“What’s the matter, Sally?” he asked.
Sally took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew that she needed to approach this delicately if she wanted to get to the truth.
“I need to speak to you,” she repeated.
“Shall I leave the two of you alone?” Kenneth asked, but she spun.
“There is no need for you to leave, Kenneth. We will.” She looked back at Leonard, her eyes steadily. From her peripheral, she saw Kenneth walking away anyway, his eyes wide.
“Sally, I told you we would speak later,” Leonard said, perplexed.
“I do not have until later. Leonard, tell me now - Has your father been involved in troubling business dealings?”
Leonard’s expression darkened, and Sally could see the anger and frustration brewing beneath the surface.
“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes flittering around the room.
Sally took another deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
“I mean that I have heard he defrauded his workers, that he caused the death of Lord Finch. And that you knew and ... Is it true? Did your father defraud his workers?”
“Who told you this?” he demanded, his vocal chords soaring with each word.
Sally hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should reveal her source.
“It doesn’t matter who told me,” she said finally. “What matters is whether it’s true or not.”
She watched him and saw his jaw clench, then his teeth ground back and forth as if he were searching for an answer.
Deny it!
She urged him to deny it with every fiber of her being, but he did not.
“Well?” The word was a quiver more than anything else.
“Sally, I can’t explain ... Not ...I would have told you, but...”
So, it was true. It was true. Everything Aaron had said had been the truth. Her knees shook beneath her, and she stepped back, feeling the color drain from her face. Leonard was an awful man.
“Sally,” he said again, extending his hand, but she pulled back.
“Do not touch me,” she whispered and turned, running out of the room. In the hall, she bumped into Rosy, who looked at her with alarm, but Sally could not stop. She couldn’t talk to anyone, not right now. It took all she had not to allow the tears to fall from her eyes - and she was not going to give Leonard the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
* * *
“Sally!” he called, drawing attention from those around him, but he didn’t care. What had gotten into Sally? How had she heard about his father’s dealings? Had a servant told her? But they didn’t know... Had she come across his mother’s diaries? No, if she had, she would have asked about more than just the business.
Leonard’s mind was in a whirlwind as he followed Sally’s trail towards the foyer. He had to make sure she was okay, and he had to talk to her to comfort her. But before he could take another step, Aaron stepped in his way and grabbed him by the arm. His friend’s skin was tinged red, and his hair oddly disheveled. He didn’t look like someone attending an aristocratic ball but rather like someone ... well, someone who’d been in a brawl of some kind.
“Leonard, wait,” Aaron said urgently, his hand raised to stop him. “I need you in your study right now.”
“Not now, Aaron,” he barked. he had no time for this right now. There was a ball going on, and his wife was upset - he had to tend to her and now.
“Yes, now,” Aaron growled.
Leonard’s eyebrows rose as Aaron’s grip tightened on his arm. What was going on? Aaron never usually spoke to him in a commanding tone. Whatever had happened had to be serious for his behavior to change like this.
Leonard scanned the foyer and caught sight of Sally slipping out into the garden, followed by Rosy. Every part of him wanted to run after her, but he knew she wasn’t in the condition to talk to him right now.
