Page 76 of Dukes All Night Long

“One of you is telling a lie. I was speaking with the footmen and when I came in, I saw that the set of medieval armor had been disturbed. Almost as if someone had been hiding behind it.”

Miss Skye gasped, her hand darting to her mouth.

“Someone had come in and hid. With the window open so wide, it would have been a matter of time before the candles all blew out. So I walked out but waited just outside the door. Dressed as a servant, no one noticed me.”

“That’s true,” Campbell said, “I certainly didn’t.”

“Then when I saw Miss Potts enter the room, followed by Mr. Elliot. I heard them speak, then leave before Miss Butters entered, looking for him. I figured she would have encountered them but never accounted for a secret passage. When the candles blew out from the wind, and the armor crashed, I knew then that left two people in the room.”

“Couldn’t Miss Butters have done it?” Campbell asked. At an angry glance from Miss Butters, he shrugged. “What? I’m just asking.”

“No,” the duke said, drawing the group’s attention to him.

“She wouldn’t have. She has known these rooms since she was a child, and she would know that the set of armor is across the room, behind the display case.

If she was the thief, it wouldn’t make sense for her to disturb the armor when she could have just stolen the cufflinks and snuck out again, or gone in the secret passage. She knows how, I’m sure.”

“It’s true,” Miss Butters said.

“So then whoever disturbed the suit of armor is the thief?” Campbell asked.

“Yes,” Falstaff said. “And we know who.”

“Who?” Miss Skye asked.

“Yes, tell us,” Mrs. Godalming said.

Falstaff looked at Lucy, who bit her lip. He liked that lip and quite fancied nibbling it himself. He gave himself a mental shake, and said, “Miss Azalea. Would you mind returning my uncle’s cufflinks?”

“What?” Her mouth dropped open as the other people gasped. “You think I did this?”

“There’s no one else. Your maidservant was with me when they were taken, and the others were already back out in the main area with the other guests.

You were the one who came back inside and hid by the armor and simply waited for the candles to go out.

Then once they did, it was the perfect opportunity.

You stole the cufflinks and brushed by Miss Butters, then pretended to come in at her scream.

You were the first person there. And Magistrate Boggins would have said if you had come running back in. ”

“She did not,” the magistrate confirmed.

“I say, how rude,” Mrs. Godalming said, tutting under her breath.

Campbell said, “Ingenious. But why do it? What did the duke ever do to you?”

“Nothing. I didn’t take them. You’re wrong, all of you. It was her.” Miss Azalea pointed at Lucy. “She did it. She’s the poor one. Not me. What would I want with a set of men’s cufflinks?”

“The thrill of stealing under our noses, I would imagine,” Falstaff said. “It was a funny thing, but when I heard Miss Butters talking about whom to invite, your name jumped out at me. I knew that name.”

“It’s a very pretty name,” Campbell said, shooting Miss Azalea a flirtatious glance.

Falstaff rounded on her. “We’ve never met in person before tonight, but I recognized your name right away. Can you guess why?”

The others shook their heads. At a nod from Falstaff, the magistrate said, “When we first began investigating the crimes of stolen items from Ton parties, our men made sure to check with the hosts about whom had been invited and who had come, both those on the guest list and those who’d arrived uninvited but had been allowed, in anyway. ”

“Miss Azalea’s name frequently appeared,” Falstaff said.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I am a popular and highly desirable dinner guest. People like me.” Miss Azalea’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“And I don’t have the blasted rubies. You can search me all you like.

” She tore off her feathered mask and tossed it on the floor, crossing her arms beneath her chest.

The men rose and walked around her. The young lady scowled at their inspection. “I am not stripping down for you all.”

Campbell’s mouth turned down in disappointment. He pulled off his mask and crossed his arms. “I am no longer enjoying this party.”

“I agree. This behavior is rude and indecent,” Mrs. Godalming said.

“What kind of household are you running here?” Miss Azalea demanded of the duke and stamped her foot.

He raised his hands. “Apologies, Miss Azalea, but we have to be sure.”

Falstaff said, “The thing is, Miss Azalea, is that tonight, you did a funny thing. You invited, nay, demanded your maidservant to dress up as a guest. Why?”

“I thought I was being nice,” Miss Azalea hissed. “And this is how she repays me.”

“I didn’t do anything, I swear,” Lucy said.

Falstaff ignored Lucy and kept his gaze trained on Miss Azalea.

“I rather think you meant to use her as a distraction, to give yourself an alibi. Easy for you to blame the crime on her and pin it on her, as a formerly disgraced noblewoman. Then you could dismiss her and move on to the next opportunity.”

“She was at my party in June,” Mrs. Godalming said.

“And your mention of reading the periodicals doesn’t hold water, I’m afraid, Miss Azalea,” the magistrate said. “The crimes of Mr. Brent’s pocket watch and Miss Everworth’s golden cross were never reported in the news. Only members of the constabulary, the victims, and the thief would know that.”

Miss Azalea’s face turned red. “Well, I don’t have them, so your little plot to frame me is ruined. It doesn’t hold water ,” she mimicked.

Lucy stood, gaining the others’ attention. “It’s true she borrowed her sister’s dress and encouraged me to wear it. I did think it was odd, especially as the other servants had warned me about her.”

“You little…” Miss Azalea let out another expletive.

Campbell’s eyebrows rose, Miss Skye’s mouth dropped open, and Mrs. Godalming reached for the nearest fan, fanning herself vigorously. “Such language…”

“But I am the one who prepared her dress and mask for this evening’s masquerade.” Lucy walked around her mistress and reached for the feathered mask that sat discarded on the floor. “And I can tell you, that despite trying my best to make it appear like a swan, I never gave it ruby eyes.”

“What?” Miss Skye started.

“You’re lying. She’s always lying. She—” Miss Azalea stopped as Lucy picked up the mask, revealing the feathers and turned it around for the group to see. There, nestled amongst the feathers, by the eyes, were two rubies pinned as part of the decoration. She handed the mask to the duke.

“By Jove,” the duke said, examining the mask. “She really did do it.”

“No I didn’t. Tell them, Lucy. I had nothing to do with this.” Miss Azalea backed up, stepping away from them all, and tripped over a set of discarded armor on the floor with a mighty thump . She groaned.

The magistrate opened the door to let in constables dressed as footmen. “Take her away, lads. The one dressed as a goose.”

“It’s a swan, I tell you. I am dressed as a swan,” Miss Azalea said, rubbing her bottom.

“Whatever you were, you’re not getting away with stealing this time.” The magistrate nodded and his men picked up the fallen woman. Fallen in more ways than one , Falstaff thought.

She turned to Lucy. “Go to my father and tell him all of this. He’ll come immediately. Tell our family solicitor. This is all a big mistake.”

Falstaff let out a noise of astonishment.

The utter gall of the woman. To steal rubies and blame her maid for it, then to turn around and demand she help her out of her own mess—it was incredible.

Perhaps that was the downside of always being surrounded by wealth, luxury, and parents who doted but didn’t care for their children’s behavior.

The children could often grow up to be spoiled liars and thieves, with little care but their own wants and comforts.

To the guards, Miss Azalea said, “You don’t understand. It was my maid who made my mask, not I. It’s all her doing, don’t you see?”

Miss Azalea was still pleading when the constables led her out of the room.

At her departure, the guests let out a loud sigh, and the tension dissipated.

“My word,” Mrs. Godalming said. “What an evening.” Her expression withered.

“And to think, I trusted the words of my guests over my faithful servant. I dismissed a perfectly innocent man. I’ve had enough excitement for one night, I’d say. ”

“Me too. This was like being on the stage,” Miss Skye said.

“Hear, hear.” Campbell clapped. “Now where can I get a drink?”

Falstaff motioned for some of the duke’s footmen to serve the guests and encouraged them to rejoin the party.

He picked up the rubies from the feathered mask and carefully replaced them in the display case.

As he turned, he spotted Lucy watching him.

He shot her a warm smile and winked at her. Did she blush? He hoped so.

Once it was just him and his uncle left in the room, the duke clapped him on the shoulder. “I didn’t believe in your plan at all, I must admit. Thought the whole process was entirely foolhardy, but you proved me wrong. Well done, boy.”

Falstaff grinned at his uncle. He may have been the ripe old age of twenty-six, but he would still always be a boy to the duke. “Thanks. With any luck, that will stop all discussion of the Ton thief, and people can feel safe again.”

“Yes. But what are you going to do about the young lady?”

“Miss Potts?”

“Her as well, yes. But I meant Miss Butters. She seems to have it in her head that you were going to make a certain announcement tonight.” The duke’s expression turned serious. “I think you owe it to her to have an honest conversation.”