Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

“ T here you are.”

A pang of guilt coursed through Cooper at the relief on Noelle’s face. He hadn’t meant to leave her in the dark all day, but he hadn’t been able to risk anyone finding out what he was doing.

“Where were you?” Noelle strode up to him, her tone worried not accusatory, clasping his hands in hers as she stared into his face inquiringly. “It has been hours. They are finishing the inquest now.”

“I know,” he said, looking around the parlor before taking her hand and tugging it to lead her toward the door. “Let’s go for another walk?”

She shivered. “While I love the outdoors, today is far too cold.”

“I know. Why do we not try the ballroom? There are so many trees in there we shall feel as though we are outside but without the chill.”

“That sounds just fine to me,” she said as he led her through the halls. He stopped her along the way anytime he saw mistletoe, turning her toward him to place quick yet firm kisses on her lips. They were no longer trying to avoid the kissing bough, but instead, he seemed to be actively walking them along a path as though he had mapped out where each piece of the greenery could be found.

When they entered, the ballroom was dark, and the sun was setting beyond the windows. Cooper found a candelabra and lifted it to lead their way as the fire across the room was so dim that it only cast the room in shadows.

“This all seems rather clandestine,” she teased, and he squeezed her arm. Instead of linking arms as they would in public, he looped his arm around her, holding her close against him.

“I missed you,” he said, kissing her temple, surprising himself with his admission. She leaned into him, closing her eyes as she savored his closeness.

“As I missed you,” she said. “It is hard to believe that we barely knew one another until a couple of months ago, isn’t it?”

“It certainly is,” he agreed, “although I wonder if my life is one you would enjoy. I hope you will be happy when we return to London.”

“Why would I not be?” she asked, lifting a brow. “I will be with you.”

“My home is fine enough, although I spend most of my time working. My life has always been about business, about getting ahead. I’m not sure I could ever be enough,” he sighed. “But I will most certainly try.”

Before Noelle could assure him once more that there was nothing to concern himself with, that he deserved all the love anyone could give him, he began to explain his absence that afternoon.

“When we were in the drawing room, I was looking around the walls and noted a few areas that did not appear to have the correct dimensions for where the adjacent room should stop and start,” he said. “In a manor like this, especially one in which the family hosts so often, I wondered if there could be a servants’ passageway beside it. It didn’t take long to find it.”

She stopped, turning to him in surprise. “You listened to the inquiry?”

“I did,” he said, and it was his turn to jump when she swatted him.

“Why didn’t you come find me? I would have loved to join you!”

“I know, but I found it while you were being interviewed, and then I worried I would be seen leaving and re-entering if I came to tell you,” he said. “Besides that, it was a long afternoon. I was hungry. Thirsty, too.”

“Was it worth it?” she asked.

“Yes and no,” he said with a sigh. “I couldn’t hear everything perfectly. Everyone interviewed was guarded, as expected, and not much new information came to light.”

“Did they describe the card game?”

“They did,” he confirmed. “Taking part that evening was Lord Northbridge, Lord John, Lord Rochester, Lord Andrew, and Lord Bingly.”

“Lord Bingly,” she said, snapping her fingers. “I always forget about him.”

“He is rather forgettable,” Cooper agreed. “They played for a time, and then Lord Northbridge excused himself, as Lord John told you. It seemed the game broke up after that, and they all went their separate ways, except for Lord Rochester and Lord Andrew, who walked upstairs together as their rooms were beside one another.”

“Yes, but they would be just as inclined to vouch for one another as you and I would.”

“True,” he agreed. “The ladies were all distraught and told the same story. They retired for the night and didn’t leave their bedchambers until they heard the commotion. Some of them heard the shots. Lady Hattie also commented on seeing you emerge from my bedchamber, which confirmed our story.”

He eyed her mischievously. “Which leads me to ask you, my lady, what were you doing in my bedchamber?”

“Watching you out the window,” she said. “You said to stay inside but didn’t say I had to stay in my bedroom.”

“You do not do what you’re told, do you?”

“What are you going to do about it?” she asked, sidling toward him, and he lowered his head.

“You would like to know, would you?”

She lifted a brow.

“Well, I?—”

“Mr. Hartwell!”

They jumped apart at the voice in the doorway, turning as one to see Lord Burton standing there disapprovingly.

“The coroner would like to see us all. He has made his decision.”

Noelle and Cooper exchanged a glance.

This was it. Cooper knew the chances were still high that he was going to be named a murderer – or, at least, suspected of being one. If that happened, he would lose either his reputation or his life.

He refused to bring Noelle down with him. If he were accused, this would be the last she would ever see of him – even if she didn’t know it yet.

In just a few moments, they would find out whether this entire thing between them was finished before it had even started.

Noelle couldn’t stop the bouncing of her knee. Cooper smoothed his hand over her thigh as they all had returned to their places in the tableau, and she studied him, wondering how he could be so calm.

She was not a woman overly given to panic or histrionics, but she couldn’t help the nerves that had built within her at this moment.

The jury had departed, leaving only the coroner and the magistrate, who stood before them along with Lord Burton.

“First, I would like to thank you all for your cooperation today,” said the coroner, Mr. Briggs. “I know this is not an ideal situation.”

There was a murmuring of agreement among the guests before he continued.

“I know you are all most eager to learn what happened. I will not waste any more of your time. We have determined that this was, indeed, a murder.”

A few gasps sounded, and Noelle had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. They all knew this was a murder. One didn’t accidentally walk outside and shoot a man in the middle of the chest with a pistol.

“That is all from me,” the coroner said. “The magistrate has a few words to say about his suppositions and his role in all of this.”

This was what had most terrified Noelle.

The magistrate slowly stood, pacing back and forth as he eyed them all one at a time as though taking their measure and trying to determine just who was the culprit.

“Most of the testimony we heard today was polished and precise,” he said, his disdain for the nobility evident. Interesting. “Almost as though it was practiced ahead of time.”

Of course it was practiced. They’d had two days to prepare for this inquiry. Noelle and Cooper had determined their story, and they were not even at fault.

“The servants helped as they had the most valid form of events. They know all of the comings and goings throughout the house. It would be wise for you to know what they see.”

Noelle swallowed hard at the accusation. The magistrate wasn’t wrong, although she did feel like Cooper always had an appreciation for the servants.

“After the conclusion of the card game, Lord Northbridge was seen coming out of a wing of the house where he did not have a bedroom,” the magistrate said as he continued his pacing, clearly enjoying the opportunity to hold them all in a captive audience. “Which, of course, tells us that he was visiting someone in that wing. A young lady, perhaps?”

Hattie gasped, although Noelle wasn't sure whether it was for show or whether she was as surprised as the rest of them. She was sure it was Hermione, but she didn’t want any part in that sisterly squabble.

“All of the ladies present were accounted for in their bedrooms, according to their lady’s maids, and none were seen wandering the hallways. Which begs the question, just who did Lord Northbridge visit? And did that cause jealousy among any other guests – man or woman?”

The atmosphere changed as everyone in the room began shifting back and forth in their seats, clearly uneasy, wondering if they were a suspect or sitting next to a potential killer.

Noelle knew she could trust Cooper and her father. She was also reasonably certain Hattie didn’t have a violent bone in her body. As for everyone else… well, it remained to be seen, although she wasn’t sure she could trust the magistrate to have correctly determined the culprit. She had far more faith in Cooper’s sleuthing.

He understood people in a way that most didn’t, while the magistrate seemed more interested in proving to them how smart he considered himself to be – whereas Cooper needed no pretending.

“We can piece together what happened following his emergence. Servants saw a few men in various places of the manor, although none were near Lord Northbridge. Did one of them see him leaving this young lady’s bedroom?”

He lifted a finger in the air. “Then, finally, we have the missing piece of the puzzle. The pistol. It was found in the bedroom of one gentleman. None other than…” He held the finger aloft as he stopped, looking from one side of the room to the other dramatically as they all waited, breath held together. “Lord Bingly!”

They all turned to stare at Lord Bingly, whose pale face became even paler than usual. His dark freckles stood out, and his mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally found words.

“Pistol? I do not even own a pistol!”

It was true that he certainly didn’t seem the type of man who would cause any form of violence. Then again, one never knew the truth about others for sure.

“Then how did it end up in your room?”

“It must have been planted there!” he said. “I had no ill intentions toward Lord Northbridge.”

“That’s true. That could have happened,” the magistrate said, stroking his chin. “But for now, it is the only evidence we have.”

“What of the young lady?” Lord Bingly said, struggling for words like a fish thrown on shore. “I had no designs on any young lady here; I can promise you that.”

A few eyes were cast downward at that as it appeared that other gentlemen could not say the same.

“From what I was told, Lord Northbridge and Lady Hattie had an understanding, but Lady Hattie had no… relations with the man,” the magistrate said. “However, it seems that Lady Hermione might have.”

Hattie let out a cry as she stared at her sister. “Hermione?”

“I did nothing!” Hermione objected crossly, although she didn’t outright deny it. “Who would say such a thing?”

“I will not reveal my sources,” said the magistrate. “I also heard that he had a past with Lady Noelle.”

Noelle’s insides froze as she felt all of the stares on her, although none were heavier than Cooper’s.

“That is not entirely true,” she managed.

“What does that mean?” Cooper asked in a low, dangerous voice.

“He kissed me once when I first had my come out. I allowed it to happen, but it was just one time, and it was in a public setting.”

“How could you? I thought we were friends!” Hattie cried, and Noelle sighed, wishing this had never come to light, for it had meant absolutely nothing. In fact, it had turned her off of Lord Northbridge, allowing him to be open to Hattie – but how was she supposed to tell her friend that?

“It was three years ago, Hattie, before you and Lord Northbridge had any understanding. We decided from there that we had no further interest in one another.”

Well, she had decided. But telling Hattie she was the second choice right now didn't seem fair.

Cooper had relaxed slightly, although he still opened and closed his hands from fists to palms. Noelle hoped that she wasn’t the cause of his ire.

“I guess you didn’t hear everything,” she murmured, but the conversation continued before he could answer.

“Lady Noelle is right,” the magistrate said. “That is in the past. Until evidence shows otherwise, we will assume that Lord Bingly is our suspect. Lord Bingly, we respect your status and will not take you into holding until your trial, which will be in front of the House of Lords. Until then, please remain close to Guilford.”

At that, the magistrate marched to the door, leaving the others sitting in their spots as if frozen into statues.

The magistrate’s role might have been over, but the evening was not finished.

Far from it.