“I admit to nothing. Have these men release me. I came to get something I left.”
Taking Colin’s diary from under his seat cushion, Busick held it high. “You mean this book?” He flipped the pages. “What is in this thing that causes you to burglarize Hamlin? You know trespassers can be shot on the spot.”
Busick made an exaggerated show of dangling the diary. “This is Colin’s hand. It belongs to my ward. Bring the fool up here so I can show him why he’ll be jailed for trespassing, all for naught.”
Jerking and pulling at the soldiers, Markham stomped onto the second-floor landing.
Rolling backward so that the fiend would be led closer to the master’s bedchamber, Busick pushed at the wheels of his chair. He needed Patience to hear the next part of his plan. This was for her freedom.
“You are an invalid. Lady Bodonel’s blather was right.”
“A little back strain. I’ve been a little busy with my cousin’s widow.”
“Disgusting. Colin would hate you for that, bedding his wife. The fool actually loved her. Was set to ruin what we worked for over a daft letter she wrote him. I know you are onto my scheme. You were at Piccadilly. You figured out the extortion plot from my diary.”
The door to the master chamber was cracked open.Stay put, my girl. This is almost over.
“The book is Colin’s.” He held the diary up at a distance Markham couldn’t grab. “See his handwriting?”
“Some of the notations are Colin’s, but the rest is mine. It’s my book.”
“Well, my cousin’s not here to say it’s yours. My statement stands. You burglarized for nothing.”
“You know very well I’m telling the truth. You know I taught Colin to write when he was a lad. You should’ve told me you were light in your funds. That daft mother has bled you dry. I know you and your partner LaCroy are trying to weasel your way into my scheme.”
Yes, she was his partner, his life. Busick turned the wheels a little more. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You figured out Colin and I were extorting the gaming hell operator Sullivan. He’s been cheating the club, charging patrons a fee for shaving a few guineas here or there off their debts. That diary is the record of over a year’s worth of cheats summing to over thirty thousand pounds.”
“Thirty thousand four hundred and twenty-six, to be exact.”
Mrs. St. Maur’s voice boomed. She must be like Patience, loathe to follow orders.
“Thank you, ma’am, but I ordered you to withdraw into your room.”
Markham sneered. “Belladonna makes women compliant. You should try it.”
“And suicidal. Men, too. We both know Colin didn’t commit suicide. You killed him.”
“What are you talking about? I loved him like a son.”
“Colin wanted to end this gambling scheme. He wanted to be a better man for Mrs. Jordan and their babe to come. Her letter shook him, but it set him on a better path.”
Markham shrugged, but the smirk on his face was proud, as if he relished his exploits being said aloud. “Repington, you don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Mrs. Jordan interrupted a meeting with you, Sullivan, and Colin. She heard your threats and those of Sullivan’s but focused on Sullivan’s. She believed that you loved Colin too much to be serious that you’d kill him if he quit your scheme. But you and I know the truth. Colin was your pawn, and you murdered him.”
“He was compliant. Then she started to control him. That foreign voodoo did it.”
Holding his sword out, Busick moved closer. “You knew that if she ever repeated your threats, everyone would suspect you of murder, particularly since you claimed Colin died in the Thames in December, when it was frozen over. The handwriting changes to yours in July. July is when her last letter is dated. July is when you killed him.”
“All we worked for. He was going to toss it for her. You’re here defending the woman from an invalid’s chair. Did the witch get to you, too?”
“She did. She broke me wide open. I love her for it.”
The door to the master chamber swung wide. Patience ran out waving her knife. “You, repugnant fool. Colin trusted you. You must’ve forged that suicide note. You troll.”
“What is she doing here? Do you like bedding a crazed wh—?”
