‘That’s as may be. But now I need to ask you some questions and I’d appreciate some honest answers.’
He looked taken aback. ‘I rather think I’m the one who should be asking questions. You, after all, were the one who ran off and then broke our engagement in a letter. You didn’t even have the decency to tell me to my face.’
Eliza knew he had a point and was not without shame, but she was not to be deterred either. ‘I’m truly sorry for it, but it wasn’t planned,’ she said, and met his gaze.
He sniffed. ‘And what was the plan? Have a fling with the Prince and then come crawling back to reliable old Clifford? I thought better of you.’
‘There was no plan at all,’ she said, rather sadly.
They were silent for a few moments and then he spoke again. ‘I find it hard to forgive that you persuaded Dottie to lie for you.’
She didn’t tell him it had been Dottie’s idea. ‘Please let’s not bicker,’ she said instead. ‘I have more important things on my mind. And if we’re talking of lying, why did you lie so blatantly about Jay’s arrest?’
He gave her an uncertain look but didn’t speak.
‘You knew Jay was already being released when I came to you. Chatur had been to see you and told you there had been a mistake and that the culprit was Dev. I don’t suppose Chatur admitted his own involvement, but you didn’t arrest Dev, did you? Why not, Clifford?’
When she glanced at him she saw that he seemed to be studying her face, as if looking for clues that might tell him how much she really knew. She composed herself. Let him feel the unease, she thought.
Then after a moment she nodded. ‘Yes. I know the truth. And what’s more, I think I know why you let it happen.’
‘And that was?’
‘You knew I’d come running the moment you arrested Jay, didn’t you?’
He gave a little shake of his head. ‘It wasn’t quite like that.’
‘No more lies, Clifford. You counted on the fact that I would agree to marry you to secure Jay’s release.’
‘And yet I didn’t need to persuade you. It was you who offered.’
She stared at him. ‘More fool me!’
Clifford’s jaw stiffened and he looked away.
‘You also knew that if Jay was found guilty it would forever preclude him from ruling. But I think you guessed it was never going to stick.’
‘I admit I’d smelt a rat from the start. Not only that, even before Chatur arrived to tell me it was Dev, the girl came running, telling me the truth and begging for Jay’s release …’
She frowned. ‘The girl? What girl?’
He got to his feet, took a few steps away and then twisted back and, looking at her, seemed unable to speak, as if he was turning something over in his mind.
‘What girl, Clifford?’
‘Indira, of course.’
‘Indi? She wasn’t in it too?’
‘No. Dev had let slip to her what he and Chatur were up to. She’d never hurt Jay, though she might have wanted to hurt you.’ He paused. ‘Her own sister.’
The breeze dropped and everything in the garden stilled. Eliza could feel the beating of her own heart but her mouth had gone dry and she was unable to find the words she needed. What on earth was Clifford talking about?
‘Indira is your half-sister,’ he said, enunciating slowly as if he thought her a fool. ‘She is your father’s bastard.’
She stood, but her legs shook beneath her and she had to reach out to steady herself on the arm of the bench. ‘You are making it up,’ she said, ‘just trying to provoke me.’ But her voice was flat and something told her this was true. She thought of the photograph she had found in her mother’s attic and, covering her mouth with her hand, kept wishing he would tell her it was just a joke, but he shook his head.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s the truth.’
