’s lips. “The marquess is dead.”
Lethbridge staggered back against the desk, pistol dipping. “No.”
“I assure you, he is. I just came from his townhouse, where I had the distinct pleasure of watching him breathe his last.” William stepped into the room, reaching for the weapon. “The game is up.”
“No.” Lethbridge scrambled around behind his desk, trying to keep the pistol aimed at William.
William winced as the attorney nearly tripped on his chair. The man was dangerous with a firearm. He had it cocked. He might shoot by mistake.
Reaching across his desk, Lethbridge pulled one of the stacks of pages to him. “I will sign it. It will be your word to mine that he didn’t. He could hardly grip a pen of late. Any scribble will do.” With his free hand, he started fumbling at his desk drawer, where he kept fresh pens.
“Yes. Your word against mine, and who do you think will be believed?”
Lethbridge went still. He looked up, his expression feral. “They’ll believe me when you’re dead and Madelina is mine, along with the marquess’s fortune.”
The man was moments from madness. William would not let him slide over the edge before he found out where Lanora was. “Is that how you plan to repay the money you stole from Darington? With the marquess’s fortune? When you drew up that list, you planned all along for me to fail.”
“Of course I did,” Lethbridge cried. He gestured wildly with the pistol. “What respectable woman would marry you? How was I to know Lady Lanora is England’s greatest fool?”
He had to calm Lethbridge down before he really did shoot, though he was as like to hit himself as William. “Why take the money? I would have guessed you make a good living.”
“Toadying to the likes of you? Is that what you call good?”
“I’ve never been easy to deal with.” William tried to control the anger in his tone. Was she in the record room? If so, why didn’t she call out? But where else could Lethbridge have spirited her off to?
“Not easy? You’re the worst sort of degenerate. You spend more on each of your mistresses than I make in a year, and all for women you discard on a whim.”
“Once I marry Lady Lanora, I won’t keep a mistress any longer. You won’t need to worry about the sums.” Or freedom.
“Not keep a mistress? A man like you?” Lethbridge looked baffled. “You told me you would never be foolish enough to love a wife.”
“I lied. I told you what I knew the marquess wanted to hear. You know how he was.” William attempted a smile. “You’ll find me a much more reasonable man now, and he won’t trouble you with his demands. You and I, we’ll work something out with the money you borrowed. Darington will understand.”
