Page 39 of Honor Unbound

“Lady Mary’s companion.” Gray slapped his top hat against his thigh. “What are you doing here asking about me?”

Since stealth was no longer an option, Brett decided to go on the offensive. “Why do you think?”

Gray twisted his lips. “Trent’s murder, of course.” He led his horse inside and handed him off to the stablemaster. “I already told Lady Mary I had nothing to do with that.”

“Yes, but you weren’t completely forthcoming with her, either.” Brett arched an eyebrow.

“Meaning?” Gray asked.

“Mrs. Trent.” Marie shooed at a fly with her fan. “We know about your liaison.”

The stablemaster loosed a low whistle.

Gray glared at him, and the man slouched off, leading the horse behind him.

“Mrs. Trent and I are friends.” Gray tugged at the knot of his cravat. “Her husband introduced us when he contracted my company to provide his factory with tins.”

“Mr. Gray, I understand you want to protect the lady’s reputation, but lying now won’t help.” Marie gave the tin maker an understanding nod. “We saw her visit you Friday night. You must see how this looks for you.”

“How what looks?” Gray puffed out his chest, and Brett had to give him credit. The man knew how to bluff.

Brett widened his stance. “Mr. Trent was taking you to court, a lawsuit that could put you out of business. You’re having relations with his wife. You must see why you’re a suspect.”

“I have an alibi.” Gray’s nostrils flared. He tugged off his gloves, the small scar on his hand catching the light. “I was with Annalee.”

Marie made a face. “Not the strongest of proofs. Of course you would cover for each other.”

“But it’s the truth.” He paced back and forth. “And besides, that lawsuit wasn’t going to be a problem any longer. I made sure of it.”

Brett stilled. “What do you mean?”

Gray hesitated.

“You’re the main suspect in a murder,” Brett said sternly. “If you can exonerate yourself, it would be in your best interest to do so.”

Gray gripped the top rail of a stall. “It was Hicks.”

“Fenton Hicks?” Marie asked. “Trent’s manager?”

Gray nodded. “He agreed to testify on my behalf. Say that Trent’s canning process had issues that could have led to the contamination. There would have been no way for Trent to prove that it was my cans that led to those men’s deaths.”

Brett’s jaw set. “And would this testimony have been truthful?”

“Of course.” Gray shifted his weight. “I must go. Don’t bother me or Mrs. Trent again.”

Brett watched him march out. Gray had sounded confident that he would prevail in the court proceedings, which might eliminate one of his motives. But did it give Hicks a new one? If Trent had found out his manager was going to betray him, it would make sense to give him the sack.

Brett gripped the back of his neck. Again, they’d come up with more questions and not enough answers. “Onward and upward?” he asked Marie.

She wrinkled her nose, looking much too adorable and nearly distracting him from his purpose. “What?”

“Shall we try our luck with the next suspect?”

She waved her fan. “Let’s.”

The hackney took them west. The air inside was becoming even more stifling as the afternoon wore on, even with the coach’s windows open. He stuck his head partially out of the window, hoping the breeze might cool him down.

A brown coat ducked into an alley.