“I believe your fate is sealed, Mr. Jones,” affirmed Constable Brooks. “All that remains is the trial. Perhaps some leniency might be obtained, if you will explain why you received money from Lord Ronald.”
Jones positively cackled. “Then I am for the gallows tree, and I have nothing to lose. He paid me to burn down the inn. He paid me to kill the late Lord Northbury. An’ he was paying me to kill the current Lord Northbury. More than that, he paid me to be silent.”
Tiffany pulled Sophie out of the way as Lord Northbury strode on past Jones and the watchmen to where Lord Ronald was restrained. “So that is the reason you were always short of funds,” he said. “But the real question is why? Why did you hire Jones to do all these things?” he demanded.
“Because I wanted the Barrette estate. It was open land when I was a boy, and I used to go riding there. It should not have gone to some jumped-up knight. That happened thanks to the late Lord Northbury’s machinations. I wanted Northbury because I am a better Lord than your father ever thought about being. I am better than you. Northbury should have been mine. It should always have been mine, not my brother’s and not yours. I should be Lord Northbury, and I would have had that profitable little estate if it were not for that interfering girl.”
A stunned silence fell over the room.
Constable Brooks cleared his throat. “What will you do, Lord Northbury?”
With great dignity, Lord Northbury turned away from his uncle. “Constable Brooks, I do not believe that my uncle is of sound mind. He has most thoughtfully provided for a room in Bedlam. Surely, that room should not go unoccupied. I remand Jones into your care to let the justice system deal with him. However, thanks to his having been so forthcoming, I recommend gaol rather than hanging. Just make sure his accommodations are not too luxurious and do not allow him to cook anything.”
A nervous titter followed that last sally.
Constable Brooks bowed his head. “Dr. Hardwick and I will see to it.”
“And one more thing, Constable, if you would. Do make sure that Dr. Abslom is no longer allowed to practice. Indeed, perhaps he should be provided a room not far from my uncle, since he is so sure of the worth of the accommodations in Bedlam.”
Lord Northbury looked around the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending this extremely interesting presentation. I would offer you refreshment, but I have it on good authority that my former cook has done damage to the kitchens. Tiffany, Sophie, my office, if you please. Grace, will you attend us, also? Lucas, Mr. Kenault, Mr. Quentin, will you be so kind as to assist Constable Brooks and Mrs. Twitchel with seeing to McClellan and showing everyone out.”
Chapter 63
Percival surveyed the three young women standing before him. “Please sit down.” Then, noting worried expressions, “I have asked you here to finish this strange day with making sure that your needs are met. Grace, you are my witness, since you are largely uninvolved with these strange events.”
“I am pleased to be of assistance, My Lord,” Grace said, curtseying.
“Sophie, you are a conundrum.”
“I am sorry, My Lord,” Sophie said.
“On the one hand, I regard you as a risk. You were far too willing to cooperate with Jones and Uncle Ronald. Yet, by your own admission and theirs as well, you were being coerced. So, I am going to base your fate on judgement by your peers. Tiffany, Grace, would you trust this young woman to serve in this house?”
Tiffany sighed. “I interrupted a friendship, and unsettled an established order. Lord Ronald and Jones aside, I do not think that Sophie ever planned to cause harm. Perhaps a trial time, now that those bad influences are absent?”
Grace looked from one to another, eyes wide. “We were friends before Jones started working here. Perhaps we could be friends again if Sophie proves to be the person I thought I knew.”
“I will then remand her to Mrs. Twitchel. Perhaps some lessons on protocol, legal obligations of servants, and similar items. I will tell you, Sophie, that you are exceptionally fortunate in association with these two women. I would strongly advise that you model your future behavior on theirs.”
“Yes, My Lord,” Sophie murmured, flushing with embarrassment.
“You will be returned to having a room alone. Tiffany will be moving to other quarters.”
This took Tiffany by surprise. “I will?”
“You will,” Percival assured her. “I could scarcely house a yeoman’s or knight’s grand-daughter with a mere servant.”
“My Lord?” Tiffany looked even more puzzled.
“Never mind. Consider it a security measure. I’m not sure Sophie can be trusted with a roommate. Pilfering other people’s possessions is an exceptionally bad habit. By rights, Sophie, I should turn you off without references. But your friends vouch for you, so I will give you a second chance. You will sit in the servants’ dining hall until Tiffany has removed her possessions from the room. That will be all.”
“Thank you, My Lord,” Sophie said. Taking this to be dismissal, she hastily left the room accompanied by one of the under footmen.
“Sit down, please sit down. Grace, thank you for acting as chaperone. I would speak with Tiffany, but I do not wish in any way to compromise her virtue.”
Tiffany clapped both hands over her mouth, and began to laugh. “My virtue. My Lord, I lived on the streets for two years and managed to keep my virtue intact. I scarcely think I would be endangered by speaking with you in your office—especially since we spent many hours in my classroom with you as teacher.”
“Yes, well,” Percival fiddled with the quill on his desk, “That was when I was speaking to you as an employer and you were a household servant. Although, I will say that I grew to appreciate you while attempting to teach. One might wonder who was really the teacher, and who the student.”
