Page 22 of Honor Unbound

Marie gaped at Lady Mary.

Lady Mary dipped her chin. “I may be of a more mature age, but my eyes still work. Mr. Burton cuts quite a fine figure.”

“That is of no account.” A girl was more likely to get in trouble with the handsome ones. Best to avoid them altogether.

Lady Mary made a noncommittal sound. “Well, no more time for deduction today. I have a meeting with a liquor supplier for the club. I’ll have Ernest drop you off home first.”

“Thank you.” She drummed her fingers on her thigh. There were some tasks that needed attention at home. More of Southey’s teeth holes to mend, windows to clean. But if Mr. Burton was out and about gathering information, she was loath to do otherwise. The victim’s house must have several maids she could speak with.

After all, maids had to clean up everyone else’s messes. They knew all the juicy morsels of gossip.

Chapter Nine

Lady Mary

“I’m sorry tokeep you waiting.” Marcus, Duke of Montague strode into the sitting room. “The doctor is here again, and I wanted to speak to him about little Mary’s cough. I believe it to be drier.”

He dropped into a chair across from Jane and me, his handsome face sallow and worn.

“It’s the tincture I gave you.” Jane nodded approvingly. “It was my mother’s recipe. Always worked on us kids. I brought some more. Gave it to your butler.”

Marcus gave her a tired smile. “I’m sure it’s helping.”

I examined my nephew. He’d always been such a serious man, at least until he’d met his wife, Elizabeth. His daughter’s illness had brought back much of his gravity, but that little smile he’d turned on Jane gave me hope.

I poked my walking stick into the thick Berber carpet. “She’s made of stern stuff, just like her namesake. She’ll be back up to those pranks of hers in no time, driving you mad.”

“From your lips.” Marcus stretched out his long legs. “Now, apprise me of the situation with you and the late Mr. Trent. Finding dead bodies is becoming a bad habit of yours.”

I narrowed my eyes. “In point of fact, Jane and the milkman found him. He died on my front step with a letter addressed to me in his hand. Unfortunately, the letter is unreadable. Did you know him by chance?”

“Not Trent, no.” Marcus ran a hand through his dark-blond hair. It needed a trimming, but that was something he could attend to after his daughter recovered. “I recently spoke to one of his competitors, however. A Mr. Growse. ThePersephonesails in two weeks, and it will carry a stock of Growse’s canned food as it travels to the Bahamas. I think tinned food is the future for ocean voyages.”

My nephew was one of the rare noblemen to engage in trade, or at least one who made no apologies for it. One of his business ventures was a shipping line. It not only kept the ducal estate in full pockets, but had been of much use to him in his previous career working covertly for the Crown.

“But Trent never approached you about buying from him?” I asked.

Montague shook his head. “I think his business focused on supplying our military.”

I sighed. My nephew usually had such good connections. It was disappointing he didn’t have any useful information in this instance. “Had you heard anything about Trent or his business practices? Any gossip that might be relevant as to why he was killed?”

“No.” Marcus’s eyebrows slammed together. “And if you’ve taken it into your head to investigate this matter yourself, I will have to ask you to desist. I have enough to worry about as it is.”

I couldn’t help but bristle. I loved Marcus and knew he meant well, but he had a tendency to be overbearing. It was one I had never encouraged and couldn’t understand from whom he’d inherited it. My sister and her husband had been as malleable as wax. “I am not some simpleton that needs watching over. I’ve been on this earth quite a few more years than you and just might have a bit more experience.”

Marcus held up his hand. “I apologize. My tongue gets away from me when I am tired.”

Jane sniffed. “You were only speaking sense. But sometimes, even with all the years on this earth that some might have, they can’t see it.”

I glared at my maid. She definitely had enough years behind her to know better. “As we can’t seem to refrain from speaking nonsense, even with all our many years of experience combined, perhaps we should leave you.” My voice softened. “Get some rest, Marcus. Your family needs you to remain in good health, as well.” I stood.

Marcus and Jane followed. He led us to the front door. “I could have the agency look into the matter.”

My nephew was part-owner of the Bond Agency for Discreet Inquiries. I’d been tempted to use them in the past, but the idea of delegating this investigation to others felt a bit like failure to me. It was silly. A man was dead. Any assistance in finding the murderer was only to the good. I’d spoken with Trent’s family, and manager, and only yesterday the man whom he was suing, and still had no ideas who the culprit could be. Professional assistance would be logical, but I didn’t have to like it.

“Wait.” Marcus paused, almost at the door. “Three of the agents are out of town on cases or visiting family. And Wallace and Grimes are both working a case for, well, someone of especial standing. We’re out of investigators.” He rubbed his knuckle into his eye. “I could—”

“No.” I rocked up on my toes, feeling suddenly light. “You need to stay here with your family. This matter concerns me, and I’ll deal with it.” I shot Jane a look of triumph. I wasn’t being unreasonable. Circumstances merely prevented me from accepting my nephew’s assistance.