“Why?” Andrew asked coolly.
Raymond was red faced and flustered. “The darndest thing. We’d ended up alone together, because her brother had taken himself off somewhere. After dismounting at the river, she welcomed a kiss.” His eyes flew to Andrew’s face. “I accept you’re angry with me, Andrew, but I hope you can understand. She wound me in a silken net, beguiled me.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t help myself. When she raised her face to mine, I had to kiss her, but then she suddenly flew into a pet. Called me an abuser of women! Demanded I assist her to mount. Then she rode off into the trees, saying she was going to find Ivo and have him deal with me.”
“According to Greta, who has returned to the house, you tried to take off her clothes and ravage her.”
Raymond gaped. “Deuce it! I didn’t. I swear on my sainted aunt! I admit to having behaved appallingly where you’re concerned. That I doubted the depth of your feelings for each other, is really no excuse. But to have ravished her like a common trollop? I wouldn’t,” his voice broke. “You must believe me!” He swiped off his hat and raked his hair. “I’ll leave. I’m deeply sorry, Andrew.”
“We’ll discuss this later, Ray. I need to find Ivo. Someone tried to kill William. This time they made no attempt to make it look like an accident. They shot Irvine.”
Astonished, Raymond turned to Irvine. “It’s happened again then?” He paled, alarm in his eyes. “You can’t think it’s me?”
“Where did you go after leaving Greta?”
Raymond waved his hand in an easterly direction. “I was searching for her. I was afraid she’d get lost, and I wanted to have it out with her before she came back here and accused me.”
Andrew nodded at Irvine who held a gun in his hand.
Raymond stared at the pistol. “Is Irvine going to shoot me?”
“Irvine will escort you back to the house. We shall speak, later.” Andrew turned his horse’s head and rode away.
Raymond called something after him. Andrew wheeled the horse around.
“I saw Herr Ven Bremen riding toward the house from the river,” his cousin yelled again, before Irvine gestured with the gun for him to move on.
Andrew struggled to believe that Raymond was behind these attacks. Was it Ivo? But what motive might he have? Strathairn had been sure the German was not connected with any dissident groups; indeed he rarely returned to Germany. Ivo and Greta had been staying with Andrew when Winslow was shot in London. And it was doubtful he could have killed Lord Stonebrook either. Then there was the attempt on William’s life in the tower, while Ivo was supposedly in Oxford. Despite all this, and the lack of any discernable reason for such violence, Andrew still found himself suspecting the man. There was something slightly unhinged about Ivo. He should have thrown him out long ago.
Andrew rode along the river for an hour but found no sign of him. Perhaps Ivo had returned to the house.
He rode into the stable yard as a big, fair haired man leapt down from his phaeton.
Andrew dismounted and hurried over to greet him. “Strathairn, the sight of you is good for sore eyes!”
“Thought I’d come down and see how you and Irvine go on,” the marquess said, striding over to shake Andrew’s hand.
“I’m very glad you did,” Andrew warmly shook it. “There’s been another attack. Irvine was injured, but he isn’t badly hurt. He holds my cousin, Raymond, under guard. I’m about to search for Von Bremen.” He turned to Ben who hurried out from the stables. “Any sign of the German gentleman?”
“No, Your Grace.”
“I must go and find him,” Andrew said. “Forgive me if I don’t have time to offer you a whiskey.”
“Saddle me a horse, I’m coming with you,” Strathairn said.
A reluctant smile lifted Andrew’s mouth. “I was counting on that. I’ll send for a couple of rifles.”
