Page 30 of A Lady’s Dangerous Secret (Scandalous Secrets #1)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

J ames had not slept.

After losing Lottie, or should he say the murdering Mrs. Gibson, he returned to the masquerade ball feeling betrayed.

All he wanted to do was leave, but instead, he found Gabe, who had been in a panic.

Lady Bridget was missing, so he then spent the rest of the night with Gabe tracking down his sister.

Although it was a trying few hours, it had provided a distraction for him.

He had been too consumed with helping find Lady Bridget to be able to mull over the fact that Lottie was a killer.

They found Gabe’s sister with her reputation intact and promptly left the ball.

Once home, Gabe actually stayed and invited James to have a drink in his study.

After a brandy and listening to his friend lament about squiring one’s sister through the temptations of a London Season, James stood and said goodnight. He needed to be alone.

Once James reached his bedroom, he paced relentlessly, trying to make sense of why Lottie would shoot Roberts.

The best conclusion he formed was that it was somehow related to the money Roberts was stealing from her family.

After accepting this theory, he finally collapsed onto his bed from sheer exhaustion.

James had slept so hard he awoke confused. For a brief moment, it was a blissful confusion, because his mind was disoriented and blank. Then, the past few days’ events rushed into his brain, and he sank back into the mattress, wanting to escape it all.

You are an officer. Get it together.

James willed himself up and out of bed. Bright light assaulted his senses, and he heard the house abuzz with activity.

He had never slept this late. One woman had turned his life upside down in more ways than he could count.

On top of that, if he wanted to collect his insurance money, he was tasked with turning Lady Charlotte Tipton, daughter of an earl and the woman of his heart, in to the magistrate.

James felt a sense of guilt at the thought of revealing her identity as the murderess, but he quickly pushed that emotion aside.

He had bared his soul to her and confessed his love for her.

In return, she had lied to him by admission.

Lottie had not said a word when he revealed to her that he was looking for Mrs. Gibson.

Now he understood why she flew from the bedroom that night.

Downstairs, he found Gabe in his study.

“Well, this is a first.” Gabe looked up from his ledgers. “I guess us toffs are really rubbing off on you. Sleeping well past noon, eh?”

“Something like that,” James said.

“What’s wrong? You seemed off last night.”

James slumped into the chair near Gabe’s desk and ran his hand through his hair. “You had more important things to worry about.”

Concern shown in Gabe’s amber eyes. “I’m all yours.” He leaned back in his leather desk chair and clasped his hands over his stomach.

James paused, questioning what to share with Gabe. However, given the turmoil in which he found himself, he needed someone else’s opinion.

“Ever since our paths crossed that night at the docks, I knew you were different than other nobs. We have been friends a long time now. I trust you like a brother. What I’m about to tell you can’t leave this room.”

Gabe’s face became serious, and he met James’s eyes. “I swear it.”

“Lady Charlotte is Mrs. Gibson.”

A look of shock crossed Gabe’s face. He whistled through his teeth in dismay. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. I saw a woman at the masquerade ball wearing a black veil, looking identical to the woman in mourning I saw at Roberts’s office.

I followed her and addressed her as Mrs. Gibson, only to find out it was Lady Charlotte.

She panicked and ran from me. I chased after her, but lost her in the crowd.

By the time I got outside, she had disappeared. ”

Gabe shifted forward, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it.”

“It has to be true. Why else would she bolt when I connected her to Mrs. Gibson? Plus, she has nightmares. She told me she thinks someone is trying to kill her, and I thwarted an attack on her life.”

Gabe’s eyes widened. “She must be in over her head.”

“She knew I was looking for the murderer of Roberts, and she revealed nothing.”

Gabe leaned back in his chair and collected his thoughts.

He spoke in a measured tone, “I realize there are a lot of emotions involved, but let us think of it from Lady Charlotte’s perspective.

She killed Roberts, who was a thief and worse.

Perhaps it was self-defense, perhaps it was not.

Regardless, she murdered someone. I wouldn’t expect her to be sharing this delicate information no matter who you are to her.

She has nightmares, you say? She must be scared to death. ”

“She’s in danger, and I told her I would help. Yet she didn’t tell me the truth,” James said. “Instead, she is marrying Westcliffe.”

“Ah, so you care.”

“I told her I loved her, dammit.”

A look of understanding dawned on Gabe’s face. “It all makes sense now. She’s in danger, you love her, but she’s running to the Duke of Westcliffe for protection.”

James dropped his head and cradled it in his hands. After a time, he lifted his gaze. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You do want her safe.”

“Of course,” James said.

Gabe drummed his fingers. “We need to better understand the danger to Lady Charlotte. Whoever is trying to kill her must be linked to Roberts and is seeking revenge.”

“Roberts worked for the Duke of Westcliffe under a different name in the past,” James told him.

“Oh, that’s interesting,” Gabe replied slowly, “perhaps he’s not the knight in shining armor Lady Charlotte thinks him to be.”

“I don’t know what to think. I want to hate him, but Lady Charlotte will be protected by his title if they marry.” James said.

“I thought he was a decent man though I don’t know him too well.

Just from the House of Lords. He only comes to London when absolutely necessary.

” Gabe tapped his fingers on the desktop while his mind worked.

“What about his connection to Roberts? Skimming some money from aristocrats doesn’t seem like the whole story.

He’s a duke. Why would he care about Roberts’s death?

You also don’t know if he’s connected Lady Charlotte to the murder. ”

James explained to Gabe what Morris told him.

“The Bow Street Runner divulged that Roberts had debts under his current name all over the country. The Runners had found vowels hidden in a secret compartment behind a painting in his office with addresses from other cities, such as Liverpool and Newcastle. Apparently, Roberts had left the Duke of Westcliffe’s employ over a decade ago, but had had only been in Shrewsbury for the past two years.

He was known as Martin Nott when he worked for Westcliffe. ”

“How did they determine Roberts was linked to the Duke?” Gabe said.

“The Runners found a piece of yellowed vellum that was a receipt for three paintings by an unknown artist, George Heddon, purchased for the Duke of Westcliffe.”

“Are the Runners suspicious of these paintings?”

“They’re still trying to sort them out. The receipt is dated from 1805.”

“If the receipt was that old, was it from the current duke or his father?”

“I’m not sure.”

“That I can determine.”

Gabe walked over to one of the many bookshelves in the study and ran his finger along the spines of the tomes until he pulled out a thick book with a red-and-gold cover titled Debrett’s Peerage, Baronetetage, Knightage, and Companionage .

James looked at the book in confusion.

“It’s a record of all the noble families with births, marriages, and deaths.

” Gabe sat back down at his desk and flipped through the book until he paused.

His finger skimmed across a page. “Found it! The father of the Duke of Westcliffe died in 1807. It also looks like the current duke was a second son.”

“So they need to find out how Roberts was tied to the duchy at that time,” James said.

Gabe left the book splayed open on his desk. “It’s very possible he was tied to Westcliffe, especially because the Duke’s father would have been rather aged at that point. We need more information.”

“Rumor is Charlotte’s betrothal is imminent.” James ran his hand through his hair. He was a man of action, and not having all the facts frustrated him endlessly. He wanted to make a plan.

“I haven’t yet seen an announcement in the papers,” Gabe said.

A disturbing thought passed through James’s mind. “She’s desperate. What if they elope or the Duke obtains a special license?”

“The Rowley Ball is tonight,” Gabe said. “I heard Westcliffe is attending. I’ll go and speak with him alone under the pretense of needing to discuss a political matter. This conversation will allow me to try to glean additional information.”

“I can’t stay home twiddling my thumbs awaiting your verdict,” James insisted.

Gabe looked at James seriously. “I understand your frustration, but if you attend the ball, you’ll need to stay away from Lady Charlotte. My sister mentioned she’d be there. Can you do that?”

James felt his jaw tighten. It would be infinitely better to watch the Duke parade Charlotte around than sit at Gabe’s town house not knowing what was happening. He released his jaw. “I’ll try.” He could not make any promises.

Gabe stood from his desk, now eye level with James. “If you want to save her, you need…To. Stay. Away,” Gabe punctuated each word in his most aristocratic tone, which brooked no argument.

“Fine!”

“Good. It’s settled then. Do you want a brandy?” Gabe offered in a jovial tone.

“No. I need to clear my head,” James said. “I’m going for a walk.”

“Very well then.” Gabe turned to pour himself a drink.

As James reached the door leading out of the study, Gabe’s voice floated from behind him, “It will work out.”

James paused with his hand on the doorknob and turned back toward Gabe. “I hope you’re right.”