Knowing he had to get the full truth, Kenneth took a deep breath. “Tell me the truth now. Did Lady Joanna know about this?”
Lord Carlisle narrowed his eyes at him. “Joanna? No, of course not. She already does not respect me. If she knew about this, it would be the end of our relationship. My daughters and wife know nothing. Why would you even think this?”
“Is it not true that you ended the arrangement because you saw that I was beginning to figure out your scheme? Did you not conspire with your family to trap me into a courtship withJoanna so you could distract me from your activities? So she could distract me?” Kenneth pressed.
Though as he heard his own words, he realized they didn’t make much sense. For, hadn’t it been Joanna who made him go to the orphanage? If she’d known her father was stealing the funds, would she have led him there?
No…
“Of course not. Joanna came to me with her request—no, herdemand—to court you. It caused me great trouble, for if she had just married Lord Worcester, he would have gladly helped me without my having to grovel. You must see that.”
Kenneth bit his lip.
He isn’t wrong…
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded down the hallway, and a moment later, Sally burst into the library.
“There you are!” she bellowed. “What has happened to my sister, Your Grace? She ran away as if she’d seen the most dreadful thing, and now our carriage is gone. Likewise, Judith has vanished. She told me she was going to see if Joanna was well. What is going on? Did you and Joanna quarrel?”
Going to see if Joanna was well? Why would Lady Judith do such a thing?
Urgency spread through Kenneth’s body, but he knew he had to resolve this matter first.
“Did you confront her with your ridiculous notions?” Lord Carlisle snapped.
“What notion?” Sally asked, confused.
“His Grace thinks that our family conspired against him—orchestrated his courtship with Joanna,” the Earl scoffed.
Sally stared at Kenneth, her mouth hanging open. “Your Grace, you cannot think this. In fact, I know you cannot. You know the truth about your arrangement with Joanna, as do I. She told me. Everything.”
Lord Carlisle cleared his throat. “What is that supposed to mean?” he asked, but she ignored him.
“She told me everything, Your Grace,” she added meaningfully.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Lord Carlisle asked again.
Kenneth understood what she meant. Sally knew exactly how their courtship had come about—and Lord Carlisle did not. He was not a very good actor, and thus Kenneth realized that everything he’d said so far was true.
“So, Joanna really wasn’t involved,” he muttered.
“Involved in what?” Sally demanded in a vexed tone.
Kenneth turned to Lord Carlisle. “Would you like to tell her?”
The Earl gulped and wetted his lips, but to his credit, he made a full confession to his daughter, who stared at him wide-eyed.
“How could you?” Sally gasped when he was done. “Stealing from children? Father… who are you?”
The shock was evident on her face, and Kenneth shook his head in dismay. He hadn’t wanted to bring such turmoil into their lives, but at the same time, it had been their father’s doing, not his. He had to stop taking on the blame.
Still, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. If Sally didn’t know, then Joanna probably didn’t either. But that still left the question of why Judith had lied to him.
As Lord Carlisle continued to explain himself to his enraged eldest daughter, Kenneth’s mind raced. He couldn’t help but think of Joanna and how he had let himself be fooled into thinking she was a part of this scheme. And the kiss… She’d seen the kiss. Why had she shown up in the library right then? Hadn’t he told her to wait for him?
“Your Grace?” Sally called, drawing him out of his thoughts.
“Yes?”
