Dr. Kilgore shifted uneasily in his seat. “I never had a chance to say anything. After I indicated my findings, Lord Vining told me my services would no longer be necessary.”
“Lord Vining was there?” Phillip asked, exchanging another glance with Bell.
“Yes,” Dr. Kilgore continued. “He arrived soon after I did. He dismissed the servants and asked me what I believed had happened.”
“And you told him you thought Malcolm had been stabbed?” Phillip narrowed his eyes at the doctor.
“Yes,” Dr. Kilgore replied.
“But you never stepped forward to tell anyone the truth?” Phillip prodded.
“I… I…” The doctor hung his head. “I’m ashamed to say Lord Vining paid me quite a large sum of money.” He tugged at his cravat. “And he threatened me.”
Bell’s head jerked up. “Threatened you? What did he say?”
Dr. Kilgore cleared his throat. “He told me I’d better be careful and think twice before I spoke to anyone about the duke’s death. He mentioned my children by name.”
Bell nodded. “I understand, doctor.”
“But you spoke to Dr. Landry eventually?” Phillip pointed out, still frowning.
Dr. Kilgore nodded. “Only because I heard him talking about it at the club. Landry’s a good man. I was worried about him. I didn’t want him to get hurt. I took him aside and privately indicated that he might want to stop speaking about the duke’s death so publicly.”
“You didn’t wonder if he ever told anyone else? The Home Office perhaps?” Bell asked, a brow arched.
Dr. Kilgore sighed. “Only every single day since then. I haven’t been able to sleep for months.”
“I hope it goes without saying, doctor, that you should not mention our visit or our discussion here to anyone. Least of all, Lord Vining,” Bell continued.
Dr. Kilgore nodded. “Believe me. I don’t want any trouble. That’s why I’ve kept it a secret all these months. You have my word.”
“I want you to think carefully before you answer this last question, doctor,” Phillip said, studying the older man’s face.
Dr. Kilgore gulped and nodded.
“Is there anything else you saw that night? Anything at all you think might be of significance?” Phillip asked.
The doctor tugged at his cravat again. “There was one other thing I saw that I’ll never forget.”
Phillip leaned forward, eager to hear the man’s answer. “What’s that?”
“Forgive me, Your Grace, but there was blood on your brother’s back and beneath his body.”
Phillip nodded. Nothing more than he’d expected, given the fact that Malcolm had apparently been stabbed. “And?” Phillip prompted.
“And when we moved the body, there was a long, dark hair stuck in the blood. I had no doubt it belonged to a woman.”
Chapter Sixteen
When Sophie arrived back home from Lady Clayton’s house, she stood in the foyer plucking off her hat, gloves, and pelisse. She’d been nothing but fortunate that Phillip hadn’t been there when she’d paid her call. Lady Clayton’s treatment of her still rankled, but now that she’d had more time to think on it, how could she blame the woman? The only thing Lady Clayton knew about Sophie was that Phillip had ‘cared’ for her and now she was engaged to his murderous cousin who’d taken over the title after his brother’s untimely, probably unnatural, death. It looked bad. There was no question about it.
No. Sophie didn’t blame Lady Clayton, but she would certainly blame Phillip if he suspected her of being involved with his brother’s murder. Sophie intended to confront him on the subject the first chance she got. Did he truly believe she was capable of such an atrocity? If so, he’d apparently never known her at all.
At the moment, Sophie intended to confront Valentina and ask her why exactly she refused to call off the engagement. It made little sense. Hugh was clearly hiding something from all of them. And there was no doubt. Phillip was not an imposter. The entire notion that he could be was preposterous.
“Have you seen my stepmother?” she asked Roberts, the butler, after handing him her coat and bonnet.
“My lady is in the rose salon.” The man gave her a sneer. Valentina had hired Roberts. In fact, she’d wasted no time sacking the long-term butler Mama had hired in order to install her own man at the front of the house. Sophie had never liked nor trusted Roberts. He clearly did Valentina’s bidding. “She has a visitor and has asked not to be interrupted,” Roberts continued.
