“Your father,” he muttered.
“What about him?” Brilliance asked, lifting her cheek from his chest.
“Bri dear, your betrothed is trying to keep you from making a public display of affection. I would agree if we weren’t in this closed room hidden away from prying eyes and among friends.” Lord Diamond clapped the constable on the shoulder.
“Indeed,” the mustached policeman said. “Indeed, we are.”
Regardless, Brilliance did, at last, give him space to breathe. “We have freed you. And I have excellent news.”
“Isn’tthatexcellent news?” Vincent asked.
“Yes, it is!” She clapped her hands. “Yet this is even better. I have recovered much of your music written and dated. It is proof, don’t you see?Unequivocalproof — that’s the word you used, Father, isn’t it?” she asked, glancing at Lord Diamond, before looking at Vincent again. “Thatyouwrote the music.”
Vincent shook his head, not understanding, thinking only of all the sheets he tore or burned in his rage.
“Your mother had saved them all!” Brilliance gestured to two leather satchels on the desk in the corner. He recognized them as once belonging to his father. And then it dawned on him their import.
“How could I have forgotten?” he asked. “I must be the dullest dolt in England. You cannot possibly marry me.”
Her lovely face clouded over. But he smiled at her.
“I am speaking in jest, I assure you.”
“He is,” said her father, “or I would shoot him.”
Vincent startled, but this time Brilliance was the one smiling.
“My father is joking.”
“Am I?” asked the earl.
Even Brilliance turned uncertainly toward her father.
The constable watched with rounded eyes before coughing. “Well, Lord Hewitt may leave. And we shall expect Mr. Castern to drop all charges by the morning.”
“Very good,” said Lord Diamond.
“But the music?” Vincent asked.
“We brought it along to explain the seriousness of Mr. Castern’s offense and explain why you had justifiable cause,” Brilliance explained.
“Is theft and plagiarism justifiable cause for a punch in the nose?” Vincent asked the sergeant.
“In this case” — and he looked again at the earl — “yes, it is, especially combined with Mr. Castern’s slanderous insults toward Lord Diamond’s daughter.”
In a few minutes, with the satchels tucked under Vincent’s arm, he was a free man.
“My father is a generous patron of the police and has been for years,” Brilliance told him. “He supports their widows and orphans, too.”
That made more sense than justifiable cause for assaulting someone over insults, but he kept those thoughts to himself.
“I am very grateful,” Vincent told them both, “but I still need to make Castern drop all charges.”
Lord Diamond halted in front of his carriage and folded his arms. “That shouldn’t be too difficult now that you have tangible evidence the music he plays is yours. I have no doubt the two of you will wrap this up in time to come back for dinner. My countess is expecting you.”
And then he sauntered down the street like he owned it, leaving them to take the carriage.
“Your father is quite a character.”
