Page 27

Felix refused to admit, even to himself, that Caroline had been right about the white willow bark tea for the ache in his head.

After she left him in the corridor in what appeared to be high dudgeon, he didn’t feel like going to the room that he shared with two other men.

So instead, he retreated to the front parlor on the ground floor where it was quiet and he could listen to the sound of the rain.

He’d heard that the window in the library had been boarded, and the glass swept up.

The carpet near the window had been rolled back and some of the more valuable books on the shelves around the broken window were moved to prevent damage by water.

But he didn’t want to sit amongst those memories, didn’t want to recall how Caroline had been hurt, and even more he didn’t want that uncomfortable feeling of knowing that because of him, she’d been in danger, and now, she faced ruination if her parents suspected she’d given him her innocence .

Hellfire and damnation.

Once he’d settled in the parlor, Felix lay on a low sofa. When the tea arrived, he gulped it down as best he could then gave his body permission to rest while details of the case flitted through his mind.

What am I supposed to do, about… everything?

Teatime

After a couple hours of sleep, the pain in his head had gone, and while the ache in his arm was still present, it wasn’t as angry as it had been. What was more, he didn’t feel dead on his feet any longer.

Immediately, his first thought was of Caroline.

He’d need to make things up with her, but he hadn’t a clue how, for he wasn’t the type of man to settle down or marry.

Wasn’t he too old for that sort of thing?

Too set in his ways? To say nothing of the fact that after two days of knowing a woman, he wasn’t nearly equipped—or ready mentally—to promise her anything.

Still, he didn’t like knowing she was in the boughs with him, so it was time to seek her out.

After setting his clothing to right and tugging the worst of the wrinkles from them, he wandered about until he finally tracked her to earth in the orangery.

The company had moved into the drawing room and billiards room or other rooms beyond since the rain continued.

True to her word, she continued the investigation by interviewing the next person on their list—Lady Lillian Oberon.

The two sat together on a low sofa surrounded by the lush greenery, looking for all the world like hothouse blooms themselves with Caroline in a gown of robin’s egg blue and the other lady in bright pink.

He cleared his throat so he wouldn’t startle them. “I hope you don’t mind the interruption, but I would like to sit in on this interview.”

Caroline sniffed. “You may do what you’d like, Major. It is your investigation, after all.”

Damn, so then she was still miffed. Not knowing whether to laugh at the drama of it or feel concern, Felix nodded.

He dropped into a chair near to their location then trained his gaze on the other woman.

“I’m Major Kourier, and Miss Ives is correct.

I began the investigation into the death of Mr. Blythe. ”

“I have seen you around, Major.” She nodded. “You may call me Lady Lillian. I’ll be of any help that I can.”

Caroline nodded. “While I appreciate your being here, Major, if you don’t mind, I’ll take the lead in this.” And then she summarily dismissed him while focusing on the lady. “Tell me how you knew Mr. Blythe. ”

“Oh, I didn’t truly know him, per se, for it was Devon with whom I was acquainted. It wasn’t until recently that I’d been aware that he would often trade places with Mr. Blythe.”

Felix was content watching Caroline take up the reins of the interview.

If she wished to treat him so cooly, so be it, and he would make it a point to remain polite but aloof with her in order to protect her reputation and keep their dealings above scandal.

He wouldn’t put it past her parents to order them to marry if any trace of what they’d done came to light, and she deserved someone better than him.

Someone whole, someone nearer to her own age, someone who was better for her that would help her solidify and reach her goals.

Perhaps they were both retreating to protect themselves due to wounds sustained in their pasts.

“Were you surprised when, upon arriving at the house party, you discovered that Mr. Lockhart was not, indeed, him, but Mr. Blythe?”

“I was, and it hurt me deeply, for I accepted the invitation hoping Mr. Lockhart would be in attendance.” Her green eyes welled with a sheen of tears. “Last year, I thought that he would court me, even past the horrible thing last spring, but that wasn’t to be.”

Caroline nodded. “You refer to the incident with the maid?”

“Yes.” The lady blew out a breath. “I was heartbroken, but when I found out that wasn’t Devon and that it was Mr. Blythe pretending, yet again, to be him, I thought that I might have another chance with Devon.

” For long moments, she was silent as if thinking over her words.

“Though my father is an earl, it is much an empty title. His estates need modernizing, so it was impressed upon me to find Devon and flirt madly with him.”

Despite his vow to remain quiet, Felix snorted. “Let me guess, your parents discovered Lockhart was going to be a duke and thought him an easy target?”

A blush stained the lady’s pale cheeks. “Yes.” She nodded. “It was quite exciting news, because how often does a duke become available on the Marriage Mart? Marrying Devon would mean shoring up Papa’s finances.”

Caroline glared at him before focusing on her companion. “Except by this time, no one knew that Mr. Lockhart had become engaged to Miss Perkins. Is that true?”

“It is.” A few tears fell to Lady Lillian’s cheeks, but he refused to offer her his handkerchief. “I knew there wasn’t any way to change his mind, for he is quite in love. Besotted, really.”

Love . What a fairy story. Why was it that women went mad chasing it? Felix shifted on his chair. “Do you think that you would have found yourself in that state had you not thought the incident last spring was Lockhart’s fault?”

“It’s impossible to know.”

He leaned forward. “That must have made you furious at Mr. Blythe’s deception.”

“I wasn’t happy, this is true.”

“Furious enough to kill Blythe?”

“That’s enough, Major.” She clearly wasn’t the only woman in the room who was angry.

At him.

“It’s quite all right.” Lady Lillian shook her head.

“I can see where someone might think I could kill the man who might have thwarted my efforts to become a duchess, but I didn’t kill him.

In fact, I was in the ladies’ retiring room with my maid, due to a torn hem.

My dress had been snagged on a shrubbery in the gardens. ”

“I’m sorry for the additional distress this interview has caused you,” Caroline said in a soft voice as she touched a hand to the other woman’s.

“Relationships are often quite difficult to navigate, and pairing human nature with that makes for confusion at best and angst at worst.” Then she offered an encouraging smile while studiously ignoring him.

Had that been a veiled barb about their current issues?

“Don’t give up, though. I’m sure there is a better man for you out there. ”

“I hope you’re right, Miss Ives. Thank you.” When the lady rose to her feet, Felix shot to his while Caroline did the same. “Best wishes for the remainder of your investigation.” Then, with a nod to Felix, she took her leave.

Alone with Caroline, a wave of awareness fell over him. “I’m going to order tea. Will you share it with me?”

“I’m not certain that is a good idea.” When she would have left, he caught her hand to stay her movement.

“Please?” When she shrugged and then flounced onto the sofa, he let his breath ease out.

After going to the velvet bell pull, he yanked on it.

Not long after, a footman came to answer the summons, then tea was ordered.

Finally, he joined her on the sofa. “What do you think about the case? Is there any one suspect that stands out in your mind?” Perhaps if he stuck to the business at hand, she wouldn’t come the crab with him.

“That is difficult to say.” When her expression slightly softened, he relaxed a bit. “Everyone has either lied or had a good reason not to like Mr. Blythe.”

“Indeed.” He nodded, and damn if the warmth of her didn’t call to him, but he steeled his spine and his resolve. “Personally, I’m not quite certain now if Blythe was the intended victim or if Lockhart was. Both men were targets for many different reasons from many different people.”

“It’s understandable, especially when emotions are high and feelings were hurt.” The same was evident in her eyes, but he couldn’t fathom why.

“Do you mean to say that emotions are the excuse to kill?”

“No, of course not.” Exasperation threaded through her voice. “It is just a reason, or rather an explanation. So you might realize why someone could be driven to such a thing.”

He didn’t say anything else, for a maid arrived with the tea tray. When he made eye contact with the young woman, she was quite apologetic, gone at her next blink, and that made him more wary than he already was.

If anyone had been observing them, it might have been any other domestic scene between two people sharing tea and biscuits.

Two overly polite, overly quiet people. With entirely too much sexual tension snapping between them.

Truly, he didn’t know what to say to her, but then, doing that might encourage a familiarity he didn’t want.

It was more disconcerting than the case.