Page 57 of Honor Unbound

“Yes.” That was the entire point of pursuing Hicks. “And there will be you, Ernest, and me there to confront him. And Southey.” I gave the dog a look. He seemed to have forgiven me for the accidental boot to his side.

“I appreciate your faith in my abilities to detain a man.” Ryder blew out a breath. “It has, however, been quite some years since I have engaged in one-to-one combat. I will assume the same for your man, Ernest.”

“We have the numbers on our side,” I said stoutly. My confidence lasted all the way to the factory. It lasted as the four of us approached the office door and pushed inside. It faltered a bit at the eerie silence that met us.

“She still hasn’t paid her workers, I see.” I shook my head. What good was advice if the recipient refused to take it? “Hallo?Mr. Hicks?” I opened the factory door and called again, only hearing my echo in response.

“I’ll check the floor,” Ernest said. He took off his cap as he trotted past me. He made a tour of the room, going up and down each aisle between the tables. He came back to stand before me. “Nothing.”

“Wouldn’t he have locked up when he left?” Ryder asked.

He would have. Or, he should have. Perhaps Hicks had become disgusted with not being paid, as well, and decided to walk off the job. He wouldn’t care if the factory was robbed. But something didn’t feel right. The silence seemed to hold a secret.

“Let’s check the upstairs office.” I led them to the narrow staircase.

Ryder handed me Southey’s lead and went up before me. Ernest took the rear. The only sound was Southey’s panting and the soft creaks of wood as we trod upon the steps.

“Mr. Hicks?” Ryder called as he summited.

I followed close on his heels. The sunlight streaming through the office windows was filtered by a light layer of dirt that coated the outside of the glass. It was enough, though. I’d not taken two steps when I saw him.

This time there was no question as to the murder weapon. The file stuck out of Fenton Hicks’s neck, a grim reminder of the triumph of iron over flesh.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lady Mary

The magistrate wasnot pleased that I had discovered another body. “What was your relationship with Mr. Hicks?” Sir Kelsey asked, his eyebrows drawn close together. There was no mention of anything as light-hearted as our wager, no more natural deference to the aunt of a duke.

“I had none, other than a couple conversations after Mr. Trent had died.” I had taken possession of the desk chair in the ground floor office, and I stared across the desk at the magistrate now, fingers laced across my abdomen.

He shifted on the small guest chair. “And why would you speak to him at all? You said you didn’t know Mr. Trent.”

“I didn’t, but I’d hoped Mr. Hicks might be able to tell me why his employer wanted to contact me.” I pressed my lips together. And I was still no closer to answering that question. It must have something to do with Trent’s murder.

“I see.” The magistrate’s tone suggested the opposite. He glared at me with suspicion, and for the first time I was happy that Mr. Ryder had insisted upon accompanying me to the factory. If I’d only had my servant along, I suspected that Sir Kelsey would try to lay the blame for Hicks’s death on me.

Ryder crossed one long leg over the other. He was leaning against the corner of the desk, idly turning his hat in his hands. He’d also insisted on being present when the authorities questioned me.

“Do you have an estimate for time of death?” he asked Sir Kelsey.

“Looks like it happened sometime last night.”

Ryder inclined his head to me. “When I assume Lady Mary was home with multiple witnesses.”

I’d thought Ryder knew me better than to assume that, but as it happened to be true, I let his statement pass without comment. “You don’t truly suspect me of killing the man, do you?”

“Of course, I don’t think you stabbed him, Lady Mary.” The magistrate rubbed his eye. “But I do think you know more than you’re saying.”

A pulse started to pound behind my temple. “You’ve dismissed my theories before this. I assume you will now credit the idea that a file killed Mr. Trent, as well.”

“I could hardly do otherwise. Besides, the coroner, Mr. Hall, confirmed that the characteristics of the wound matched that of a file.” A runner trotted down the stairs and whispered something in the magistrate’s ear. He nodded before turning back to me. “Now, have you anything more to add to your statement?”

“Nothing but gossip, and I know how you detest that.” I rose. Southey jumped to his feet and shook, his bell tinkling.

I shouldn’t be so waspish with the magistrate. After all, he had taken my theory about the murder weapon to his coroner, even if he had dismissed it to my face. But there was another body. Another man violently taken from this world. I hoped I could be forgiven for my ill temper.

Ryder took my elbow. “If Lady Mary recalls anything of import, she will contact you immediately. Yes?”