The Devil You Know (17 page)

The party broke up almost immediately upon Diana and DeVere’s

return. The only guests remaining were either directly involved in the

questioning, or were those who lingered simply out of morbid fas-

cination. Ludovic noted the Duchess of Beauclerc among the latter

group.

“What are you still doing here, Caroline?” he demanded. “I

thought you would have left with March.”

“But what would I possibly want with him when I have you?”

she purred.

DeVere stifled a curse. “This matter has passed well beyond te-

dious, Caroline. Although it was never my intention to humiliate you,

you appear to be doing an excellent job on your own. It’s finished

between us. I don’t know how to make myself any clearer.”

“But there you are wrong, my love. It’s only over if and when
I say

it’s over. And I have not finished with you. Indeed, I think I should

like to be your wife, Ludovic.”

“Do you now? I never before thought you dull-witted. How do

you propose to become my wife when I have no wish to wed you or

anyone else?”

She chuckled low and long. “But darling, you only need proper

motivation.”

“Motivation? There is nothing on earth that would move me to

join my name with yours.”

“No? How about to avoid the scaffold? Many men have been

moved to far worse fates to save their skins.”

He seized her silk and lace-clad arm. “What the devil are you talk-

ing about?”

She raised her chin defiantly. “I speak of the murder of the Baron

Palmerston-Wriothesley, of course.”

“That’s a ridiculous and groundless speculation,” he snarled.

“Were you a man, I would call you out on the spot.”

“Groundless? Oh I think not! For who stood to gain more by the

Baron’s death than you? Unless it’s the poor, grieving widow who

is now left penniless? But what if the two of you had confederated?

What a wicked, wicked notion that is!” she cackled.

“You really think I would resort to killing a man to get what I

want?”

“I think you are capable of almost anything. After all, darling, I

know the underhanded means by which you came into your title, put-

ting it about that your father is dead when we both know you have

him locked away.”

“There were extenuating circumstances that you know nothing

about!”

“Does Hewett know that his father yet lives?” she asked.

His grip on her arm convulsively tightened. “Leave Hew out of

this.”“Whatever you say, my love,” she answered sweetly. “My point

was only that I know you to be coldblooded and ruthless when it suits

your purpose. And you are the one who holds the deed to Lord Reg-

gie’s lands, the deed you would have had to sacrifice had he won the

race. Moreover, you and the baroness are guilty of adultery. Don’t

deny it, Ludovic. I know that he intended to file suit against you for

it.” “And you think I killed him? Your insinuation is crass and base-

less.”

“Is it? Lord Reggie had already obtained signed affidavits from

the servants. I have copies in my possession. Sad, isn’t it, how difficult

it is to buy loyalty these days?”

“You think a court of law would uphold a servant’s word against

mine?”

“You are right, of course, but then again, a ducal coronet would

bear considerably
more
weight in a witness box. I saw you with her,

Ludovic. A married woman alone with a man of
your
reputation?

There can be no other interpretation.”

“Your word against mine, then.” He emitted a mirthless laugh.

“Hell hath no fury like a duchess scorned.”

She gave him a venomous smile. “And I will teach you that my

fury is to be feared.”

“Caroline, you may drag me through the mud if you wish, but

there is no possibility that I would ever be convicted of such a crime.

I am a peer of the realm, and there are no witnesses who can place me

at the scene.”

“But even to be connected to this. Imagine the scandal, Ludovic!

Your name besmirched in all the broadsheets, your person avoided

and ostracized by anyone of quality.”

“Yet as a man, I would come out much cleaner than you as my

accuser. I have little to fear from any woman of your sullied repute.”

“Is that so? Then if you would not spare yourself the scandal and

dishonor, what of your penniless and newly widowed baroness?”

His eyes narrowed. “What
of
the baroness?”

“Unless you desist your relations with her, my love, I promise to

destroy her.”

“An entirely

***

gruesome business, this.” Sir John shuddered and

accepted the stiff drink proffered by DeVere’s footman. “I suppose

we must try to piece this mess together. The sooner the dead man is

laid to rest, the better, I say.” He downed the glass of port in one long

draft and beckoned for another. “When was the deceased last seen?

And by whom?”

Edward answered. “Lord Reginald had joined Annalee, Diana,

and me in the stands immediately prior to the first race but then de-

parted to investigate when his horse did not appear.”

“Then his horse was supposed to have run in the first race?”

“Yes. His groom Johnson was to ride Reggie’s stallion, Centuri-

on,” Edward said.

“What do we know of the circumstances leading to the discovery

of the body?”

DeVere interjected, “My man Pratt came upon the horse saddled

as if to ride but greatly agitated and pacing in his box. When he inves-

tigated further, he found the deceased and the unconscious groom.”

“And there was no sign of injury to the horse?” Sir John asked.

“None, according to Pratt,” DeVere answered.

“That’s most curious that he did not run then. Have either of you

any knowledge of the stallion’s temperament? Might we surmise that

he attacked the unwary groom?”

“To my knowledge, Centurion is high spirited, but not a vicious

animal,” Edward replied.

Sir John scowled and scratched some notes. “Yet stallions can be

unpredictable. Surely it is a possibility.”

“I fear that cock won’t fight, my lord,” argued Dr. Stone. “The

groom was battered and beaten almost beyond recognition, but there

are no hoof prints on his body to suggest it could have been the horse.”

Sir John’s scowl deepened. He took another glass of port. “What

do you suggest then?”

Dr Stone remained impassive. “I suggest nothing, my lord. I

merely relate the facts.”

“And the same
facts
are sadly unsupportive of any motive for vio-

lence,” said DeVere.

“Unless, of course, his lordship lost control upon finding his horse

unable to run,” Sir John said. “Yes, yes, indeed. It all comes together

now. Lord Reginald had become compulsive in his gaming and was

heavily in debt. He had hoped to recover his losses through the horse

race, but then his horse failed to run. Is it possible that this outcome

may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back? A

man in such desperate straits is rarely of a sound mind, you know.”

He added an aside, “Could it have moved him to assault the groom?”

“But Lord Reginald hardly struck one as a man with a choleric

temperament,” the duchess observed. “I wonder that he could have

been capable of such violence.”

“My dear duchess, many a gentleman has taken an uncharacteris-

tic action when faced with the prospect of ruin. I can only surmise by

the evidence that he assaulted the groom and then turned the pistol

upon himself as the only honorable solution.” Sir John looked exceed-

ingly pleased with his hypothesis.

“But can one truly rule out the possibility of murder?” she asked.

Sir John laughed. “Respectfully, your Grace, I would call that a

fanciful speculation.”

“But what if a motive could be discovered?” She slanted a sly look

to Ludovic.

“Unless the groom recovers his senses sufficiently to speak, there

is no evidence to suggest foul play,” Sir John answered condescend-

ingly. “I will, as a matter of course, need to question the Baroness,

but I am confident these unfortunate proceedings will be hastily con-

cluded. Is the lady prone to hysterics?”

“No, I would say not,” Sir Edward answered. “Diana is my wife’s

cousin. I believe her of stout enough character to sit for necessary

questioning once she has had sufficient time to compose her nerves,

of course.”

“I daresay, a good dose of laudanum in her tea won’t go astray

about now,” said Dr. Stone.

“Pray allow me to take it to her,” offered Caroline.

“You are all that is gracious, Duchess,” said the doctor.

She’s a conniving bitch!
Ludovic stifled his retort.
Instead, he politely interjected, “But I believe Lady Chambers is already attending

the baroness. Is she not, Sir Edward?”

“But my Lord DeVere, you well know I am also recently bereaved.

Only another who has suffered the same loss can truly understand a

widow’s grief,” Caroline replied with convincing solicitude.

“Indeed so,” muttered Dr. Stone. Opening his bag, he measured

out a dose from a blue bottle into a medicine cup and handed it to the

duchess. Caroline shot Ludovic a triumphant look over her shoulder

as she departed.

The door to Diana’s

***

chamber opened without even a perfunctory

knock, and the Duchess of Beauclerc entered in a swirl of silk. “You

poor dear,” she said with feigned sympathy. “What a terrible, terrible

shock you have received.” She seated herself by Diana’s side with-

out invitation. “I am come upon Dr. Stone’s insistence that you take

a small dose of laudanum to settle your nerves. I have also taken the

liberty of calling for tea.”

“Thank you, duchess, but it is entirely unnecessary. I am here to

attend Diana’s needs,” Annalee answered.

“But you look so very fatigued, my lady. Your poor husband fears

this is far too much strain for a woman in your condition. He insisted

that you go and rest yourself. I shall attend your cousin.”

Annalee looked from Diana to Caroline with uncertainty.

“You do look fagged, dearest. I daresay Edward is right to fret,”

Diana said. “I have been unforgivably selfish. Pray go and rest.”

“Are you certain, Diana?”

“Yes.” Diana forced a smile. “I will be fine.”

“Just a short rest, then,” Annalee conceded. “I will return in an

hour or so to check on you.”

Caroline said little more until Annalee departed and the tea ar-

rived. She prepared a cup with a generous dose of laudanum and

sugar before handing it to Diana.

“The medicinal is truly unwarranted,” Diana protested.

“But my lady, of course you are overset! After all, what kind of

wife would not be so in learning of the suspicious death of her hus-

band?”

“Suspicious?” Diana repeated. “I hardly think so. My husband

was a gambler who faced certain ruin. Although horrid and unex-

pected, I cannot be completely astonished that he chose to end his life

under the circumstances.”

“Indeed?” said the Duchess. “I, on the contrary, am remarkably

astonished given that he had just acquired the instrument to shear the

sheep with the golden fleece.”

“What are you talking about?”

Caroline poured a second cup for herself, taking her time in an-

swering. “I know all about Reggie’s plans to end his pecuniary dif-

ficulties. He would surely have won a pretty penny too. DeVere’s

immense wealth and dissolute reputation would only have worked

against him in the court of law.” She took a sip.

“
You
conspired with Reggie?”

Caroline set her cup down with a derisive laugh. “It was the loos-

est of alliances, I assure you. He was a most despicable creature. But

I was in position to provide the proof he needed and piqued enough

to follow through. DeVere is a magnificent lover, is he not? I find his

skills in bed far outweigh his myriad character defects.”

“I would have no knowledge of such things,” Diana said. “And I

marvel at your own want of discretion in sharing such intimacies with

a stranger.”

“On the contrary, my dear. I saw his hands on your person, his

lips on your neck, and the all-too-familiar lascivious gleam in his eye.

It is a look I know
very
well.”

“I explained once before. I had trouble with the clasp on my pearls.

Regardless of what you
think
you saw, there is nothing between us!”

“Yet your husband also had grounds to believe otherwise. I re-

ceived a missive from him this very morning stating that you did not

sleep in your bed last night. It was a very enlightening bit of informa-

tion that shall remain in my safekeeping...for now. So you see, your

husband had within his grasp
lawful means
to recover his losses, so I

wonder why would he have taken his own life? Indeed, I see no rea-

son at all for him to have done so.”

“What are you suggesting?” Diana demanded.

“That matters have taken an unanticipated and highly suspi-

cious turn,” Caroline said. “One need only examine the facts. Your