Page 20 of A Scandal at Stonecliffe

“It was almost thirty-six years ago.” Verity raised her eyebrows. “What clergyman would remember a ceremony he performed that long ago, much less the names of the witnesses?”

“So what are you saying? You think one witness would be enough to sway a judge?”

“I think that would be enough to have a big messy public case about it. With all the gossip that would entail. That’s the leverage he’s going to use against you.” She went on in a deeper voice with a thick Scottish burr, “This would be so terrible, so public, I dinnae want to do that to ye, lad. So if ye’d just give me a few thousand pounds, I’ll give up my claim. Ye can avoid all that.”

Nathan’s mouth twitched up at her imitation. “Well, I’m not going to do that. So what can we do to thwart him?”

“We need to investigate Malcolm Douglas. Find out where he’s from, who knows him. Who his real father is. And who he’s working with. He’s bound to know we would go to the church, so he would have made preparations for false witnesses. He must have accomplices somewhere. We can follow him and find out who they are. Talk to them...”

“Are we back to bashing people about?” Nathan grinned to show he was teasing.

“Nah. Money always loosens lips, I’ve found.” She winked, and something turned in his chest.

Verity was so different, he thought. So unorthodox. So tempting. “I think we should go to a party,” Nathan said.

“What?” Verity stared at him.

“Well, we are supposed to be in the midst of a courtship, aren’t we?”

“You have been a little light on the gifts for one of my suitors, but yes...” A sly smile spread across her face.

“I do beg your pardon, Mrs. Billingham,” Nathan replied in the same teasing tone. “I fear that’s one of the drawbacks of being wooed by a genteelly impoverished aristocrat. However, I do have an invitation to a party tomorrow evening. I hadn’t planned on going. But it just occurred to me that the host has family in Edinburgh. Alan might know something about the Douglas family.”

“Oh. I see. Yes, you’re right.” Verity dropped her teasing tone and became all business. “That would be productive. Will it be a large party? Elegant? I must decide the appropriate attire, you see.”

“No, it won’t be a grand ball. I am sure there will be dancing, but Alan Grant and his wife are younger and less formal than Lord and Lady Arden, and their house is smaller. It will be mostly friends and family, probably a number of Scotsmen.”

“Very well.” The carriage rolled to a stop in front of Verity’s house, and she and Nathan climbed down. Turning, she held out her hand in farewell and said briskly, “I’ll see you tomorrow evening, then.”

“Yes. Of course. Till tomorrow.” Nathan tipped his hat to her and walked away. He knew that he’d made a mistake, though he wasn’t sure what it had been. Had he stepped outside the boundaries of their relationship by suggesting they attend the party? Did she feel that his case was taking up too much of her time—time she could have spent working on other cases that actually brought in money? Indeed, was he taking advantage of her?

There hadn’t really been a need to ask her; Nathan could have gone to Grant’s party on his own—it might have been wiser to do so. Verity was more experienced than he in questioning people, but she was also likely to say something outrageous or make up some fiction that Nathan would have to then go along with. One never felt quite easy when Verity was around.

He had to admit that he simply wanted to have her with him. He wanted more time with her. He wanted to waltz with her—to hold her close, her hand in his, as they glided across the floor.

He felt that he was getting himself into a different sort of trouble, one much riskier than keeping his inheritance.

Nathan was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the man standing near his flat until the man stepped into his path. Nathan pulled up short. “Mr. Douglas.” Well, this is interesting.

“Mr. Dunbridge.” Malcolm nodded in greeting. “I apologize for calling on you again, but I thought...well, charming as Mrs. Billingham is, there are certain matters that are too indelicate for feminine ears.”

Nathan almost smiled at the idea of offending Verity’s “delicate” ears. “Indeed? I would have thought the subject of philandering fathers and illegitimate sons was indelicate enough.”

“Yes, of course.” The other man gave him a rueful smile. “It was rather difficult for me to discuss such things in front of a lady. I thought that we could talk more easily, just the two of us, gentleman to gentleman.”

Just as Verity had predicted. Nathan looked at him coolly. “What more is there to be said? Unless, of course, you’d like to talk about the matter of the church you named having burned to the ground, along with all its records.”

“Did it?” Malcolm carried off a good show of surprise, Nathan thought. He suspected Malcolm was well prepared for the news. “I say, I am sorry to hear that.”

“No doubt,” Nathan replied drily.

“I assure you, I had no idea that it was gone,” Malcolm replied. “But it does not change the facts of the case.”

“You don’t have much of a case without the records,” Nathan pointed out.

“There are other ways to prove the marriage.”

“How?”