His handsome features twisted into something ugly.
‘Your precious Lord Stanley shall cease to be a problem very shortly,’ he sneered. ‘Thanks to dear Minerva. She has agreed to poison him once he returns from Manchester.’
Charlotte felt the blood drain from her face. As much as she despised Mrs Wilberforce, she still struggled to believe she would truly harm her own brother.
‘She had ample opportunity before. Why now?’
He shrugged carelessly.
‘Not for want of trying. But the man has become exceedingly cautious.’
He laughed again—that same laugh she had once found charming now sounded hollow.
‘Perhaps Stanley, once he learns of your betrayal, will finally lower his guard.’
Charlotte’s mind reeled.
‘He will never believe I would simply elope like that—not whilst the threat of the Odd Fellows still remains.’
‘Are you quite certain of that, my darling?’ he asked smoothly. ‘We did a remarkably good job creating a rift between you at the ball.’
Charlotte recoiled in disbelief.
‘That is right,’ he continued, watching comprehension dawn across her face. ‘I waited until Stanley was close enough to overhear, then carefully chose words that could easily be misconstrued as you agreeing to meet me in secret. Meanwhile, Minerva poisoned his ear with tales of your supposed disgust towards his religion and your preference for me.’
‘No...’
The scenes at the ball suddenly rearranged themselves in Charlotte’s mind—Lord Stanley’s abrupt coldness, the unmistakable shift in his manner after she danced with the Captain. At last, it all made dreadful sense.
‘You should have seen his face. The poor man was crushed,’ he said with a chuckle.
They had orchestrated it all deliberately so Lord Stanley would believe she harboured feelings for the Captain.
Charlotte’s heart twisted painfully. Perhaps Lord Stanley did love her after all. Hope rose within her—only to be crushed a moment later.
The knowledge had come far too late.
Then the Captain’s eyes darkened.
‘But what I require now is the black book. Minerva intends to retrieve it from her brother’s conveniently dead body. And you, my darling, shall set sail with me at dawn and vanish so completely it will be as though you never existed.’
‘What use is the book without the cipher?’ she pressed quickly. ‘It is worthless unless someone can read it.’
For the first time, genuine interest flickered across his face.
Charlotte seized upon it immediately.
‘Spare Lord Stanley,’ she whispered desperately. ‘And I shall go with you willingly.’
‘I am afraid that is too great a risk. There are ways the book might yet be deciphered—even without the cipher itself. I would rather not leave such matters to chance.’
‘I believe Minerva has enough laudanum remaining for one final cup of tea with her dear brother,’ he said with a smirk.
Charlotte’s stomach turned. She would not beg; there was no point. She swallowed a sob.
‘You both killed Mrs Dent,’ she whispered, as the events of the last few weeks finally fell into place.
‘Correct.’
