“I don’t understand,” Marie said. “Why did ’e do it?”
“Revenge.” Lady Mary ran her fingers over Southey’s ear. “But for a crime that existed only in his mind. I believe Bertramwas quite ill. With a disease that is often treated with mercury, which seems to do more harm than good. I should have realized when you found the calomel in Bertram’s room, Marie. It’s a form of mercury used for digestive issues, as you thought, but it’s also used to treat something worse.”
Henry sagged back into his chair. “His rumored infidelity to his wife. That was true?”
“He was quite the scoundrel in his younger days, though became a most attentive husband later on.” Lady Mary nodded. “Looking back, I believe he gave the disease to his wife and she died from it.”
“Gave it to his wife?” Marie’s face cleared. “Oh! Oh…. That kind of disease.”
“The symptoms were all there.” Lady Mary stared down at the dog. “If only I had paid attention enough to notice.”
“So he killed Perrin out of a misguided sense of justice. And Taylor?” Henry asked. “Taylor knew that Withers was the killer? Tried to extort money from him perhaps?”
Lady Mary tapped her finger on her nose. “You have it. Greed was Mr. Taylor’s downfall.”
Henry rubbed his jaw. “There was an evening, after dinner when the men were conversing. Taylor had said he thought of Katherine as a sister and that ‘a brother would do anything for a sister.’” He sighed. “He obviously didn’t feel Katherine was like a sister. His words must have been directed to Mr. Withers. Another hint that Taylor knew Withers had taken revenge for Lady Perrin. I missed it at the time.”
“We all missed a lot.” Lady Mary stroked Southey’s back. “Though not one of those blasted herbalist books mentioned lily of the valley as a potential poison. I refuse to take responsibility for not discovering the source of what killed Perrin.”
“You were reading books pertaining to home remedies,” Henry said. “I believe some people have tried to use that plantto ease the symptoms of gout, but to no effect. Lily of the valley is commonly understood not to have any medicinal value. It wouldn’t have been in your books.”
Lady Mary sighed, her shoulders rounding. “I didn’t want to acknowledge that Bertram was sick. If I did, I would have had to take some action. It was easier to believe he was lonely and eccentric. And now two men are dead.”
Perrin’s loss would be hard on his sons, no doubt. Henry tried to muster up some sympathy for the secretary but fell short. Not only had the man been willing to allow a killer to roam loose, he’d attempted to coerce Katherine into marriage. No, he would cry no tears over Taylor’s death.
Katherine. A small smile tugged at his lips. “She’ll be so disheartened to find Miss Walker innocent.”
There was a rustle of skirts at the door. “She might not have killed Perrin, but I maintain that woman is far from innocent.”
*
The shock onHenry’s face did a little to lift Katherine’s spirits. As did seeing Lady Mary and the rest of them safe. A bit knocked about, perhaps, but relatively unharmed.
Henry jumped to his feet. “Katherine. What in heaven’s name are you doing here?”
“Why do you think?” Lady Mary rolled her eyes. “She came to the same conclusion as you.” The older woman tilted her head. “I hope you didn’t hare off on a horse like our Mr. Evans here.”
Her father stepped next to her. “Of course not. But I do believe we’ve cracked a wheel bouncing back here at the speed we did. We might have to spend another night at Perrin Manor while it’s repaired.”
Good. That would give her time to explain her foolishness to Henry. Time to beg him to take her back.
Henry strode up to her, gave one apologetic look to her father, then pulled her into his arms.
All right then. Perhaps she didn’t need much time at all. She rested her cheek against his chest and held on to the pockets of his jacket. “I’m sorry. My father told me what you negotiated for. Or more importantly what you didn’t. Can you forgive me?”
His hold tightened. “A man almost killed two women here tonight. Could have turned his madness on you at any time in the past weeks. Right now, I can forgive anything.”
Katherine burrowed deeper into his hold. She was almost grateful to Mr. Withers. If they hadn’t been investigating a murder together, she and Henry most likely never would have fallen in love. And without the threat he posed, Henry might not have accepted her back so readily.
“While I’m here, I’d say we’d best finalize the details of your nuptials.” Her father’s voice held a bit of warning.
Henry loosened his hold on her, but only a little. “Then it’s a good thing there’s an attorney in the house.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Lady Mary
It had beena week since Henry and Katherine had left. Two days since Michael, Perrin’s eldest, had arrived to take over management of Perrin Manor. And on a sunny and warm spring morning, it was finally time for me to take my leave.
