“Gambling?” Sophy asked, incredulous again.
Shamefaced, Charlie grimaced. “I thought I might have better luck here and be able to win back at least some of what I owed, but I didn’t even make it to the tables. Vince’s boys grabbed me and hauled me into Vince’s office. Vince’s older brother, Walter, owns the place, and Vince manages it. His boys forced me into the chair in front of his desk, and Vince slapped the stack of my IOUs down in front of me and proceeded to make his demands.”
Oliver leaned forward. “So this Murchison—Vince—was on the lookout for you. He already had your notes.”
Charlie nodded. “And before you ask, I have absolutely no idea how he got them.” He glanced from Oliver to Martin. “As far as I know, neither of the Murchisons, or for that matter, anyone else here, has any connection with the London crews. That’s why I thought this was a safe place to rusticate.”
After a moment, Martin asked, “Did you examine the notes Vince had?”
Charlie nodded. “I insisted on verifying they were mine. As I said, I couldn’t imagine how he got them. I refused to believe he had until he showed me. He lined them up on the desk, and yes, they were mine.”
“How old was the most recent?” Martin asked.
Charlie frowned, clearly thinking, then his face cleared. “A little over a month old. Vince had them all, and that was the most recent.” He refocused on Martin. “I didn’t quit London until the gentlemen started knocking on my door.”
Martin leaned back in the chair and caught Sophy’s gaze. “I suspect your cousin is being used as a pawn. Or at least that’s what this latest incident has been about.”
A frown in her eyes, she regarded him steadily, thinking it through.
Charlie looked from Martin to Sophy, then back again. “Well, I certainly feel that I’m being used. I don’t have a clue what’s going on.”
When no one leapt to enlighten him, Charlie fell silent, obviously reviewing what he’d heard, then he looked at Sophy. “Why do you think someone tried to kill you?”
She met his gaze. “Because someone nearly did.”
Concern flared in Charlie’s face—a very easy-to-read face.
Sophy waved it away. “The accident wasn’t aimed at me, but if it hadn’t been for Martin, I would have been one of several who died.”
Charlie’s expression grew serious, and he looked at Martin and Oliver. “I say, what’s actually going on here?” He transferred his gaze to Sophy. “How is what I’ve done connected to accidents at the steelworks and people nearly dying?” He frowned. “Why would you think I had anything to do with that?” He glanced at Martin and Oliver again, then, entirely sober, looked at Sophy. “I think you’d better tell me.”
Sophy sighed and proceeded to do so, assisted by Martin and Oliver.
To say that Charlie was shocked was an understatement. Martin had no difficulty reading the younger man’s reactions; it was no wonder he lost at the gaming tables.
Relisting the incidents clarified the relentless sequence in Martin’s mind. When they reached the end and had reduced Charlie to stunned silence, Martin added, “And now we have an attempt to rob the steelworks via you.” He focused on Charlie. “Quite aside from the monetary inconvenience, news of the robbery would have further undermined morale among the workers.”
Sophy nodded. “And if it ever came out that it was Charlie—a Carmichael—behind the theft? That would only make matters worse.”
“What I can’t understand,” Oliver put in, “is where this Vince Murchison person comes in. How and why is he even involved?” Oliver met Martin’s gaze. “It can’t be him wanting to wreck the steelworks with a view to buying a bargain. That makes no sense.”
Martin narrowed his eyes. “Not Murchison, no. But I wonder if someone hired him.”
“That’s more Vince’s style,” Charlie said. “He runs thugs for hire, no awkward questions asked.”
Martin tipped his head assessingly. “In that case, there might be a way forward for us via Murchison if, through him, we can identify and also implicate the man who hired him. But we’ll need to go carefully, or we’ll alert our quarry and get nowhere.”
Charlie eyed Martin doubtfully. “Trust me when I say Murchison is not the sort of man sane people want to meet.”
Seeing the unease in Charlie’s eyes, Martin shrugged. “Let’s sleep on it and see what we can work out tomorrow, but at the moment, learning who hired Murchison seems our only viable route forward.”
Charlie still looked unnerved by the prospect, something both Sophy and Oliver also saw.
Sophy pushed to her feet. “It’s late. I’m sure Mrs. Elliot will have rooms prepared by now.”
The men rose and followed her out of the library and back to the front hall, where they found Elliot hovering.
Lamps had been lit, and wall sconces shed a soft glow, lighting the stairs and the gallery above.
