The Formidable Earl (Diamonds in the Rough #6) - Sophie Barnes Page 0,104

The sooner we get this over with, the sooner these men can be on their way.”

Simon straightened his back. “Four years ago, a man by the name of Matthew Strong was found guilty of treason. This past month, his daughter and I have been working to prove his innocence. Based on his own suspicions, we centered our investigation around the assumption that one of you,” Simon met Kirksdale’s eyes, then Elmwood’s, and finally Elliot’s, “had betrayed him. We assumed one of you was the real traitor, only to learn that we’d also been deceived.”

“Because Matthew Strong was guilty,” Kirksdale said. “And you were trying to prove the impossible.”

“On the contrary,” Simon said. “It was because we were following the wrong breadcrumbs. Matthew Strong was innocent. He never sent the forged letters that got him tried for treason. But neither did you. As it turns out, the man who aided in Napoleon’s escape was none other than Mr. St. John.”

“That’s a damned lie,” Mr. St. John snapped.

“As it happens, I have the evidence to prove it.” Simon gestured for Fletcher to step forward just as a knock sounded at the door. Guthrie opened it and the chief magistrate entered. Simon acknowledged his presence with a nod. “Excellent timing, sir. We’re just about to hear from the courier who passed the forged letters to Captain Murdoch. Please, Fletcher, tell us what you know.”

“This is a waste of time,” Mr. St. John said.

“We’ll see about that,” the chief magistrate said. “Fletcher, you may proceed.”

“Well, Mr. St. John here asked if I’d like to earn some more blunt. I used to work for him you see, at the Shadwell Gun Works.” Fletcher seemed to hesitate. He glanced at Simon who gave him an encouraging nod. Swallowing, he said, “When I agreed, he gave me two letters and asked me to make sure they reached the captains of the French and British guard ships positioned near Elba. It made sense to enlist the help of a British captain, so that’s what I did. A list of instructions was included.”

“What utter nonsense,” Mr. St. John said. “How much are you getting paid to say this?”

“Here’s that list of instructions,” Simon said. He handed the paper to the chief magistrate. “There are six other men outside in the hallway who are willing to add weight to Fletcher’s claim.”

“Preposterous,” Mr. St. John declared.

“A plan two years in the making and so crafty you almost managed to get away with it,” Simon said. “Matthew Strong believed one of his new friends, either Kirksdale, Elmwood, or Nugent, was to blame. He had no reason to suspect anyone else. Hell, I’m not even sure he knew who you were, Mr. St. John.”

Silence settled over the room. And then…

“Are you saying we enabled Mr. St. John’s plan simply by befriending Matthew Strong?” Elmwood asked with a hint of dawning insight.

“Don’t listen to him,” Mr. St. John said. “None of this is true.”

“We were your insurance,” Kirksdale muttered with a deepening frown. “The subsequent group of suspects in case Matthew Strong somehow managed to dispute the charges. One of us would have been the next likely suspect simply based on our association with him.”

“Thinking back,” Elmwood said, “I recall you saying that it would improve a man’s reputation if he were to befriend an uprising solider of Matthew Strong’s renown.”

“Of course it would,” Mr. St. John said. “The man was a hero. Until his greed got the better of him.”

“You can stop the charade,” Simon said. “Everything ties back to you.”

“We were manipulated right from the start,” Elliot said. He glared at Mr. St. John, who was looking remarkably relaxed for a man who was moments away from being arrested for numerous crimes.

“You were the first to suggest Matthew Strong be promoted, were you not?” Simon asked Mr. St. John. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he retrieved the newspaper clipping he’d found. He and Ida had looked it over countless times and dismissed it because they’d been looking for references made to Kirksdale, Elmwood, and Elliot.

“He deserved to be recognized for his military actions,” Mr. St. John said with a shrug.

“I don’t disagree. But that wasn’t really your motive, was it?” Simon noted the flicker of unease in Mr. St. John’s eyes and smirked. “You needed to place the man who’d take the fall for you in a higher position of power. The more well-liked he was, the greater the admiration for him, the more influential his circle of friends, the bigger the