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Mr. Ridley groaned. “Why me?”

Richard puffed in disgust. “Why not you? Grimes sees an opportunity to make a name for himself by bringing the first peer in sixty years to the scaffold. Your father has been absent from Town for two decades, so it is easy for Grimes to claim you are the only man with a motive. The narrative writes itself—estranged heir murders peer in a fit of rage to claim the title and fortune. We must find an alibi to force him to look elsewhere, or we shall have a true battle on our hands.”

Lily realized her presence had been forgotten, or perhaps accepted, when the conversation continued openly in front of her. Had she become a confidante in this tight circle of friends? Either way, she would not ruin it by reminding them she was present.

Mr. Ridley sighed heavily. “The lady in question will never agree to come forward, and I cannot name her without her permission.”

“Can you speak with her?” Richard asked.

“Not without revealing her identity under the current circumstances. There is a possibility that Grimes will have me under observation.”

Lily peeked over at him, noting the pallor of his face. She bit her lip, debating whether to confess that she had witnessed him arriving at and later leaving Lady Slight’s home. But what weight would the word of a young debutante carry, especially one who had been up reading until dawn in the drawing room?

“What if someone else saw you arrive … or leave?” Lily almost clapped a hand over her mouth at her own audacity, speaking in a room full of powerful peers. But she held her hands firmly together to resist the urge.

Mr. Ridley tilted his head, glancing at the duke, who shook his head. “It would not resolve the matter. A bystander could not attest that Brendan was there the entire time. It would have to be the lady.”

“Or, perhaps, her servants?” the gentleman offered, a flush rising from Mr. Ridley’s collar and spreading to the tips of his ears, which turned a fiery red. Lily puzzled at the reaction until she recalled that he had been at Lady Slight’s, but the widow had not yet returned. Presumably, he did not wish to admit his paramour had abandoned him all evening, which was why he was now considering the servants instead.

“I suppose the woman in question would need to be agreeable, or her servants will not come forward,” the duke replied, his tone marked with pessimism.

Lily stared down at her hands, trying to think of a solution. She knew Mr. Ridley had been at Lady Slight’s the entire evening, but young ladies like her were practically invisible until they wed. And she could not attest for certain that Mr. Ridley had not left Lady Slight’s in the middle of the night. Only Lady Slight’s servants could confirm that, and they would only do so with the widow’s permission.

If Lily admitted her knowledge, it was certain her cousin would dissuade her from becoming involved to protect her from a scandal that might affect her eligibility for a good marriage. But if Mr. Ridley could not request help, perhaps Lily could visit Lady Slight and entreat the widow to intervene?

Not, she suspected, if she forewarned the others of her idea. And Mr. Ridley clearly did not wish to reveal the widow’s identity. Conferring with him in private would be impossible, and regardless, he would likely decline her offer to assist him.

“So Mr. Grimes means to pursue formal charges against Brendan?” the duchess’s voice was even, but thick, and Lily suspected she was on the verge of tears.

“I think it is possible. Briggs is questioning the servants, but so far none of them have confirmed they let Brendan in this morning. Even so, I believe an alibi is the only certain method to have Grimes move on to find the true murderer.”

“What happens if he arrests me?” Mr. Ridley sounded haggard with worry.

“You will likely be taken into custody and …” The duke stopped, looking away with a pained expression.

“And?” Her Grace queried.

Sophia responded reluctantly, stating what each of them was thinking. “In the last century, the Earl of Ferrers was imprisoned in the Tower and then condemned to death by the Lords for killing his agent. If Mr. Ridley is tried and found guilty of murdering a peer of the realm …” The countess bowed her head, the room descending into silence, with only a low sniffle from the duchess to acknowledge the dire nature of her brother’s predicament.

To Lily’s right, Mr. Ridley dropped his head into his hands with a groan. “So I am to be arrested, tried, and hanged on the assumption that I am guilty?”

His anguish was palpable. Unlike earlier, Lily did not think her babbling would lighten the mood. She had never been involved in such a grave conversation and felt woefully out of her depth, afraid she had nothing useful to offer. Perhaps she was a silly child, after all.

Her frustration rose to engulf her body, a physical sensation that made her skin itch. She finally had a chance to participate in a mature matter, and she found herself speechless. Even so, if it would help Mr. Ridley out of his predicament, she would stand as a witness.

But the witness they needed was not her.

It was the widow.

I must find a way to help the duchess and her brother!

Chapter

Four

“Quickness is the essence of the war.”

Sun Tzu, L’Art de la Guerre (The Art of War)