He considered this, and nodded.
“Then there’s the issue of the dates. The culprit must have knownsomeonewould realize Lord Lovell wasn’t at Lymington House when Amy disappeared, but he went ahead anyway, because he had to pin the blame on someone. I haven’t quite worked out why he thought he could get away pinning it on Lord Lovell, given the discrepancy in the dates, but your cousin had a reputation for wild, unpredictable behavior, so he was the ideal choice for a villain looking for a scapegoat.”
“I…hadn’t thought of it that way,” Samuel admitted reluctantly.
“No, you wouldn’t have, because you didn’t know your cousin had been implicated in the crimes at all. I believe Kitty Yardley was taken to reinforce the appearance of Lovell’s guilt. Caroline Francis as well, though something must have gone wrong there, or Caroline never would have turned up at the Pink Pearl.”
Samuel was quiet for some time, his gaze on the fire, then, “You…how did you put it? You tookan interestin Lovell so you might get close to him, and thus prove his guilt?”
“His guilt, or his innocence, but yes, that was how it started.”
Samuel kept his gaze on the fire. “Once you found out his heart belonged to Lady Flora, you transferred your false affections tome.”
Underneath the anger, Emma heard the uncertainty, the hurt in his voice, and she couldn’t bear it. “Do you remember the day we first kissed, in Lady Tremaine’s rose garden?”
Samuel let out a harsh laugh. “I remember. How could I forget it? Bravo, Miss Downing. It never even occurred to me you were pretending.”
“I wasn’t pretending. That kiss happenedafterI suspected Lord Lovell was innocent, Samuel.”
It wasn’t much, taken against the other lies she’d told. She didn’t expect Samuel to ever forgive her for them, but if only she could make him see she hadn’t been feigning her regard for him, hadn’t used him, perhaps it would helpheal his heart.
“Are you trying to persuade me you kissed me becauseyouwantedme?”
Emma closed her eyes. How could she make him understand she’d never pretended with him? With every other man, yes, but not withhim. She’d lied because she hadn’t had any other choice, but their kiss in the garden, the moments of tenderness and passion that had followed—that had all been real. “I did want you. I still do.”
Samuel thrust the letter back into Emma’s hands. “I don’t believe you.”
Emma had known he wouldn’t, but she’d had to say it. She’d sworn to herself she would tell him the truth, no matter how much it hurt when he didn’t believe her.
And now she’d said what she needed to say. She’d failed, just as she’d known she would, but she was here, at Lymington House, and that meant there was still a chance she could find justice for Amy, Kitty,and Caroline.
She coulddo that much.
Emma set her glass down on a table, and rose to her feet. “Caroline Francis was murdered in London last night, my lord. Someonestrangled her.”
Samuel went unnaturally still.
Emma walked to the door, but paused before leaving, her back to him. “I know you don’t want me here, but there’s a murderer running loose, and he’s somehow connected to Lymington House. I’m here to find out who he is. Once I do, I’ll go, and you’ll never have tosee me again.”
“We don’t want your help, Miss Downing. I don’t see how any of this has anything to do with you anymore.”
Emma almost turned to face him again, but it was easier this way—easier not to look. “I have something of his, and he wants it back. Once he realizes that, he’ll make himself known. It’s only a matter of time.”
Silence. Emma waited, but when Samuel didn’t speak, she opened the library door and slipped out, closing it quietly behind her.
There was nothing more to say.
Chapter Nineteen
“You look like an angry bear this morning, Lymington.”
Samuel stopped in the doorway of the breakfast parlor, his bleary gaze falling on his cousin. “What the devil are you doing downstairs, Lovell? It’s noteven noon yet.”
“And a good morning to you, too, cousin.” Lovell looked Samuel up and down, his brow furrowed. “Not a satisfactory hibernation last night, I take it?”
“I haven’t the vaguest idea what you’re talking about.” Samuel strode over to the sideboard, filled a plate, then joined Lovell at the table. He stared gloomily down at his eggs, then shoved them away. He snatched up his coffee instead, but before he could take a sip, he noticed Lovell staring at him from across thetable. “What?”
“Nothing, just, ah…what’s happened there?” Lovell waved a hand atSamuel’s head.
