“I don’t think I’d be here at all, were it not for you,” Wentworth muttered.He wore a disgruntled expression.“I’ve gone back over the details pertaining to my arrest.Funny how you were left alone in my office the same day Bow Street came to search it.”
“You’re not wrong,” Adrian said.“I needed to know if you might be involved, so I searched the place until I discovered your notebook.Based on its contents, I informed Kendrick.Just in case you were the guilty party.”
“Seems like we’ve both been unlucky to cross paths with you,” Melroy said.
“Your mistake was in not coming here from the start.Had you brought your suspicions and concerns to Kendrick instead of attempting to find your own answers, I doubt you’d have landed yourself in this mess.”
“What’s done is done,” Samantha said.
“No arguing that,” Miss Hastings murmured.
Adrian shook his head.This conversation was proving unhelpful.If he was to start making progress, he’d need to focus on what was important.
Arms crossed, he addressed Melroy and Wentworth.“In the interest of saving time, I’ll get straight to the point.”
27
Melroy glanced at Wentworth as soon as Adrian finished asking his question.
“Has either of you shared information about the anesthesia with Doctor Islington or Doctor Lester?”
Samantha watched as each man shook his head.It didn’t look as though they were lying.
“Could either of these men have gained access to your notes?”Adrian asked Wentworth.
Melroy spoke before he could answer.“Do you think one of them is the killer?”
“I’m not sure,” Adrian said.“I’m just gathering information.If you’d please answer the question, Wentworth?”
The man gave his head a quick shake.“I don’t think so.The notes have been either on my person or locked in my desk drawer.Besides, I’ve never met either man.”
Something about his inflection put Samantha on alert.She narrowed her gaze.“What are you not saying?”
Wentworth cleared his throat.“Nothing.I’ve always been extremely protective of my research.”
“Then why is your face flushed as though you’re hiding something?”
“I…don’t know.”Wentworth cleared his throat once more and looked to Melroy as though expecting him to provide more input.
“You said you’ve never met either man, but Mrs.Lester works at St.George’s,” Samantha said, not willing to let go of what she suspected might offer important insight.“Maybe you’ve interacted with her?”
“We’ve talked,” he admitted.“She’s a lovely woman.”
“She’s also Islington’s sister and Lester’s wife,” Adrian said.“Maybe they learned of your research through her.If you mentioned something in passing, she might have told them about it.”
“No.”Wentworth raised his chin, tilting it at a stubborn angle.“She would never betray my confidence.”
Adrian snorted.“Foolish man.Mrs.Lester’s loyalty would be to her husband.”
“That’s not—” Wentworth bit off the rest of his words and pressed his lips together.
A hush filled the room, then Samantha whispered.“Were you about to suggest that’s not true?”
“Of course not.”But Wentworth’s tone betrayed him once again.While he might be an excellent surgeon, he was a terrible liar.
“We need the truth if we’re to unravel this mess,” Adrian told him.When Wentworth said nothing more, he added, “Even if you were not the one who administered the lethal tonic, you are still responsible for putting the idea of it in someone’s head.Whether or not you’ll be prosecuted for this will likely depend on how conscious you were of your actions.Was it accidental or intentional?An important distinction since one is more reckless than the other.”
“Both would be inexcusable,” Melroy said.“Wentworth is a responsible physician.He’s done nothing wrong, of that I am certain.”
