India that would be far more profitable if my company retired from the field. Like most peers, his estates aren’t thriving — he could be desperate for money. I found a groom last night who swears he went riding alone for several hours on the same day that the highwayman attacked Ellie. And he didn’t attend the fireworks display. It would have been trivially easy to sneak over to the village, shoot someone, and leave again.”
Alex still frowned. “You said he shot Mrs. Grafton while aiming for Marcus. Why try to kill your brother if all he cares about is removing you from India?”
Nick shrugged. “Madmen make mad decisions. That’s a question only he knows the answer to.”
“Do madmen have the patience to plot death from half a world away? He must have set this into motion over a year ago, given how long it takes to sail between England and the subcontinent.”
Damn the earl for sounding so reasonable. “It’s unlikely, I know. But no one else fits the facts. And I want this business settled today, before anyone else hears about it.”
“You must want it settled badly enough,” Alex observed. “Rather bold of you to say you’ve kept me in the dark when Miss Etchingham or my mother could have been harmed because of your silence, then ask for my help to resolve it.”
The earl cut into one of his sausages. The force behind the gesture was the only hint that he was more perturbed than he seemed. Despite the accusation in his words, his voice was still utterly calm.
Even Ferguson frowned. “Never thought you’d take this so well, Salford. When Folkestone invited you to join us this morning, I expected the bloodbath to come now, not when Norbury arrived.”
Salford smiled. “I like Folkestone, despite his faults. At least it’s not my sister he’s trying to seduce.”
Ferguson’s face darkened. Nick held up his hands and appealed for calm. He didn’t know what had happened when Ferguson had married Alex’s cousin Madeleine, but even though the men were friendly with each other, there were still undercurrents between them that Nick couldn’t navigate.
And, frankly, he didn’t care. “Enough. I apologize for not warning either of you about the highwayman. I am not accustomed to taking other people into my plans, and I didn’t believe you to be in danger. Now, either say you’ll help me confront Norbury, or leave the room before he comes down. ”
Ferguson reached for the coffee pot. “You know I’ll help. Acting as a second is one of my favorite pastimes.”
“Salford?” Nick asked.
Alex leaned back in his chair. “Very well. But you owe me, Folkestone.”
Nick nodded. Marcus slipped into the room then, winded but pleased. “I checked the stables — Norbury did not leave overnight, at least not on horse. And the housekeeper confirmed he did not order a tray for breakfast. Since he retired early last night, he should be down at his usual time.”
Nick looked at the clock as Marcus drained the last bit of coffee from the pot. It was already a quarter past ten — Norbury should arrive soon.
With four men assembled against him, including three high-ranking peers, Norbury couldn’t do anything too rash. He might even decide that confessing, and accepting a quiet offer of transportation to a far-off colony, was better than risking his own neck.
It was unlikely at best. No peer would go to Australia willingly, and Nick couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t come back. Nick didn’t want to shoot him, or anyone else. But he would do what needed to be done — if not for his sake, then for Ellie and whatever future she might want.
By the time Norbury entered ten minutes later, Nick was deathly calm. Norbury didn’t seem concerned to see any of them. He gave a general greeting to the room and moved immediately to the sideboard. It wasn’t until Nick nodded and Marcus locked the door that Norbury made any gesture of discomfort.
He stiffened as the sound of the bolt being thrown in the lock echoed through the room. His hand froze over the kippers, the tongs dangling from fingers that had suddenly gone stiff. He set them down, slowly, and brought his half-filled plate to the table. “Is there a meaning to this of which I am unaware?” he asked.
“I thought we could have a friendly conversation among peers,” Nick said.
Then he pulled a pistol from his coat and set it on the table.
Norbury’s eyes darted to the pistol, then back to Nick’s