The Problem with Seduction - By Emma Locke Page 0,119
held up his hands at his sides. “If you did not believe she would have, why did you release the child to the prisoner’s custody? Didn’t you issue the order to have him brought to the prisoner’s house?”
Finn’s mouth tensed. His right shoulder twitched as if he were considering leaping across the room. “I acted from jealousy. In the heat of my anger I didn’t stop to think. Even if I did give the instruction, that thoughtless mistake doesn’t change the fact that the prisoner acted fraudulently. I would argue, in fact, that my initial acceptance of his claim is evidence of the competence with which he perpetrated his deception.”
Con’s optimism dwindled at this carefully crafted explanation.
Bart turned to the Recorder. “That is all for Captain Finn, my lord.”
The judge waved Finn’s lawyer to go on. “Next witness.”
“We summon Lord Montborne to the witness box, my lord.”
Con couldn’t keep his shock from his face. He quickly schooled it as best he could, but he’d already betrayed his surprise. He glanced at Bart, who was calmly shuffling papers at the table. Had he known? Or was he just a deucedly fine actor?
“Lord Montborne,” the prosecuting barrister began when the marquis had entered the stall and been sworn in, “it is well known that your family suffers the effects of poor fortune. To what extent did your brother, the prisoner, suffer these shortcomings in the time leading up to the alleged crime? I’ll remind you, you are under oath.”
Montborne had the grace to look uncomfortable. While it was no secret that their family was insolvent, he undoubtedly didn’t enjoy having it entered into the court proceedings. “He had very little to go on,” was all he replied.
“Is it true he was being dogged by creditors, as you yourself were?”
Montborne’s icy blue eyes narrowed. “He was.”
“Was. As in, ‘he is no longer.’ As for yourself, are you still plagued by creditors?”
A muscle at Montborne’s jaw twitched. Despite being less physically imposing than Lord Bart, he exuded all of the pomp and purpose he’d been born into. Arrogance laced with his palpable dislike of these intruding questions. “I am.”
“So it was not a family windfall that blew the prisoner toward better fortunes. However, your youngest brother, Lord Darius Alexander, also came into a good sum of money at this time, isn’t that correct?”
Montborne held very still. As if he were so angry, he feared he’d lose control if he gave but a little. “Yes.”
“The prisoner stands before us bearing visible evidence of an attack. Who attacked him?”
“Unscrupulous lenders,” Montborne replied in acid tones.
“So the prisoner does still owe at least some debt,” the barrister prodded. “Enough that the prisoner almost died because of it. My lord,” he said to the Recorder, “I would like to make a point that the prisoner has, at times, found himself in such financial difficulty that he may be considered susceptible to collusion with persons who present an opportunity for solvency. Lord Montborne, how well do you know Captain Finn’s former mistress?”
Montborne glanced at Elizabeth. “We’ve run in the same sets.”
“I think it is stronger than that, my lord. Are you friends? I remind you of your oath.”
Montborne struggled to maintain a bland expression. “We were friends, of sorts, for a time.”
The barrister barreled straight ahead, hardly giving Montborne time to recover from what were clearly hard words for him to say. “Do you have any knowledge of her financial situation?”
Montborne blinked. “Only what I’ve inferred.”
“Do you consider her wealthy?”
Montborne’s lips pursed. “Yes.”
“Were you aware of her relationship with Captain Finn?”
Montborne’s eyes darted to Con. “Yes.”
“And were you, during this time, also aware of a relationship between her and your brother?”
The room seemed to collectively lean forward. Con braced his hands on the rail of the bar. Montborne paused just a fraction too long, and Con’s hope plummeted to his feet. “No.”
No.
“That is all for the marquis.” The barrister returned to his seat.
Bart didn’t spare a look for Con. Just as well, for he would have seen Con’s distress. He hadn’t asked any of his brothers to lie for him. And yet…
He should have known Montborne wouldn’t lie for Elizabeth.
Bart came forward. His dark robe swirled at his knees. “Lord Montborne, on the day your family learned that the prisoner had allegedly fathered an illegitimate child, what was the reaction?”
Montborne appeared drained. “There was a call for him to marry the woman in question.”
“Did anyone in your family have any doubt as to the veracity of his statement?”