Edward turned in his seat at the sound of Adrian’s entrance, concern etched on his face.“You look as though you could use a drink.”
Adrian crossed the floor, filled both glasses, and sank into a chair with a weary sigh before sharing his recent findings with Edward.
“Walker had an alibi and the blasted chief magistrate vouched for Lundquist.Turns out they’re related.Second cousins.”He downed a measure of brandy and savored the burn as it slid down his throat.
Edward frowned.“Sounds like corruption to me.”
“Indeed.”Adrian shifted his glass so the light from the fireplace caught the cut crystal.“Miss Fairchild’s sister slipped me a note this morning when I went to call on her parents.She wants me to meet her in Green Park tomorrow.Looks like she might be willing to help.”
“Are you sure it’s wise of you to be getting involved?”Edward tilted his head.“If I were to catch the bastard who did this, I’d have a hard time restraining myself.I’m sure the same goes for you, which makes me worry.You don’t want to be the one ending up behind bars, Adrian.”
“There’s no need for concern.I’m only trying to piece everything together so I can point Kendrick in the right direction.”A lie, but a necessary one.
“In that case, I hope Miss Fairchild’s sister has something useful to share.”Edward’s gaze hardened.“I want the killer to hang.”
Adrian had no intention of letting him face a judge.A hanging would be too kind.But he didn’t argue.Instead, he took another sip of his drink.
22
Heavy clouds heralding rain filled the sky the following morning when Adrian entered Green Park.He strode onto the nearest path and toward a bench where the lady he’d come to meet waited.
Dressed in a lilac pelisse, Miss Fairchild sat with an older woman – a maid, he presumed, whose purpose it was to chaperone her.As if sensing his approach, Miss Fairchild glanced his way and stood in order to greet him.
He tipped his hat.“Miss Fairchild.I wonder if you might be in the mood for a stroll.”
“An excellent idea.”She gestured for her maid to follow and fell into step beside him.“Thank you for coming to meet me.”
He dropped a look in her direction.“I’m hoping you’ll tell me something to help me track down your sister’s killer.In which case, it is I who should thank you.”
Miss Fairchild gave him a pained look, sniffed, and gulped down a breath before saying, “Gwendolyn’s death came as a shock.I still expect her to walk through the door any moment.”
“My sympathies.”A pause allowed the words to bear weight.“Having lost my own sister to the same monster, I know the pain you’ve been forced to endure.”
“My parents have placed their faith in the law, but it has been several months with additional murders and no hint of Bow Street stopping the killer.My hope is that you might do so instead, and if there’s the slightest chance you’ll meet with success, I’ll happily lend my support.Provided of course that I may count upon your discretion regarding what I’m about to say.”
“Of course,” he promised.“You have my word.”
“Very well.”She drew a ragged breath.“What no one knows is that Gwendolyn was engaged in a secret romance with the Marquess of Lundquist at the time of her death.According to what she told me, he disapproved of her friends and demanded she end her associations with them.When she refused, he grew angry and jealous.I fear...”
“You fear Lundquist’s jealousy led him to kill her?”
“That, and his need for control.He made it clear to her that she wasn’t allowed to dance with anyone else – an impossible demand to make of any young lady without it raising suspicion.So she ignored it and accepted the repercussion.”
“Which was?”
Miss Fairchild sent her gaze across the park.“He was rough with her the last time they met in private.She came home with bruises.”
Adrian gritted his teeth as anger rolled through him.“I’m sorry.”
“No more than I, Mr.Croft.”She glanced at him through watery eyes.“I knew what had happened, but rather than tell our parents, I kept my sister’s secret.”
“If it eases your mind, I don’t believe speaking up would have changed anything.”Adrian set his hand against her arm in the hope of offering some small measure of comfort.“The man we seek selected women he believed to be without morals.Your sister’s tryst with Lundquist must have caused him to think of her in such terms, in which case accusing Lundquist of violent behavior would not have served any purpose, besides ruining her reputation.It wouldn’t have changed the killer’s opinion of her.”
“The killer being Lundquist.”A remark intended to make him commit to her line of thinking.
He refused to do so.“Possibly.”
“Mr.Croft.”Her voice was raw with emotion.“Gwendolyn was the first victim.Given the fact that Lundquist was the only man who could have known she wasn’t as innocent as she appeared, it stands to good reason that he took her life before setting his sights on additional women.”
