A sudden recollection came back to Susanna’s mind, and she snatched in a breath, her thoughts having been centered solely upon the kiss and Lord Lancashire. “Goodness, I quite forgot. The very reason we spoke was that he had discovered something! And I must go to speak with my father’s solicitors at once.”
Ellen’s eyebrows rose. “Your father’s solicitors?”
Susanna grasped her friend’s hand. “Doyou think your aunt would be willing to take us all there?” she asked, without explanation. “It is of the greatest importance, and whilst I will admit to being somewhat afraid of speaking to them without my father’s permission or knowledge, I must do this if we are to discover the truth.”
“Then of course.” Glancing over her shoulder, Ellen tilted her head. “This way. My aunt will do as you ask without requirement for full explanation – although I cannot say the same for myself!”
Susanna smiled briefly. “I will tell you all in the carriage,” she promised as they went in search of Lady Kilthorn. “I only hope my endeavors bring something new to light.”
“Mr. Graves, good afternoon.”
The man came into the small room and bowed low, but not before Susanna had caught sight of the frown that pulled at his forehead. He came around to sit down at his desk, perhaps ready to procure any document that Susanna requested.
“I thank you for seeing me,” Susanna continued, the scent of many leather-bound books filling the room with a sense of gravitas. “This is an important matter which, at present, I should like to keep from my father, the Duke of Somerset.” She emphasized her father’s name, seeing the way his man’s eyebrows lifted. That was good. She wanted him to remember the weightiness of her father’s title and standing.
“Yes, of course.” Mr.Graves, if he found her presence unusual, did not say a single word in that regard. Instead, heappeared to be quite welcoming. “What is it that I can do for you, Lady Susanna?”
“It is about Mr.Stevenson.” Susanna glanced towards Lady Ellen and Lady Kilthorn, both of whom had received a full explanation of the situation in the carriage. Lady Kilthorn had not only been willing to support Susanna in attending the solicitors, but she had practically demanded that she herself be present to add a little more weight to the conversation. Susanna was glad of her presence now, especially given the sharpness of her gaze and the way it fixed itself to Mr.Graves. She hoped it would unsettle him enough to force the truth from his lips.
“I am not acquainted with a Mr.Stevenson, I am afraid.”
“Oh, do not be ridiculous, Mr.Graves,” Susanna spoke quickly, interrupting him. “Yes, you are. You are very good friends with a Mr.Henry Stevenson, who is solicitor to the Marquess of Lancashire.” She paused, watching him as the fellow’s eyes rounded a fraction. He cleared his throat gruffly and looked away, color rising in his cheeks. “Is that not so?”
The man had no choice but to nod. “Yes, that is so. Forgive me, Lady Susanna, I thought you were speaking of another gentleman rather than a personal connection.”
Susanna said nothing, waiting until the fellow looked her straight in the eye before she continued. Keeping her voice low and her gaze steady, she leaned forward in her chair. “Tell me, Mr.Graves, why did you lie about my father’s investments and debts to Mr.Stevenson?”
Mr.Graves went very still indeed. He licked his lips, drummed his fingers lightly on the table, and then let out what sounded like a tiny laugh, which rubbed hard against the confusion in his expression. “I – I do not know what you mean,Lady Susanna.”
Sighing audibly, she shook her head. “Mr.Graves, this will not do. You will tell me the truth, or else I shall go directly to my father and tell him all that I know. For the moment, I have kept this matter private, and there is still a chance I may do so.” She tipped her head a fraction, then spread out her hands. “You have served my father and our family well and for a long time. There must have been good reason for you to lie to Mr.Stevenson, even if I cannot yet see it.”
Pushing himself up from his chair, Mr.Graves set both hands on the desk and looked back at her steadily, his eyes fixed on hers. For a long moment, he said nothing, and Susanna clasped her hands tightly in her lap, waiting for him to speak. Outwardly, she kept her expression neutral, holding his gaze without flinching even if her heart was racing wildly in her chest.
“I – I want to tell you that I have no notion of what you are speaking of, Lady Susanna, but I cannot.” Mr.Graves lowered his head, a groan escaping from his lips. “It seems Mr.Stevenson has broken my trust.”
“He has done nothing of the sort,” Susanna retorted, having no clear idea as to whether or not Mr.Stevenson had done so but repeating what Lord Lancashire had told her. “Lord Lancashire spoke to him, to ask where he had garnered the information about my father’s financial standing. Mr.Stevenson was honest, stating that he had spoken to you, given that you are his trusted friend. It was his trust that you broke by speaking untruths, Mr.Graves. Can you not see that?”
Mr.Graves shut his eyes and scrubbed one hand over his face, his expression screwed up.
“You will tell me why you told Mr.Stevenson such untruths, Mr.Graves. And you will tell me now.”
Susanna spoke with more authority than she had ever done before, her voice filling the room as she kept her gaze pinned to the man in front of her. He sank back down into his chair, his shoulders rounding and his eyes still closed, but Susanna did not feel even an ounce of sympathy. Not yet, at least. She wanted to – needed to – know the truth as to why he had lied so severely.
Mr.Graves let out a long breath. “I was told to.”
Her eyebrows shot up, but she said nothing, biting back the questions on the tip of her tongue. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lady Kilthorn settle a hand on Ellen’s arm, perhaps reminding her to stay silent.
“I was told that should anyone come to speak of the Duke of Somerset’s financial standing, I was to say two particular things. One, that there were some questionable investments which I had advised against, given that there were ties to some nefarious schemes, and two, that he was in debt. Debts which had not been repaid for some time and could not be paid.”
Susanna’s stomach clenched. “You were told to say such things? Why?”
Mr.Graves still did not open his eyes, his chin sinking towards his chest. “I do not know.”
“And you spoke to Mr.Stevenson when he asked?” Ellen, who clearly could not remain silent even though she had promised to do so, leaned forward in her chair. “Did you speak to anyone else?”
With a shake of his head, Mr.Graves finally opened his eyes but did not look up at any of them. Instead, his gaze settled on his desk, his whole body seeming to sink lower and lower into his chair. “Only to Mr.Stevenson, and it grieved me to lie to him since we are the very closestof friends.”
Susanna’s heart began to quicken, a question burning hotter and hotter in her mind. “Mr.Graves, you say that you were told to do such a thing, but it cannot be that you simply did as you were asked. You have enough loyalty to my father, and to your own position, so as not to be so easily manipulated, I think.”
