Page 27 of A Lyon’s Promise (The Lyon’s Den)
King was rapidly receiving the information he needed. “If you know about them, the odds are quite good that you also are on the receiving end.”
The woman opened her mouth, then snapped it shut at the approach of a gray-haired harridan screeching as she rushed toward them.
“Ah, Mrs. Riddleton, I presume.” King did not hold back the disdain he felt.
“How long have you been paying Cook and young Jarvis to keep Lady Montfort from discovering the fraud you are perpetrating upon her?”
The woman did not answer.
“How much?” he demanded as Thompson arrived with Lizzy hot on his heels holding a ring of keys.
“We found them!” the maid said.
“Sorry not to have been here to greet you, King,” Thompson added. “Miss Lizzy and I were searching the housekeeper’s bedchamber.”
“Give me those keys!” Mrs. Riddleton screeched.
Thompson put his arm around Lizzy, moving her to stand between himself and King. “Ignore that woman,” he told her.
King turned to Thompson. “Do you have any rope left?”
“Aye. Who shall I tie up first?”
“No one is going to tie up anyone!” the housekeeper shrieked.
King glared at the woman. “Start with her.” Drawing a cravat out of his frockcoat pocket, King had Cook’s hands behind her back before she realized what was happening. “Your hands, Jarvis.”
The footman hesitated, then asked, “If I tell you where she gets the coin, will you go easy on me?” He shook his head. “I knew it was wrong, but my mum’s in poor health and my pay itself isn’t enough to cover lodging, food, and the apothecary bills.”
Moved by the younger man’s tale—a tale all too common these days—King considered the request. “I believe we can come to some sort of arrangement if you agree to write down who pays Mrs. Riddleton and who else in Montfort House receives payment from her.”
“I will,” Jarvis agreed. “I just have one more request, Mr. King.”
“And that would be?”
“May I apologize to her ladyship? Part of my payment depended upon my showing a lack of respect to Lady Montfort, though my mum would box my ears right proper if she knew.”
Pleased with the turn of events, King acquiesced. “Let me summon Lady Montfort.”
“I’m here, Gavin.” Without looking at the cook or housekeeper, Lucretia walked over to stand in front of the footman, tears in her eyes. “Why did you not tell me about your mother’s ill health? I would have helped.”
Jarvis glared at the housekeeper. “Mrs. Riddleton warned me not to.”
King wanted to reach out and shake the woman, but it was not worth being sanctioned by those he reported to. “Thank you for your honesty, Jarvis. I am not guaranteeing anything, but I do believe arrangements can be made regarding your mother.”
“And my three younger sisters?”
King sighed. This tale was growing longer by the moment. “How old are you sisters?”
“Sarah’s ten, Millie is nine, and Beatrice is six.”
“I will need to pay a call on your mother to confirm all that you have told me.”
“I understand. Make sure you tell Sarah—she’s the only one allowed to answer the door—that you swear upon my head and Victoria’s—her kitten—that I sent you to speak to Mum.”
Lucretia sniffled. The footman’s tale had touched her heart.
“You have my word,” King replied. “I will swear upon your head, and Victoria’s, that you sent me to speak to your mother.”
“Thank you, Mr. King.”
When Jarvis fell silent, King noted that Lizzy had walked over to Lucretia and handed her a handkerchief to blot her tears. “Greeves, release Jarvis, accompany Weston, and bring the footmen to the sitting room. I intend to question everyone.”
“Aye, King.”
“Thompson, accompany Lizzy, and see that the maids do the same.”
“Aye, King.”
As his men, Weston, and Lizzy left to do his bidding, King turned to Jarvis. “Now then, as we have reached an understanding between us, as a show of good faith, I’ll not bind your hands behind your back.”
Jarvis’s eyes widened, and he quickly nodded.
King held out a hand to Lucretia, who took it and held on tight. Turning to the two older women, he warned, “As for the two of you, one more word, and I shall gag you. Understood?”
Shoulders rounded, heads bowed, the women agreed. Their attitudes had undertaken a complete turnaround. King did not trust them for a moment, suspecting they would try something the moment his back was turned.
What a bloody mess this morning was turning out to be. He hoped it did not set the tone for the rest of the day. He planned to fully enjoy his new status later this evening.
“Come, love, you look like you need to sit,” he told Lucretia.
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
King appreciated her question, knowing she was testing him to see if he remembered what they’d discussed a short while ago. “It was an open-ended suggestion that you can either take or leave. Which is it? Continue to stand in the hallway, or return to the settee?”
“I would love to sit down—and have a cup of tea, but with everyone coming in to be questioned, I do not see that happening.”
“Don’t you? I believe Lizzy should be able to handle your request when she returns. Can you wait?”
“Yes, thank you.”
With a nod to Jarvis, he ordered the footman, “Bring Cook and Mrs. Riddleton into the sitting room.”
“Aye, Mr. King.”
The morning was already rapidly improving. King only hoped the interrogations would shed more light on what had been going on in Montfort House—for Lucretia’s sake.