Page 64 of The Unfortunate Debutante
He spun around and left the room, ignoring the guard standing outside of the door.
Without saying a word to each other, Simeon and Pembrooke flagged down a hackney, and sat across from each other.
It wasn’t until the hackney had eased its way into traffic when Pembrooke lifted his brow. “Do you want to explain what happened with Justice Keats?”
“That man is corrupt.”
“I agree. But what can we do about it?”
“What magistrate issues a warrant for the arrest of a man during the middle of a peaceful demonstration?” Simeon removed his hat and placed it on the bench next to him. “It was almost as if he was sending a message.”
“What message?”
“I don’t know,” he replied honestly, “but I intend to find out.”
Pembrooke stretched his legs in the cramped hackney. “May I suggest we seek out Justice Ford later. Perhaps he might have insight on what Justice Keats is attempting.”
Simeon nodded and closed his eyes. “Wake me when we arrive at my townhouse.”
He almost smirked when he heard Pembrooke mumble, “Lords have it rough.”
Simeon had just steppedout of his carriage at Caddington Manor when he heard pounding horses’ hooves on the cobblestone. He turned to see Lord Jonathon and Lord Lansdowne reining in their horses.
“Afternoon, Wentworth,” Benedict greeted, dismounting his horse.
He tipped his hat. “Afternoon, Beckett. Lansdowne.”
“We just arrived back from visiting Totternhoe,” Jonathon said as he handed off the reins to an awaiting footman. “Benedict and I found some alarming information about Lockhart.”
“Which was?” he asked eagerly.
Lansdowne gave him an amused look. “Patience, Wentworth. Downshire will want to hear this as well.”
A few moments later, Simeon followed the men into Downshire’s study.
Downshire looked up from his desk and his eyes landed on him. “Wentworth,” he growled. “Don’t you have your own home to go to?”
“I do,” he replied, smirking, “multiple homes, in fact.”
With a shake of his head, Downshire remarked, “At least you didn’t bring Emma flowers this time.”
“This time?” Benedict asked, his brows lifted. “Are you courting Emma?”
“No, no, no… I am not,” he insisted. “Those were apology flowers.”
“Interesting,” Jonathon muttered.
“There is nothing interesting about it,” Simeon assured them as he walked over to a camelback sofa and sat down. “Emma and I are just friends.”
“You’refriendsnow?!” Downshire exclaimed, dropping the quill onto the desk.
Benedict glanced curiously between Downshire and Simeon. “It appears that a lot has transpired since Jonathon and I left for Totternhoe. Perhaps it would be best if we start with what we discovered about Lockhart.”
“Proceed,” Downshire said, sitting back in his chair.
Jonathon walked over to the drink cart and picked up the decanter. “We searched Emma’s cottage from top to bottom, and other than the usual critters living in the thatched roof, we found nothing that would indicate why Lockhart would want the property so badly.” He popped off the lid. “Then I asked myself, ‘if I wanted to hide something valuable, where would I hide it?’”
Benedict laughed. “It’s true, Jonathon did say that exact question… aloud.”
