“If Regina is the target,” Daffin said, “whoever it is must have been watching to know where the coach was coming from. He would have known who was in it.”
“I don’t want to discard the possibility that Nicole is the target, yet, however,” Grimaldi added, his jaw turning rock hard. “We can’t be certain he knew.”
“That’s true,” Nicole conceded. “We are usually together when we go out.”
“If Nicole is the target, it may well be because of the babe,” Daffin said.
Grimaldi nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
“If Nicole is the target, the first place to look is with the next-in-line again. I assume it’s still Mr. Cartwright.” Daffin had met Mr. Cartwright last summer in Surrey. Cartwright stood to inherit the dukedom had a unique codicil not granted it to Grimaldi as a male heir on his mother’s side. Grimaldi’s mother had been the daughter of the former duke.
Cartwright hadn’t struck either Daffin or Grimaldi as a killer, and his name had been cleared.
“Cartwright is employed at one of my residences in the north,” Grimaldi said. “I intend to visit him while I’m there. I seriously doubt he has anything to do with this, but it cannothurt to speak to him. I pay him a hefty sum, but who knows? Perhaps he’s looking to make more.”
“If that were the case, you’d be in danger, too,” Daffin replied.
Nicole reached over and clasped her husband’s hand.
“Yes,” Grimaldi replied. “If the intention is to murder Colchester’s heirs, it would make sense to start by taking out the future heir and setting your sights on the future duke later.”
Daffin’s gut told him Cartwright had nothing to do with this. “Less suspicious, perhaps, but we also shouldn’t rule out another motive.”
Nicole cocked her head to the side. “Such as?”
“Revenge?” Daffin met her startled gaze. “You were a Bow Street Runner and a spy, Nic. I can tell you from experience at least one of those positions generates a great deal of anger… from the people I’ve put away. No doubt you’ve made your share of enemies.”
“And I can tell you the same is true for the other position,” Grimaldi added.
Nicole nodded slowly. “And if Regina is the target?”
Daffin met Regina’s gaze again. “Then I must ask, who areyourenemies, Lady Regina?”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Daffin awoke early the next morning to see Grimaldi off. He then proceeded to inspect every inch of the outside of the marquess’s town house to check for safety. Besides the front door, there was a back door, a servant’s entrance, and the coal chute. He set a team of footmen to work ensuring all of the lower-floor windows were properly secure. He intended to test them himself later.
Next, he sat down with the housekeeper and wrote out a list of every servant, tradesman, and delivery person who came in and out of the house. He wanted the names of anyone who was allowed into the residence or who might have the opportunity to sneak inside. He would inspect the locks on the ladies’ bedchamber doors after they awoke.
Both Regina and Nicole were still abed when Daffin finally took a moment to get some food in the bright, airy breakfast room. An overly friendly housemaid named Louise served him his breakfast. She returned often to see if heneeded anything else. As he ate, the same questions rolled over and over in his mind: Who would want to hurt Regina or Nicole? Was Nicole’s baby the target? Was Grimaldi in danger, too? If Regina was the target, what possible motive was there? When he’d asked her last night, Regina had steadfastly denied having made any enemies other than perhaps the family of John’s murderer.
Daffin was still contemplating it when Regina entered the room. She wore a white cotton day dress and looked as beautiful as always. This morning her cheeks were flushed. Daffin glanced up in surprise as she came to a stop in front of him.
“Nicole isn’t down here, is she?” she asked.
He looked over both shoulders. “I don’t see her,” he replied with a grin.
Regina nodded and lowered herself into the seat directly across from him. “I think she’s still abed. She’s been sleeping later recently.”
“Stands to reason,” Daffin replied.
Regina cracked the hint of a smile. “I hope you don’t mind my coming in here like this, but I wasn’t certain when we’d have another chance to speak alone.”
He met her gaze. “What’s on your mind?”
“Daffin.” Regina lowered her voice further. It was breathy and rushed and sexy as hell. “I want to sincerely apologize. Again. For my inappropriate and shameful behavior in your offices last week. I was quite overcome by your handsomeness and my own nerves, but neither is an excuse to behave in the manner I did. I do hope you can forgive me.”
He tried not to smile. He did not want her to think he was laughing at her heartfelt apology. It was possibly the most endearing one he’d ever heard. “No further apology isnecessary, my lady. I’ve all but forgotten our, ahem, meeting. I’m willing to forget it ever happened.”
