Jo Goodman (42 page)

It lasted only a moment as Mercedes realized Brendan had arrived alone. "Where's your brother?" she asked, stepping forward. "What's happened?"

"Britton's fine. He stayed back to learn as much as he could. I came here to warn you."

It was Colin who spoke. "Warn me? What's the problem?"

Brendan shook his head and gulped the air to catch his breath. His small face was ruddy with the exertion of his run. "Not you. Mercedes. Severn's here with the sheriff and they're looking for Mercedes."

Mercedes was actually relieved. "I'm certain it's nothing," she said. "Probably a few questions left over from yesterday. And Severn's a relation, after all. It is perfectly acceptable for him to visit." She amended this last statement when Colin and Brendan both looked at her with frank skepticism. "I didn't say that I welcomed it, only that it can be tolerated."

Colin's attention turned to Brendan. The boy was not appeased by Mercedes's lack of concern. "What else, Brendan?"

"I don't know, sir. Something's just not right. Severn is... well, he's Severn. Only more so. And Mr. Patterson is pacing. I think he's worried about something."

"Did they send you to get us?"

"No. Severn sent Mr. Hennepin to look for Mercedes and he doesn't know she's with you. He's gone off to the cottages."

"I don't like this," Colin said. "I want to talk to Mr. Patterson before you come back to the house."

"That's ridiculous." Mercedes brushed the suggestion aside. "This is about the earl's will, that's all. Mr. Patterson's probably here to let us know that you're no longer a suspect."

Colin wasn't convinced. "I'd rather you wait here."

"That doesn't make any sense," she said. "I'm not the one they've been after."

Mercedes hadn't realized how easily that could change. When she met Severn and Patterson in the library and offered them refreshment, she couldn't have imagined what would follow.

Her face paled as she listened to the charges leveled against her. Her mouth was so dry she couldn't answer them.

Standing at the fireplace, Colin's features were impassive. He watched Mr. Patterson closely and accepted that the sheriff actually believed what he was saying. That spoke to Severn's ability to persuade and convince. Severn himself was quiet. He let the law speak for him and he didn't shy from meeting either Mercedes or Colin directly.

Colin waited until Mr. Patterson finished speaking. Brendan had been correct in his assessment of the sheriff. The man was nervous. But then, Colin reflected, it wasn't every day he accused a member of one of England's oldest families of murder.

"There's only one problem with your account of things," Colin told the sheriff. "None of it's true." He saw Mercedes lift her head a notch, but it did nothing to contradict the helpless, guilty expression in her eyes. Only he understood that her guilt was related to the lies she had told and that her regret was that she had been overheard. "Yes, Mercedes said all the things that Severn repeated to you, but he didn't stay around long enough to realize she was spinning that tale for my benefit."

"She was angry with me because I was angry with her. We said things we didn't mean. The earl's murder has all of us talking out of turn and wondering aloud."

Patterson rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You've never seemed like a man given to speaking before thinking."

Colin shrugged. "I'm not used to dealing with the irrational mind of a female, either." For a moment he thought Mercedes was going to come out of her chair and pounce on him like a wounded lioness. He silently applauded the control she demonstrated by staying put and staying quiet. "You have experience in these matters, don't you?"

The sheriff nodded. "I've been married twenty-one years."

"And I've been at sea that long. I'm still clumsy at not getting a woman so mad at me that she'll say anything to prove me a fool." His glance slid to Severn. "I'm wondering what brought you to Weybourne Park at that time of night and why you thought you could go anywhere you pleased. You're the one with something to gain with these ridiculous charges." He looked at Patterson again. "You took that into account, didn't you? Severn would inherit the title and take over the Park if the earl's will is proved to be false."

"I took it into account. I would have been here this morning otherwise. I spent the morning and afternoon in London talking to Ashbrook and Deakins. As far as his lordship's arrival here last night, he explained that he was concerned about the family and returned to offer assistance."

Mercedes spoke up. "He made that offer earlier in the day and I said it was appreciated
and
unnecessary."

"I thought you were merely being polite," Severn said smoothly. "It would be like you not to want to place demands on anyone else. You're aware, of course, that I've always been able to come and go at the Park as I've pleased."

Mercedes felt Colin's questioning glance. She nodded. "He has a key to one of the side doors. Severn often accompanied my uncle home."

"The man was too deep in his cups to use the front stairs," Severn explained. "The side entrance caused the least disturbance." He went on coolly. "I had every intention of announcing myself, but when I arrived in the north wing, you were gone. Captain Thorne's room was also vacant. Since I had already been downstairs I knew you weren't there. I don't know what made me think of the north tower, but there you have it. A chance encounter. You must believe me, Mercedes. I didn't want to hear what I did, but upon hearing, what choice did I have? I locked you in so I would have time to find Mr. Patterson. He was not so amenable to a quick resolution and wanted to make further inquiries, but I could not count myself a friend to the earl if I let his murderer go free."

"You've never been a friend to anyone," she said. Mercedes addressed the sheriff. "You said you spoke to Ashbrook and Deakins. If that's the case then you must know that what Severn overheard was pure fabrication. I've never met these men. And I certainly never went to them with Severn, no matter what he says to the contrary."

"But you were at Tattersall's?" Patterson asked.

"Yes. But I never left the carriage. Severn saw me there and invited himself inside. We went—"

"So you did go with him."

"Yes, but—"

The sheriff raised his hand and shook his head. "No more, my lady. I have indeed met with Mr. Ashbrook and Mr. Deakins. They are willing to testify that you paid them to sign the document in question. They recalled your carriage and in each case they remember you mentioning someone was waiting for you there. Mr. Deakins admits he saw my lord Severn there at the carriage window. His description was accurate enough to satisfy me."

"He's lying," Mercedes said, her voice rising.

Colin came to her side and placed one hand on her shoulder. His touch was light but the message was clear. She needed to calm herself. "Severn's paid them," Colin said.

"There's no evidence of that," Patterson said. "What I do have as evidence is a draft on your account presented to your bank in London for two thousand pounds. It has the signatures of both Mr. Ashbrook and Mr. Deakins and adds credible weight to their story."

"They had another story for Mr. Gordon," Colin reminded him.

"They repeated to Mr. Gordon what Miss Leyden told them to say. They both admitted never having met the Earl of Weybourne. However, they can describe his niece." The sheriff took a deep breath, tugging on his wiry brows. Clearly he was uncomfortable with his business. "I'd like your permission to search your room, my lady."

Mercedes's dark brows came up. " Search my room? Whatever for?"

Colin answered for the sheriff. "He's looking for the weapon. Right now the evidence points most clearly to fraud. As to the murder, Mr. Patterson only has Severn's word that he heard you admit to it."

"I
did
say those things," she said. "But it was a lie."

"Mercedes." Colin said her name sharply. She was adjusting the rope around her own neck. "Do not say another word." He turned to Patterson. "No, you don't have her permission to search."

"There's sufficient cause to conduct one without permission," he said.

"Then that's how you'll have to do it. You may not have the sanction of the accused."

"So be it." He stood.

"I'll go with you," Colin said.

"As you wish. Severn?"

Marcus Severn shook his head. "I'll remain with Mercedes."

"I'll see you in hell first." She came to her feet and went for the door. "I'll be with my cousins in the drawing room." Without a backward glance to see if Mr. Patterson approved, she swept out of the room.

Colin did not shutter the admiration in his eyes. He held the door open for the sheriff. "Shall we?"

The search was conducted with a thoroughness that Colin would have appreciated in other circumstances. The sheriff lifted the mattress, opened drawers, and examined under the bed. He patted down Mercedes's gowns in the armoire and knelt in front of it to search the bottom. Colin knew the moment they were confronted by another problem. The sheriff's brow furrowed and his thin lips tightened. Only his deep-set eyes hinted that his discovery was unwelcome.

"What is it?" Colin asked, stepping closer.

The sheriff sat back on his haunches. His arms were filled with articles of clothing. Boots. Trousers. Neck cloth. A shirt and jacket. All of it men's clothing. Mr. Patterson stood and held up the jacket, partly to display it, partly to judge its size against Colin. It was easily determined the clothes could not have belonged to the captain. "The earl's," Mr. Patterson said heavily. He sifted through the articles, folding each one neatly before he picked up the boots. One was significantly lighter than the other. He dropped that one and reached inside the other. The sorrow in his eyes was quite real as he drew out a pistol.

Colin stared at the weapon. "Is it primed and loaded?"

The sheriff examined it. "Yes."

"Then it hasn't been fired."

"Not since the last time it was primed and loaded. This can't help Miss Leyden."

"You don't really believe she murdered her uncle."

"It doesn't matter what I believe. I only have to gather the evidence. Judges and juries do the rest."

"There's an explanation for this."

Mr. Patterson nodded. "I shouldn't be saying this, Captain Thorne, but I admired Miss Leyden's father and I find myself thinking from time to time that you're a bit like him. My lady's troubles are as high as her neck right now, but yours aren't finished either. You signed the draft that paid for the fraudulent will and you listened to her confession and didn't come to me with it."

Colin didn't repeat again that the confession was a lie. Events had moved far past the point where that was going to be believed.

"Your alibis are suspect because it's plain that one of you is moved to protect the other. I know of only one way that you can't be compelled to testify against her, or she against you." Mr. Patterson picked up the clothes, boots, and weapon and carried them into the hall. "It's something to think about," he said. "Just something to think about."

Mercedes was formally charged and arrested while her family and Colin looked on. Chloe and Sylvia wept softly. The twins threw themselves at Mr. Patterson, battering the hapless man until Colin pulled them off and Mercedes scolded them. She was permitted to take a valise with a few personal belongings and articles of clothing. Colin escorted her to the sheriff's carriage. Severn was riding his own mount.

"Send him away," Colin told the sheriff. "You don't require help taking Mercedes to jail. And if you do, I'll provide you with someone else."

Patterson nodded. He went over to Severn and talked to him briefly.

Marcus shrugged. The smile he cast in Colin's direction was cool and left no doubt that nothing was settled between them.

Colin watched him ride off, then leaned into the carriage to speak to Mercedes. Her face was pale, her lips almost devoid of color. He placed one hand over both of hers. Not surprisingly, they were like ice. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you," he said quietly. There was no response. Mercedes stared straight ahead. He gave her a small shake, his tone urgent. "Tell me you believe me."

Things were already happening to her. Mercedes wondered what there was left to prevent. "I believe you." She said it because she knew it was important to him. Her gray eyes sparkled briefly with tears, then they were gone. Afraid she would shatter, she didn't look at Colin. "I didn't do this thing," she said. "Make certain they know."

Colin glanced back at the group gathered on the front steps of the manor. The twins clung to Mrs. Hennepin but it was difficult to know who was supporting whom. Chloe and Sylvia stood with their arms linked. Mr. Hennepin and Ben Fitch held their hats in hand. The maids wrung their hands in their aprons. Each face was graven with sorrow and anger and fear. Not one among them was accusing.

"They know," Colin told her. He squeezed her hands as Mr. Patterson climbed into the driver's box. "I'll come for you, Mercedes."

She nodded absently. "Yes. You do that."

"I mean it. I'll—" Colin had to step back and close the door as the carriage began to move. "I love you."