Groaning with uselessness, she rubbed her forehead.Think, Ellie!Her gaze rested on Lord Calvin’s attire—long black coat and top hat. Realization smacked her from out of nowhere.
“Lord Calvin? Were you at my house last night? Did you enter through the west wing door?”
Lord Calvin scowled. “Eleanor, we don’t have time for this. You need to help me find Edgar before he kills Vincent.”
She couldn’t understand any of this, and her mind swam with confusion. Why was Lord Calvin hellbent on trying to find Edgar? What was the man’s purpose? To save Vincent or to catch Edgar?
Her questions needed to be answered quickly, before she went insane.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Adam grasped Ellie’sarm and tugged as he started them back around the house. Irritation inside of her overrode the moment, and she stopped short, jerking her hand away from him. “I’m not going another step until you tell me what is going on.”
Inhaling through his mouth, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Tell me the truth, Adam.”
His eyes darkened with his scowl. “I’m Lord Calvin. Will you please remember that?”
She rolled her eyes. “Just tell me the truth, please?”
He sighed and folded his arms. “Remember when I told you I was a spy for the prince regent?”
She nodded.
“One of the men I have suspected of treason for a while now is Edgar Stone. I followed him here. That is the real reason I came back.”
“So all of this was just an assignment?”
“Yes…although I’m glad I told you the truth about my identity.”
She shrugged. “Go on.”
“I suspected Edgar was working with someone, but it wasn’t until I met your stepmother that I knew who that person was.”
“Augusta?”
“Yes. She and Edgar have been supporters of Napoleon Bonaparte from the very beginning. They rob people of their money as a way of getting back at the Crown. Every person that the prince has awarded—like your father—Edgar and Augusta are determined to ruin their lives. They have chosen your family now.”
“By killing my mother,” she shouted as tears sprang to her eyes.
“Yes. That was Augusta’s first mistake. I assure you, she will be arrested, along with Edgar, who has plenty of crimes under his belt.”
Finally, things started adding up in Ellie’s mind. No wonder she hadn’t fully trusted Augusta. Now it made sense why she didn’t like Edgar from the moment she met him. Was her guardian angel mother trying to protect her? She liked to think so.
“So why would Edgar take Vincent?”
“To get him out of the way so he can marry you.” He pointed to the letter he still held. “Remember, that’s part of their plan.”
“Make sure you keep that letter safe, Calvin. That’s the only proof we have of Augusta killing my mother.” Her voice broke.
He stepped toward her and gathered her in his arms. “Eleanor, you can trust me to do just that. Consider it a way of apologizing for all I have put you through.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I do still love you, but…things have changed. I no longer wish to marry you.”
She managed a small smile. “Do not fret, dear Calvin. I don’t wish to marry you, either. I’m completely in love with Vincent.”
“I know. I could tell last night at the ball. You never looked upon me as you did him last evening. I’m glad you found someone to be with.”
Sniffing, she pulled away and wiped the tears off her face. “All right now, let me concentrate on where Edgar would have taken Vincent. Are you sure he took him somewhere on my father’s property?”
