Murmurs of agreement went around the room.
“However, just this past week, Hawthorne and I overheard a conversation between Lady Hollingsworth and two of her maids.”
Both Trey and Trevor’s wide-eye gazes bounced back to Tristan.
“It seems,” Tristan continued, “Lady Hollingsworth has a maid who was recently in Lord Elliot’s employ. He had been very abusive to this girl. Hawthorne and I are suspecting she might be the one who killed Elliot, but were not sure if she had the motive to kill Lord Hollingsworth.”
Gasps burst through the room. “Did Diana’s maid confess to anything?” Trevor asked loudly.
“Her name is Sally, and she didn’t confess, but she did state how she’d wanted Elliot dead.”
“Did you say anything to Lady Hollingsworth?” Judith asked, swiping a light, chestnut ringlet away from her face.
“Indeed, I did. Unfortunately, we still need to find the proof before anything can be done.”
“Oh, dear.” His mother fanned her face. “Tristan, you must make certain the girl is indeed the killer before you lay blame.”
“Yes, Mother. I know this, but I heard her practically confess.”
“Practically?” Trey asked. “But that’s not going to hold up very well with the magistrate, my dear brother.”
“Have you even talked to Sir Felix yet?” Louisa asked before she sipped her dinner wine.
“No.” Tristan sighed heavily. “It’s like I had said before, I need proof first. I don’t want to cause any undue problems with Diana or her maid.”
“Are you still in love with her?” Judith asked softly.
He arched an eyebrow. “Sally? Of course not. I have never held those feelings of such nature for the maid.”
“No,” Judith corrected, “I was referring to Lady Hollingsworth.”
Louisa leaned forward as if waiting for his answer. It seemed his sisters-in-law were more interested in that particular aspect of his life than his brothers, or even his mother. “Yes, I am still in love with Diana.”
Knowing grins shaped Judith and Louisa’s mouths. His brothers, however, nearly scowled at Tristan, enough to burn holes through him.
“No wonder you haven’t said anything to the magistrate,” Trevor barked. “I think you are trying to protect Diana more than you are trying to find a killer.”
“Now Trevor, dear,” Louisa said as she patted her husband’s hand. “Have you forgotten how confused you were when you realized you were in love with a thief, only to discover how wrong you were?”
Not very often did Tristan get to see his brother blush, but Trevor’s cheeks darkened a pinkish color.
“You are correct, my love.” Trevor brushed his fingers lightly against her blonde curl by her ear.
Tristan quickly continued before the two of them became any more zealous in their love. “I haven’t said anything to the magistrate until I have something that backs up my theory.”
“That’s a wise thing to do,” his mother said.
“Do you think she might be innocent?” Judith asked.
Tristan shrugged then took a drink of his wine. “I don’t know. I just know that I if I were in her place and had been beaten like she had been, I would have wanted to kill the man responsible.” He shrugged. “So I have two different arguments pulling at me. I have logic that says once the true killer is put away, Diana and I can live our lives the way we’ve always wanted to. And then my heart tells me that I shouldn’t blame the maid because she was so abused and mentally broken.”
“Tristan?” Louisa asked. “Why don’t you follow your heart?”
Inwardly, he sighed. He should have known she or Judith would say something like that. And for the life of him, he couldn’t hold back from telling her the truth. “My heart tells me Sally is innocent, but it’s only because Diana trusts her maids, and I trust Diana.”
“Oh, Tristan dear.” His mother bunched her hands on the table. “Please do not do anything rash. Please make certain of your feelings before you pursue Lady Hollingsworth any further. You mentioned that Sir Felix thinks you and Lady Hollingsworth are in this together. I would hate him to have his suspicions confirmed if he saw you and the widow together in public.”
“I’m very much aware of how it would look, Mother.” He rubbed his forehead, hoping the pounding in his skull would disappear. “But I don’t think you will have to worry about that any time soon. Until the true killer is caught, Diana and I will not be seen together at all. I just hope this ends quickly because I cannot see going through life without Diana as my wife.”
