A harsh emotion he’d not thought her capable of until now flickered in the depth of her gaze.“Then I hope you find the responsible party and make them pay.”
The quiet fury with which she spoke surprised him.He’d thought her too gentle for rage to grip her, but there could be no denying the pure disgust she experienced in response to his words.All because of a woman she’d spoken to briefly on one occasion.
Her reaction warmed a forgotten place at the core of his very existence.She understood him.More than that, she felt exactly as he did.Hell, if he didn’t know any better, he’d think she’d also like a go at whomever the bastard turned out to be.
Yet another thing they had in common, only this time it touched him on a visceral level.He shook his head, cautioned himself against becoming emotionally involved with her.
“I finishedHerakles, by the way.It was excellent, despite the tragic ending.Don’t you think?”
“Hmm?”Adrian blinked, his gaze refocusing on her until he realized they’d sat in silence for quite a long time.“Oh, yes.Tragic indeed.”
“Forgive me,” she said.“You looked as though you could use a change of topic, so I brought up the book, but I fear it may have made me seem insensitive.”
“Not at all.I apologize.I’m just...”He shook his head.“This new information about Walker and Lundquist has me distracted.I need to figure out why the chief constable chose to release them.”
“I understand,” Miss Carmichael told him, her hand briefly touching his arm with soothing effect.
Adrian sighed.“Sorry.I never should have stopped to talk with Birchwood.It’s made me terrible company.”
“Considering all you have suffered, it is I who ought to apologize for making you feel as though you need to be cheerful.”
“You did no such thing.I’m simply preoccupied, that’s all.”He wished he could stay but knew his mind wouldn’t find any peace until he dug deeper where Walker and Lundquist were concerned.“Would you mind if I were to take my leave?”
“Of course not.”
Unwilling to leave her alone, Adrian extended his hand and helped her rise.He then guided her back to the ballroom and over to Mr.Harlowe, who was chatting with Baron Midhurst.
Adrian exchanged a few pleasantries with both men, then bowed over Miss Carmichael’s hand.“Until we meet again.”
The answering blush in her cheeks sent a thrill through his veins.Ignoring it, he turned and strode from the ballroom, continuing into the hallway beyond, not slowing his pace until he reached the front entrance.
Only then did he dare a backward glance in the direction of the woman who’d piqued his interest.No, it was more than that.In some confounded way, Miss Carmichael was coming dangerously close to doing what no other woman had managed before.
Her sensitive nature, the element of mystery she embodied, that adventurous streak she’d confided in him, and the fierce gleam of anger he’d spied in her eyes when he’d mentioned his theory pertaining to Evie’s death, were a potent combination.
If he didn’t take drastic measures, she’d sweep past his every defense and creep under his skin.After that, she’d surely conquer his heart and—
The arrival of his carriage scattered his musings, like crisp autumn leaves carried away on the wind.He climbed in and thumped the roof, then leaned his head against the window and stared at Moorland House as it slid from his view.
Once home, he handed his hat to Elks and tossed his gloves inside, then cut a path straight to his study.The file he sought on the Marquess of Lundquist was quickly located, but only one file was labeled Walker and it concerned Julian Walker’s father instead of Julian Walker himself.
Adrian grabbed both files, strode to his desk, and set them down before taking a seat.He flipped the Lundquist file open and riffled through the stack of pages it contained.There were notes concerning bets the marquess had made, dating back to before he’d inherited his title, records of debts he owed, a secret duel he’d once engaged in, even a brief affair with another man’s wife, and…
There.
The chief magistrate’s name stood out next to Lundquist’s.Second cousins, apparently, on Lundquist’s mother’s side.According to the detailed notes that followed, the marquess’s father had taken an interest in the magistrate’s son’s schooling, paying the boy’s tuition at Eton and Cambridge.
So the magistrate was indebted to Lundquist.But what of Walker?Adrian gave his attention to the next file, only to be disappointed by the lack of information it provided.The only thing of note besides the rudimentary details was the mention of a shipping investment made by Julian Walker’s father.
There was nothing beyond the basic information one would find in Debrett’s.No link between the family and those with influence over the investigation.Nor a hint of the Walker family secrets.
Which meant they were either exceedingly righteous.Or cunning enough to somehow elude the Crofts.
In all likelihood, it was the former, but that would not be enough to absolve Julian Walker of guilt.After all, even virtuous families had been known to produce black sheep.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the pages that littered his desk.A connection existed between these two men and Miss Irvine.Regardless of Kendrick’s decision to let them walk free, Adrian meant to discover if there was more to it than the secret liaisons Birchwood had mentioned.
If one of them killed her, they’d also killed the previous victims, not to mention his sister.And since he didn’t trust Bow Street, he’d have to uncover the truth himself.
