The Wicked Wager (29 page)

Her husband died in a senseless brawl one
night. Her son was now grown up. Unfortunately, he turned out to be no better
than his father. He was egotistical, wanting the recognition that came with
being a part of the duke’s family. He disliked his mother and made demands
similar to those that his father had made. The difference was that she loved
him like she had never loved her husband. When his threats and pleas to return
to the Arden estates failed to move his mother, the boy ran away to London and
she lost all trace of him. Meanwhile, my father had died and I succeeded him as
the duke. My first job was to find my sister and convince her to return with
me.”

The duke paused here and looked right at
Catherine when he spoke next,

“My wife had died and I had a young
daughter. I appealed to her to come take care of her and help me out. Esther’s
pride was somewhat mollified when she realised she would not be a charity case
but would be doing me a favour. She had always been fond of children and took
to Catherine almost immediately. I, too, was young at the time and failed to
realise what changes had been brought about in my sister after living such a
hard life. In my arrogance, I could not conceive the depths of cruelty she had suffered.
It had hardened her and made her shrewder. She at once saw a chance to live her
life in comfort and my daughter gave her a reason to stay. She could do what
she pleased as long as the child was treated fairly and well. She managed her
side of the bargain reasonably, until her son came back into her life.”

“But we have never seen him,” Catherine
exclaimed in shock.

“You all have seen him. Let me continue.”

Catherine nodded.

“Her son was greatly in debt and fleeing
from the law. He found out that his mother was back in a comfortable position
and he decided to ask her for money. He sent her a note and she panicked. She
knew I would never allow that kind of man to be under the same roof as my
daughter. She met her son secretly and he made her promise that she would give
him something in return. She had missed him when he had abandoned her and she
was afraid of losing him once again. She relented and gave him all the jewels
she had, with which he paid off some of his debts. He then returned for more. She
asked me for it and I gave it to her with a warning that no more would be
forthcoming. I knew that boy would leech his mother dry, if he could. The only
way to stop him would have been to refuse to pay him and instead force him to
live an honest man’s life. You can guess what happened next. He kept coming and
Esther was forced to find other means of payment. She happened upon a secret
and found a perfect source of income through blackmail. I do not know how many
people she blackmailed in the end, and I am sorry for it, as I would love to
pay back all their money. It is shameful that a family member has behaved in
such a fashion. A month back, the boy returned, and Esther had to stoop to
robbing me to pay her son off. She was willing to do anything to keep him in
her life.”

The duke paused and drank some more. He
stared into the fire as he let the words sink in.

The ticking of the grandfather clock and
the crackling wood in the fireplace was the only sound to be heard in the
stillness. No one dared to interrupt the silence until the duke spoke again,

“I confess I did not know or even conceive
that she had resorted to such means. Her behaviour was so correct at all times.
I knew she genuinely loved my daughter, and I felt guilty for keeping her away
from her son. Because of that guilt, I allowed her to dictate my daughter’s
life and occasionally override my own wishes regarding her upbringing. I wanted
to give her a child in return for taking one away from her. I let her isolate
my only child, the same way she had been isolated by her husband. I think,
since she had been bullied for so long, she wanted
to
be the one in command and keep others dependent on her. She became the bully,
and I failed to see it. She used emotions like guilt, jealousy, and love
against all of us to force us to do what she desired. I blame myself for most
of it. I should have taken the boy in hand instead of pushing him away. She
knew me best, and hence all my faults were easy to manipulate. She did not need
to blackmail me to make me do as she wished. I compromised my daughter’s
happiness, after all.”

Catherine got up and approached her father.
She set his glass away and embraced him.

He hid his face in her shoulder as his eyes
turned wet.

She softly spoke, “I was happy except for
the last three years. I am sorry I was angry. It was not your fault. If
anything, it was aunt’s fault. Her methods can have no reasonable excuse.
Everyone suffers, but not everyone chooses to take the evil path.”

The duke felt as if a great weight had
lifted off his shoulders. He pushed her away to look into her face, “You have
grown wise, child.”

She kissed the top of his head as she
answered,

“I had the best teacher in you.”

After a sleepless night, the household woke
up with a feeling of dread. The duke would reveal the murderer today.

Everyone had broken into little groups and
found separate corners to spend their morning. The Barker family sat huddled
together in the breakfast room. Emma and the earl had left to stroll in the
gardens. The duke was locked in his study with Nutters, while Lady Arden was
still in bed.

“Have you truly forgiven your father?” Lord
Raikes asked Catherine.

Catherine’s eyes skittered around the
library. Only after ascertaining that they were alone did she reply, “I was
miserable having my aunt as my chaperone. Yet all through those years I was
convinced my father was doing what he thought best for me. I believed that with
time I would come to understand his reasoning, which would, no doubt, be
superior to mine. I sympathise with his situation.” She paused, and then added
on a more forceful note, “but I am also angry, for how could he make such a
mistake?
I thought he was perfect and could do
no wrong. Chalk it down to a childish whim, if you will. I think it will take
some time for me to forgive him completely. It is difficult to suddenly see him
as vulnerable.”

“I think he is a better man than most of
us. It is not easy to concede ones faults, and for such a proud man, it is
harder still. I think he did it for you,” Lord Raikes said gently.

“I know he did it for me. I truly
appreciate that, but words cannot heal old sores, only time can do that.”

“Do not let it fester into hatred. He only wants
what is best for you,” he warned.

“He thinks I may have murdered my aunt. I
cannot forgive that so easily. I wish the killer is caught soon. The situation
is making me suspicious of everyone. I cannot help staring around the room and
wondering who murdered her. I cannot dismiss anyone, not even Emma. I had even
suspected my father. I know that’s hypocritical. He has every right to suspect
me if I feel the same way. My brain tells me that he is not wrong in doing so,
yet my heart rebels at the thought.”

“Do you think I did it?” Lord Raikes asked,
searching her face.

She glanced up at him and did not answer.

He sighed; he could hardly expect to be
discounted as the murderer if she was suspicious of even those that she had
grown up with. This was a new tangle that interfered with their romance, and it
was the last thing he wanted. He, too, could not wait for the killer to be
caught.

His beautiful fiancée could hardly fall in
love with a man she suspected of being a murderer.

***

That evening the duke asked them to
assemble in the library once more. Nutters was present armed with his quill and
paper.

“Good evening. Some new evidences have come
to light, and I wanted to share it with you,” the duke announced.

Everyone faced the duke, controlling their
nervous fidgeting.

“I do not have the luxury to discount
anyone, not even my own family members. Being a duke has its advantages, yet at
times like this, I wish I did not hold this title. I am torn between duty
towards my family and my responsibilities. Please forgive me for what is about
to follow. I am also bound to avenge my sister’s death, and that is why I will
speak to you as a duke and not a friend, husband, uncle, or father.” He gazed
around the room, his eyes resigned.

Not a squeak of protest was heard. The duke
was not asking them but informing them.

“I think it is only fair to all present
that I first start with my daughter. Catherine had spent the longest time with
my sister, who was, as we all know, a difficult
person.
It was because of her that my daughter was literally a prisoner in her own
home. She was alienated from her friends and from her family. She came to hate
her aunt with a passion.”

He put up his hand to stall Lord Raikes,
who had risen from his seat to argue, “I know what you are going to tell me,
that she loved her as well, like no one else present in this room did. Lord
Raikes, a person commits a crime out of intense emotion. It is easier for love
to turn into hatred than mere dislike. She loved the memory of her aunt as she
had been during her childhood, allowing her to escape to the library when she
pleased, encouraging her shyness, and soothing her tears. When Catherine grew
up, she slowly understood the negative aspects of her aunt’s attitude and how
it was affecting her life and personality. She is an intelligent girl, and she
slowly became aware that she could never hope to grow as a person with her aunt
acting as her companion. She needed to break free of her influence and for once
breathe. She had been suffocating. I would never let my sister go. How could I
be expected to choose between a daughter and a sister? So she had a motive to
kill. She runs the household, hence her procuring a knife was not a problem.
Finally, she does not have an alibi, and her room is closest to my sister’s.”

Catherine had turned white. Lord Raikes
held her hand and glared at the duke and asked, “How can you accuse your own
daughter?”

“I am merely stating facts,” the duke
replied dispassionately.

“Are you saying your daughter is the
murderer?” Mr Barker enquired.

“No, I am not confirming who is the
murderer … yet. I am simply telling you how she had the means and the motive. I
will now come to you, Lord Raikes,” he said, turning to face the furious man,
“you are in love with my daughter.”

A few gasps sounded around the room. Not
everyone had been aware of this new development.

Catherine quickly glanced at Lord Raikes
and was surprised to find that he did not deny it.

The duke ignored the murmurs. Instead, he
continued eyeing Lord Raikes as he spoke, “Now, why would you have any reason
to murder my sister? You had the means and no alibi. You were awake at the time
of murder by your own admission, but what could be the reason. I think you were
afraid Lady Babbage would never let Catherine go. You saw the depth of her
possessiveness.”

“I am sorry to spoil your theory midway,
Your Grace,” Lord Raikes interrupted, “Lady Babbage had encouraged me to pursue
Catherine and forget Emma.”

“We have only your word to prove that, but
let us assume you are speaking the truth. She encouraged you in your efforts to
woo Catherine. Let us even assume she allowed you two to marry. Tell me, Lord
Raikes, do you think a change in marital status would have affected her hold on
my daughter? She had years to work on her charge. She had ample time to mould
her into a perfect, biddable girl who did as she was told. You saw how
submissive my daughter was, and you were not sure if you could ever free
Catherine from my sister’s clutches. You are also a passionate man, and I think
your love is all consuming. You cannot bear to share the one you love with
anyone else. You love her enough to want her to grow into her own person. The
only way she could be a confident and secure young woman was if her aunt were
removed from the scene.”

“It sounds a bit improbable, My Lord,” the
earl commented.

“I am surprised to hear you say that. You
know him best and are surely aware of his past. He did not return to England
for ten years because his first love refused to have him. Can you fathom what a
man of such deep emotions is capable of? He fell in love once more, and this
time he intends to have his beloved. He did not mention his indiscretion to me
yesterday out of any sense of honesty or belief in my omniscience. He told me
what occurred truthfully because he knew the result. I would have no choice but
to get the two of them wed as soon as I possibly could.”

Lord Raikes stayed silent, neither
confirming nor denying anything.

The duke gazed at his future son in law and
smiled, “He will not proclaim his innocence until he is sure that Catherine is
safe from the gallows. Would anyone like tea or some wine?”

No one bothered to reply.

The duke shrugged and refilled his own
glass; taking a sip he continued, “Emma now has two people who can vouch for her
actions on that fated night. Though, she did have a motive … her concern for
her cousin. She loves her like a sister. No one else knew the depth of Lady
Babbage’s effect on Catherine better than Emma. She could see how her cousin’s
spirit was slowly and steadily being crushed. Emma is a fighter and she fights
for those she loves. She was the only one who my sister could not push away or
bully. She stuck steadfast in her love for Catherine, coming every summer in
spite of all the curtailments. How could she see Catherine suffer every single
day and not do anything about it?”