"I can't know for sure, as I couldn't make out the voices — but he certainly had a hand in it."
Vivi was next. "And Blackmoor knows someone is out to kill him?"
"Yes. Apparently he's known for a fortnight."
"And our fathers as well ?"
"It seems that way," Alex said without emotion.
"But no one knows what information the former earl had?" Ella pressed.
"No." Alex shook her head before shrugging her shoulders. "At least, not that he told me. It seems they're waiting for the villain to lead them to whatever information the earl had."
"But couldn't Lucian have already found the information and all this be — a red herring?" Vivi spoke, searching for clarity.
"That wouldn't explain Montgrave's skulking about," Ella said to the room at large.
"Or the fact that the two men I overheard were clearly anxious about others beating them to the hiding place," Alex pointed out.
"You mean Lucian and Montgrave," Ella said firmly.
"I don't know it was Montgrave in the room. I didn't see him. And ... if Gavin is to be believed —"
"Blackmoor is a dunderhead," Ella interrupted.
Vivi nodded in support. "Precisely."
Alex pushed on. "All the same — if he is to be believed —"
"He's not," Vivi pointed out.
"Quite," Ella agreed, adding, "Dunderhead."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine." Looking carefully at them, she continued, "You both believe me? You believe it was Lucian?"
"Absolutely!" Ella exclaimed.
"Without doubt," Vivi chimed in.
"Then why didn't he believe me?" Alex asked, falling back into the pillows on her bed.
Ella opened her mouth to speak from her spot at the end of the bed, but before she could get a word out, Alex raised a finger in the air and spoke in warning, "Ella ... don't tell me he's a dunderhead."
Ella closed her mouth, then raised her head to look at Vivi for support.
"I rather think I understand," Vivi said carefully.
"I beg your pardon!" Ella sat up, leveling Vivi with a glare. "That's not exactly supportive, Vivian."
«Well, I do. After all , Gavin's uncle is almost all he has left of his father. Losing a parent is awful enough. I cannot imagine what it would be like to then, just as quickly, discover that a person you trust is behind all that pain."
"Even so ... it doesn't excuse his complete stupidity in not believing Alex," Ella pointed out.
"No, of course not," Vivi all owed. "Although I imagine he’ll come around to realizing that she is right."
"Of course he will ," Ella said imperiously, "because we're going to prove her right."
Alex lifted her head from her pillows. "We are?"
"Indeed." Ella was in one of her moods — she was not taking no for an answer.
"I considered going to our fathers immediately," Alex said, shaking her head. "I wanted to pull mine away from the ball and reveal everything that I had overheard. But Gavin didn't believe me — what if my father doesn't either?"
"That's silly. Of course, your father will believe you," Vivi declared with certainty.
"I suppose so." Alex didn't sound as if she really believed her own words.
And she didn't. Gavin's response had thrown her off — upsetting her more than she could have imagined it would. She was hurt and confused by his cold reaction, as though she were an errant child who had fabricated the tale to garner his attention. She was devastated by his lack of trust and faith even if Vivi was right and this was all a part of a larger issue that had little, if anything, to do with her. It didn't matter. She was desperate for someone to believe her; she had information that pointed to the murderer of the Earl of Blackmoor, for goodness sake! Wasn't that enough?
"There's only one way to be certain that everyone believes us," Ella said thoughtfully, reading Alex's mind. "We have to find the information before they do."
Vivi and Alex shared a surprised look. "How do you suggest we do that?" Vivi asked.
"I feel quite certain that, between us, we will be able to devise a plan. Once we discover what the earl knew, we will take it to our fathers — and Blackmoor, of course — and prove that Alex was right."
Alex smiled to herself. "I do like the sound of showing Gavin that I was right." She paused before asking, "Does it make me a bad person that I feel that way only in part because it will help to avenge the earl's death? The other part of me simply wants Gavin to see that I am, indeed, right."
Vivi shook her head and said matter-of-factly, "Absolutely not. His behavior was unkind and unpleasant. I would be worried if there weren't a small part of you that wanted to show him that you are right."
"Which brings us to the next question," Ella pointed out.
"Which is?" Alex was beginning to feel better about the entire evening.
"What was the kiss like?"
Alex thought for a moment, searching for the right word. Then, with a soft smile, she said, "It was wonderful. He was wonderful. The moment was ..."
"Wonderful?" Vivi interjected with a laugh.
Alex grinned at her. "Quite." The smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "But now he's furious with me. I doubt he's reveling in the wonder of the moment."
"Oh, I don't know," Vivi said supportively. "It seems that when something is that wonderful, it's hard to forget it. You're not thrilled with his behavior right now and you remember how fabulous it was."
"True," Alex replied on a sigh.
"Be careful, Alexandra, you're beginning to sound like the type of young lady who wants all those things typical young females want," Ella said with warning in her voice, her nose wrinkled, "marriage, children, a house in Surrey."
"What's wrong with wanting marriage and children?" Vivi asked. "I want those things. Not Surrey," she said with a raised finger, "but the rest."
"True, but with you, it's different. You're pining after The One." Ella said the last with an exaggerated swoon, which Vivi ignored.
«Well, maybe Blackmoor is Alex's One."
Ella turned an incredulous look on Alex. "Really?"
They both turned questioning looks on Alex, who thought for a moment before speaking. Was Gavin The One! Could she imagine spending the rest of her life with him? Certainly, his mere presence set her heart racing. When he flashed one of his private, conspiratorial grins, she wanted to stop whatever she was doing and just bask in the glow of his attention. And, if that wasn't enough, she couldn't imagine living a day without him in her life. Obviously, considering the events of the season, there was something between them. But was he The One? Did that person even exist? Shouldn't it be easier to communicate with The One? Shouldn't she understand him better? Shouldn't she be able to articulate what she wanted from him? When it came right down to it, she couldn't say what she wanted from Gavin Sewell , Eighth Earl of Blackmoor, except to say she wanted him with her. For now. And maybe forever.
Turning to her friends, she said simply, "I don't know. However, I would like to find out."
The three girls talked late into the night, eventually falling asleep on the bed long after the ball below ended and all the guests went home.
Alex had never been so happy to have her friends with her than she was that evening — they made the whole, horrible night seem tolerable. She knew without a doubt that, together, they would make this confusing, devastating situation right.
nineteen
Last night, everything had been so clear. His plans had been so well laid out, so perfect, so clean. He had returned home from the Worthington Ball to change clothes, planning to find young Blackmoor quickly and finally finish that which he should have finished long ago. As he changed out of his formal attire, he had imagined what it would feel like to eliminate the boy. How free and invigorated he would feel knowing that another high-and-mighty Blackmoor was gone from the earth. For moments, he had been giddy with laughter — ea
ger to kill again. He'd allowed himself a few moments to fantasize about the manner in which he would dispose of the brat.
And then, everything had changed. A messenger had arrived at breakneck speed, barely able to breathe from the exertion. He had known before reading the missive that his plans for the evening were changed. Sadly, he would have to wait to exact his punishment on another Blackmoor, but the messenger had brought news of an unacceptable turn of events — one that must be rectified with all deliberate speed. He could not contain the hint of excitement that he felt in his new task — even though it increased a hundredfold his risk of being discovered. No matter. Here was his chance to prove his allegiance.
As always, he threw the note into the fire, watching the edges of the paper char and curl in the heat. He watched the lines of ink turn from black to brown and eventually become consumed by the flames. Long after the paper disintegrated, he remembered the message.
There was a girl in the orangery find her.
He was going to enjoy this.
***
The next morning, Alex awoke to bright sunlight and the sound of fervent whispering. For a few seconds, she lingered in that moment between sleeping and waking when everything seems hazy and comfortable — until the memory of the previous evening's events came crashing down on her and she had an intense desire to throw the covers over her head and never leave her bed.
Instead, she rolled over and spied the source of the whispering. Vivi and Ella were sitting cross-legged on the chaise, facing each other, the tea tray next to them laden with a steaming pot, pastries, and jams. Vivi nibbled on a scone, nodding as Ella waved her hands in the air wildly to emphasize her hushed point.
"What are you two up to?" Alex said sleepily, sitting up. They both turned to her with broad smiles. "Oh, excellent! You are awake!" Ella exclaimed.
"How are you feeling?" Vivi asked, pouring a cup of tea for her friend.
Alex stretched broadly, reaching out to accept the tea and biscuit Vivi brought to her. "What are you two plotting?"
"To be fair," Vivi said with a pointed look at Ella, "only one of us is plotting."
"Mmm. I see that. And what mischief have you devised for us, Lady Eleanor?"
"Not mischief so much as detective work," replied Ella.
"Ah. Of course."
"My theory is this: If we cannot prove Lucian's role in the plot to kill the earl, we can at least uncover the information that led to his death. Perhaps that in turn will lead us to the entire plot against the Crown! At the very least, it will prove to Blackmoor that he was wrong not to believe you."
"There's only one problem with that," Alex said.
"Only one?" Vivi interjected, earning a black look from Ella.
«Well, only one big one. If the War Office, Bow Street, and Blackmoor himself have not been able to find this information, why on earth would we be able to?"
"Ah ... the voice of reason awakes," Vivi said with a smile.
"I’ll tell you why. Because we have" — Ella ticked off the qualities on her fingers as she spoke them — "cleverness, a fresh eye for the problem, curiosity, superior instinct — as proven by my hunch that Montgrave was involved from the beginning — and —" She paused dramatically. "— the most important thing of all."
"Which is?" Alex asked.
"Desire to prove that we can," she added, with a measure of fantasy in her voice. "And think of the coup when they realize that three young women did something that a battalion of men could not."
At that moment, a knock came at the door and the duchess entered with all the poise befitting her position. She was wearing a day dress of rich purple satin and looked as though she had been up and fresh for hours, despite the fact that she'd hosted one of the greatest balls in London history the evening before. Stopping a few paces into the room, she looked suspiciously from one girl to the next, leveling each with a cool, blue gaze before finally speaking to her daughter. "Alexandra, I trust you are feeling better?"
"Yes, Mother. Thank you."
"What was it that befell you last evening?"
"I — uh —" For the life of her, Alex couldn't remember what Vivi and Freddie's excuse was. "I had a turned ankle after the dance with Freddie, and Vivi and Ella were nice enough to escort me here and keep me company."
A single brow of her mother's rose as Vivi coughed into her hand. "By that thoroughly unsubtle cough, I rather imagine that Vivian is attempting to tell you that it was not your ankle that bothered you last evening, but a touch of the ague."
Alex blushed under her mother's scrutiny. "Mothers always find out, Alexandra."
"I didn't —"
The duchess silenced her with a single raised hand. "I would prefer not to hear whatever excuse you have devised to explain your behavior last evening. Instead, I am here to tell you that, although you may have escaped the ball , you cannot escape me. As punishment for missing my ball , I am requiring your attendance at a country house party."
Despite her relief that her mother seemed to think they had schemed only to escape the ball last night and not for any more serious reason, Alex groaned, "Mother! You cannot!"
"On the contrary, daughter, I can. More so, I shall . You and your brothers are hereby required to be in attendance. They, I'm sure, will have a bone to pick with you when they hear." She turned to Vivi and Ella, adding, "I've invited both of your parents — so I expect you will be there as well ."
Her statement elicited a wan smile from Ella and a slightly brighter one from Vivi. Alex piped in, «Well, at least you two will be forced to be there as well .
That might help a bit." Turning back to her mother, she said grumpily, "Who else has been invited?"
"I have dispatched invitations to a number of influentials — including Blackmoor and Stanhope, the Salisburys, Lady Twizzleton, the Warings — I know your feelings on the young lord, but he is indeed a marquess — and a number of additional young, eligible men. The season is almost half over; it's time you girls turn your thoughts to finding a proper match."
She was so wrapped up in making her point, the duchess failed to notice the slight catch in Alex's breath when she referenced Gavin. He wouldn't attend, would he? Or maybe he would, simply to ignore her. She didn't know what was worse. Perhaps she could convince her mother to postpone this silly party? Alex opened her mouth to say something, when Ella beat her to the task with a bright smile and an "Oh, Your Grace! What a wonderful group of people! I, for one, am quite excited to attend. Aren't you, Vivi?"
Vivi gave Ella a strange look and answered warily, "Indeed."
Pleasantly surprised, the duchess smiled at Ella. "Thank you, Eleanor, I share your excitement and shall look forward to having you with us." Turning back to Alex, she continued, "You would do well to take a leaf from your friend's book, Alexandra. I shall expect to see you in a better humor when we leave tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning!" Alex cried. "But that's impossible!" Her stomach dropped as she was flooded with reasons to dread the house party. Between Blackmoor's clear frustration with her, which could easily lead him to decline the invitation and stay in town, leaving Lucian and Montgrave with a much easier time finding and dispatching the young earl the way, they'd done to his father, and the real possibility that he might join them in the country and plague her with his obvious dislike, her heart was racing and she was beginning to feel panicked.
«Well, I'm on rather an impressive streak of hosting excellent parties," Her Grace explained, "a fact you would be aware of if you had bothered to attend last evening's festivities. I see no reason to wait. The guests will join us on Saturday. I shall need your help to prepare the manor." Turning to the girls, she suggested, "Why don't you both join us? I'm happy to extend the request to your parents if you'd like. You would be welcome company for both Alexandra and myself."
Ella and Vivi nodded assent as Alex sighed heavily, drawing a smile from her mother. "There's no reason to be so dramatic, Alexandra.
You like the country. Remember?"
"I know," she replied with reservation, "I just hate the season."
«Well, that's all the more reason to get yourself married — and avoid having to have another," her mother said with a broad grin that reminded Alex of her brothers on their most infuriating of days. She returned the smile with a black look as her mother kissed her on the forehead and turned on her heel to leave the room, saying, "Things will look better once you've dressed, my love. Girls, there's a beautiful breakfast spread in the dining room — Cook really has outdone herself. May I suggest you join us?"
And, with that, she departed.
As the door closed behind her mother, Alex worried her lip, wishing that she'd never escaped to the orangery the night before and swearing silently that she would never eavesdrop on another conversation again. Now she'd made a mess of everything. She had no idea to whom Lucian had been talking and no proof to share with anyone that she'd heard what she'd heard. On top of that, Blackmoor had all but pushed her out of his study last night. This was horrible.
"This is excellent!" Ella burst out after the door to the bedchamber closed behind the duchess.
Vivi and Alex turned shocked gazes on their friend. Vivi found her voice first. "I beg your pardon? This sounds the very opposite of excellent."
"You're not thinking about it in the right way! A house party in Essex will give us a chance to search for clues and information in Essex, where the crime was committed! If we don't return from the country with the whole mystery solved, I shall be quite surprised!"
"Ella, at the rate we're going, if we return from the country with all of our loved ones intact, I shall be quite surprised," Alex said, her words laced with frustration as she threw back her coverlet and got out of bed, ringing for Eliza to help her dress. "That's it. I'm going to tell my father everything. We can't do this alone."
"But, Alex!" Ella exclaimed.
"No, Ella. This is not a game. A man died. We're not in any position to solve this mystery ourselves. Blackmoor's life is at stake. And ours as well if we don't tell what we know."