Page 86 of A Whisper at Midnight
But why should it matter? There was nothing between him and Beryl—and he’d made that clear to her.
Beryl had thanked him—again—for his support. Then she’d shocked him when she’d pressed her lips to his. She’d seen his reaction and apologized. Still, Hadrian had backed away from her while telling her there would be no going back to theirformer relationship. She’d said she understood and that she didn’t really want that. Apologizing again, she’d then turned and left.
The episode left Hadrian feeling discomfited, and not just because he’d no interest in rekindlinganykind of romantic attachment with Beryl. He suspected she was carrying on with Oliver Chambers. Why would she, then, offer Hadrian a kiss? Either Hadrian—and Tilda—was wrong about Beryl and Oliver, or Beryl was up to something distasteful. All Hadrian could think was that she was pondering her future as a destitute widow. She could not have a future with Oliver, for the law prevented her from marrying her husband’s brother. That she may think Hadrian would accept her again pricked his ire. But he would not make that assumption. Not today, anyway.
He stalked from the sitting room with the intention of speaking to Tilda, but he came face-to-face with Daniel Chambers and decided he didn’t want to miss the opportunity to speak with him.
“That was a fine eulogy,” Hadrian said.
“Thank you.” The man, who was a few years Hadrian’s senior, appeared and sounded skeptical. “I know Louis could be difficult to like. I’m sure you had no love for him at all.”
“I hardly knew him. And I bore him no ill will for things that happened long ago.” Not until the man’s death had revealed the true darkness of his character.
Chambers’ thick brows shot up and his hairline, a widow’s peak like that of his deceased brother, also moved with his surprise. “You are more forgiving than he was.”
Hadrian wondered if he could finally discover why Louis had despised him so greatly. “Am I? I confess, I do not understand your brother’s dislike of me.”
“Dislike is a mild word for what he felt.” Chambers’ hazel eyes narrowed slightly. “You truly don’t know? Or perhaps you don’t remember.”
Hadrian lifted a shoulder. “I’ve no notion whatsoever.”
Chambers cocked his head. “Do you even remember Louis from Oxford?”
“I knew everyone in my college, and I can assure you that Louis was not in it.”
“He was not,” Chambers replied definitively. “Do you recall a woman you were … friendly with for some time?”
Hadrian had been “friendly” with plenty of women when he’d been at Oxford. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific.”
Chambers waved his hand. “Doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything.”
“No, I should like to know why your brother hated me.” Hadrian decided to dispose with gentler words that weren’t true.
“He hated you because you stole a woman from him,” Chambers replied, sounding almost stiff. “At Oxford, he’d planned to woo someone, but you got there first. It’s asinine, but my brother never met a grudge he didn’t grasp with both hands.”
Hadrian thought of what Pollard had said about Louis not wanting to marry. “Are you saying he stole Beryl away from me because of whatever happened at Oxford?”
“He said it started that way but that he decided he wanted to marry Beryl.” Chambers exhaled. “But I knew my brother. I don’t know that he would have married her if he didn’t have to. He was an incredibly selfish person.”
Words failed Hadrian for a moment, both because the reason for Louis’s hatred of him was astonishing, and for the vulnerability Daniel Chambers was showing—on the day of his brother’s funeral. “You loved him anyway, and that is a wonderful gift.”
“I tried to love him. He made it very hard.” Chambers shook his head. “Despite that, I am committed to finding justice for him.” He met Hadrian’s gaze. “I don’t believe you killed him. It just doesn’t make sense that you would.”
“Thank you.” Hadrian was surprised but glad to have the man’s support.
“I understand you hired Miss Wren to find my brother’s murderer. I’ve also hired someone.”
“I saw you with Padgett at the inquest,” Hadrian said.
Chambers nodded. “You know him?”
“I was stabbed in January, and he investigated the crime.”Poorly.Hadrian kept the latter to himself.
Chambers’ eyes rounded. “I’d no idea. I’m sorry. How are you now?”
“Well enough, thank you.” Hadrian considered telling him that Padgett was corrupt but didn’t want to broach that topic today. Instead, he preferred to glean what he could from Chambers. “How do you feel about Oliver investing in Pollard’s shop?”
“He can do what he likes with his money. Unlike Louis, he has a head for financial matters. I did try to dissuade Louis from investing, but he was insistent that he needed his own enterprise.” The man’s features darkened. “I feel badly for Beryl. She will pay the price for his recklessness.”