His mind raced, thoughts tumbling over one another—how could she leave, how could she question the sincerity of his feelings? He had to find her, make sure she was safe, and above all, assure her of the truth. He loved her. “I’ll turn London inside out if I have to.” His voice rose with a fierce tenacity. “I will find her, and I will bring her home.”
Duncan looked up, having read the message. “I’ll go to Barrington at once. He has men throughout London who can aid in the search.”
Ewan glanced at his batman and nodded. Duncan turned toward the door.
“Wait.” Ewan caught Duncan’s arm as he turned to leave. “Sebastian is unaware of our marriage. To him, Juliet merely questioned his proposal.” A plan began to form in Ewan’s mind. “While you speak to Barrington, I’ll consult with Lady Rosefield. With Juliet’s parents away, she’s the one to address this claim.”He refolded Juliet’s letter and tucked it in his pocket. “I’ll go and speak to her now.”
The archbishop interjected, “Be cautious, Ewan. If you challenge the legality of a marriage settlement, you’ll need irrefutable evidence.”
“So will Sebastian.” With a mutual nod of understanding, Duncan departed, and Ewan prepared to follow.
“Go,” the archbishop urged, turning to sit beside Lord Aurington. “Your father and I will manage here.”
With a final glance at the circlet, Ewan turned on his heel and strode from the room. The archbishop’s words fueled his mission to uncover the truth and find the woman he loved.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
April 27, 1820
Juliet had nodifficulty locating the key in the statue of Artemis and unlocking the door. Now, four days after leaving Fairmont Hall, she sat in the dimly lit summerhouse, with the stack of letters to the side, she stroked the diary’s leather cover cool under her fingertips, finally finding the courage to read it. She flipped through the pages, smiling at the familiar handwriting and chuckling at some of the aliases her brother had created for his friends.
“Always so clever,” she murmured, feeling a bittersweet pang of nostalgia.
As she neared the end of the year, her smile faded. The entries did not stop at December 31st. Instead, there were more entries dated this year for the months leading up to his death.
Her heart quickened as she turned the pages, reading Bradley’s words. These entries were different. They were less about daily life and more about his fears and suspicions. He wrote of strange occurrences, and people he thought might be watching him. There were cryptic notes and mentions of the “Order.”
Juliet’s fingers trembled slightly as she read on, piecing together the fragments of Bradley’s final months. Her brother had been in trouble, and she hadn’t known the extent of it. She read on.
“The Rookery and The Gilded Lily,” she read aloud. The names were probably the private residences where the gambling stakes were high and the company secretive. She let her mind dwell on deciphering whose homes these could be and went on. Her finger traced the dates on the calendar, each marked with a list of secret names.
She turned the pages, her pulse quickening as the last four months listed only The Gilded Lily—Fray, Eclipse, Anchor, Key, and Gentry, in attendance. But where Shadow once stood, there was now an angry black spot, a violent scribble obliterating the name. And above it, scrawled in a hand driven by emotion, the wordVIPERin all capital letters.
Then there were numbers. They didn’t lie. His winnings had turned to disastrous losses, and while the IOUs payable toVIPERhad piled up like autumn leaves, each was crossed out and marked paid in full.
She whispered to the room, “Bradley, what were you thinking?” She gazed at the small black wooden king she perched on the mantelpiece. “Viper. No one can be that fortunate,” she whispered. “He must have been cheating.”
She turned the page and found Bradley’s script tight and hurried.“Arrived early at The Gilded Lily and sat in Viper’s seat, the one that faced the door. No matter where the game was, his chair always faced the door. He was furious. No one wins that often. Must be more than luck.”
With a sudden movement, she snapped the diary shut with a booming thud, the sound slicing through the silence. “You knew there was cheating.” She glared at the wooden king as if Bradley was in front of her. “What were you planning to do?”
A slow moaning of the door hinges shattered the stillness and sent a shock of fear through her. She spun around. Her heart pounded. A silhouette filled the doorway, ominous yet familiar.
He stepped through the doorway, the soft light revealing… “Duncan!” She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “You gave me a fright. How did you find me?”
Duncan’s concerned expression softened, relief in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I took a shortcut through the estate and saw the light from the window. I hoped it was you. Ewan has had everyone in London searching for you these last four days.”
“Here I am.” She opened her arms wide. “Would you like some tea?”
“Ewan keeps something stronger at hand.” He went to the cabinet and retrieved two glasses and a bottle of brandy. “He’s been worried sick about you.” He poured them each a glass.
“I’ve kept this with me,” he handed her a letter, “in case I found you. You dropped it at Barrington’s.”
Juliet took it from him. “And yes, I read it. Whoever this bastard is, I canna wait to get my hands around his throat. He can’t even spell. Ach, all the more reason, Lass for you to—”
“I am sorry I’ve upset you and Ewan, but it cannot be helped.” She put the letter on top of the stack she took from Bradley’s desk. “I’ve always fought my own battles. I am not going to stop now.” She sat, took the filled glass from him, and sipped her drink. “All these months, I thought Bradley had taken his own life.” She glanced at Duncan and his understanding gaze. “When all along he had been murdered. And probably by the man who stole everything from him. This man, Viper, not only took his money, but he also took his life.”
Duncan slowly lowered himself into the seat next to her. “What makes you so certain?”
