A Wicked Conceit (Lady Darby Mysteries #9) - Anna Lee Huber Page 0,82
at me in disapproval—few of them daring to cut me direct because of my husband and father-in-law—or cornered me in an effort to pump me for information about Bonnie Brock. None of them had yet invited me to call. I hurried past her and Lord Soames, who squinted so pronouncedly I doubted he saw more than a blurry wash of color.
Gage took my arm, his social mask firmly in place as we circled the rooms dedicated to the Soameses’ soiree. We were some of the last people to arrive, and by any measure it was a crush. So much so that I feared we would never be able to find a place to confront Kirkcowan privately. That is, if Lord Henry could succeed in our plan. It wasn’t until that moment that I realized how much trust Gage had placed in him, and he didn’t even know yet that Henry was his half brother.
When Gage returned to my side later in the evening after a second foray to the gaming room, a satisfied grin stretching his lips, I remarked on it.
“I take it matters are proceeding as planned.”
“Yes. Lord Henry is doing splendidly,” he tipped his head down to say, as he guided me away from a cluster of ladies with whom I’d been conversing. “Has Kirkcowan tugging at his collar and downing brandy faster than he should, which will only hasten matters in our favor.”
We both nodded at an acquaintance strolling past us on the opposite side of the corridor.
“You’ve entrusted Lord Henry with a great deal in this scheme.”
“I have,” he admitted in a voice that told me this wasn’t the first time he had considered that. “I suppose you’re wondering why.”
I nodded and then elaborated, lest he misunderstand. “Don’t get me wrong. I like Lord Henry. I believe I have since the moment I met him. He has a streak of honorability running through him a mile wide.” I jostled my elbow against his side. “Not unlike some people I know.”
He smiled at my gentle teasing.
“But until yesterday evening, I would have sworn you felt a marked distrust toward him because of all of that business at Sunlaws Castle and his role in escorting his brother abroad.”
“It’s true. I was still remarkably cross with him. With the duke’s entire family. But after speaking to him, I realized what an impossible situation he’d found himself in during our investigation. And in the end, he did the right thing and confessed to you what so troubled him, which helped you put the pieces together to figure out that Lord John was the culprit.” He lowered his head. “As for his escorting his brother abroad, Lord Henry apologized to me for the necessity of his actions but confessed he would still make the same choice. That he’d feared that without his calming influence his brother might do something drastic on the voyage.”
I looked up in dismay. “You mean . . . ?”
Gage nodded.
I swallowed. “And his other brothers aren’t precisely calming influences, are they?” Though I didn’t doubt their regard for one another, in truth, his other brothers would have been more likely to drive Lord John to take his life than the other way around.
“Given that, I can’t hold Lord Henry’s actions against him. Rather, I find them to be commendable.”
A pang of empathy tightened my chest imagining Henry trying to navigate such a dilemma. If he escorted his brother abroad, then Gage—the half brother he was anxious to confess his connection to and befriend—would be terribly angry with him, and might never give him the chance. While if he refused and stayed to speak with Gage, then Lord John might throw himself overboard into the sea.
I realized I couldn’t hold his actions against him any longer either, no matter what they had cost me. He had made the right choice. And I would give him no more grief for it.
“Mr. Gage?”
We both turned to face the footman addressing my husband.
“Yes?” Gage asked.
“Lord Henry Kerr has asked me to tell you he’ll be with you in five minutes.”
“Very good. Thank you.” He nodded, dismissing him.
A pulse of anticipation quickened through my veins as Gage turned our steps toward the rear of the mansion.
“Apparently, matters have progressed even more quickly than I anticipated. Which is all for the better. If Kirkcowan becomes too sotted, we might not get anything from him.” His lip curled upward in scorn. “Last night he nearly passed out under the table.”