Kenneth nodded. “Very well, but I shall at least put these books back.”
He put the books back on the shelf but felt an odd sensation at the back of his throat. He was being stared at… Sure enough, when he turned around, he saw Judith staring at him. There was a peculiar look in her eyes that gave him pause.
“Lady Judith, are you all right? Are you certain that you do not need further assistance?”
Judith hesitated for a moment before clearing her throat, a signal that she had something more to say, indeed—and somehow, he had a sense that it had nothing to do with her ankle.
“I do have something I want to share. I was not certain, but it seems serendipitous that we are here together now, that it was you who came to my aid.” She looked away and sighed, her shoulders rising and falling dramatically.
“Lady Judith, whatever it is, you can tell me,” he urged, although a part of him wanted to walk away and not get more involved in whatever was going on here.
“I didn’t want to say anything because Joanna and Sally are my friends—or at least I thought they were,” Judith began tentatively.
A lump formed in Kenneth’s throat. Now, he was even more sure that he did not want to hear this. Yet, he needed to.
“You can tell me whatever it is you want to say.” He stepped closer to her.
Judith took a deep breath. “I’m worried about the orphanage,” she admitted, her eyes searching his for understanding.
Kenneth exhaled, relieved this was the subject she wanted to broach. “I’m already taking steps to address the issue. You don’t need to worry.”
However, Judith bit her lip, her eyes flickering. “I am, though, for the truth is, I do know what is truly happening. I know that the orphanage’s troubles do not stem from an oversight but from wilful deception. I know that Lord Carlisle has been stealing the money,” she confessed, her words hanging in the air.
Kenneth, taken aback by the revelation, sat down in the nearest chair, his mouth hanging open. “Please, do tell me what you know,” he said, his voice low.
Judith hesitated for a moment, the potential consequences of telling him the truth evident in her eyes. She wetted her lips—a nervous gesture—before finally sharing the sensitive details with him.
“When my father was negotiating his marriage to Joanna,” she began, her voice slightly shaky, “he took the opportunity to delveinto Lord Carlisle’s affairs. It was a customary practice, you see, to ensure that the match was not only favorable but also financially sound for both parties.”
Kenneth, intrigued and slightly apprehensive, nodded ecouragingly.
“In the course of these inquiries, my father uncovered a troubling truth—Lord Carlisle had substantial debts. His vineyard was struggling due to a bad harvest and some other troubles that my father did not share with me,” she revealed, her eyes darting briefly to the floor before meeting Kenneth’s gaze again.
As Kenneth listened, his stomach churned. He’d already known about Lord Carlisle’s vineyard and his substantial debts, but hearing it from a third party once more was troubling.
“My father, being a friend and quite eager to have Joanna as a wife, decided to extend his support. He offered to help Lord Carlisle settle his debts, and he didn’t even insist on a dowry,” Judith continued. “He did this because he and Lord Carlisle had been so close for so many years. However, when the betrothal was abruptly canceled, my father felt that the circumstances had changed. He withdrew his offer to assist Lord Carlisle financially. Lord Carlisle pleaded for a loan, but my father refused.”
“How do you know this?” Kenneth asked, for he was certain that Lord Worcester had not shared these things with his daughter.
“I overheard one of their conversations in my father’s study. It was the day after Lord Carlisle told my father that Joanna was to marry you instead. He was rather incensed. Lord Carlisle called on us unexpectedly to ask for my father’s financial help, despite breaking his promise. My father was, of course, very angry.” She shrugged and looked toward the door, her head tilted slightly to the side as if listening for something.
Of course, she was concerned someone might overhear them, for these were grave circumstances.
“However, I’ve since discovered that their conversation was all part of a wider ploy.”
Kenneth looked up, his lips parted. “A wider ploy? What do you mean?”
Judith looked away and blinked. “Lord Carlisle’s visit to my father was just an act, meant to make it look as though he was opposed to Joanna’s courtship with you. He wanted my father to believe that he was genuinely crushed by the end of their arrangement to make it look real.”
“Make what look real?” Kenneth demanded, heat spreading through his chest.
The room felt charged with tension as Judith faltered, her gaze darting around the space as if searching for a way to soften the impact of her forthcoming revelation.
“Your Grace, I do not wish to tell you this, but the truth is, the entire family is entangled in this scheme. Joanna included,” she finally spoke.
Kenneth could only manage a stunned “What do you mean?”
Judith took a deep breath, as if bracing herself. “When you came to confront Lord Carlisle about the orphanage on the same day he had agreed to marry Joanna off to my father, it became clear to him that sooner or later, you would uncover the truth about his debts and the theft from the orphanage funds. Fearing the consequences, Lord Carlisle and his family devised a plan—a plan that involved manipulating you and diverting your attention away from his activities.”
