“I couldn’t manage it the way I had been,” he now blustered. “But Wetherby said he developed a system to keep the information secure.”

Alec inhaled sharply. Lottie. “No, he didn’t, sir. He used Lottie to decode the dispatches for himself. Then sold the information.” Alec turned sharply to face him. “Didn’t you?”

Wetherby held up his hands. “You can’t prove a thing. Not without implicating her.”

“What?” Sir Alfred roared from the bed. “You—you duplicitous rat! Treasonous coward!” As he spoke, he turned so red that Alec worried he would have another apoplexy.

Wetherby looked at each of them, then he turned and ran from the room. Alec moved to chase him, but Rafe pressed a hand to his chest. “Don’t bother. He won’t get far,” he said lazily and strolled from the room.

“My God. I had no idea,” Sir Alfred croaked and slumped down against the pillows. His color had returned to normal but the fight had gone out of him. He turned to Alec. “You must find Lottie. She can’t be dragged into this.”

“Of course,” Alec said. “But I won’t bring her back here. Not unless she wants it.”

Sir Alfred let out a sigh. “You think I’ve gone too far, but you don’t understand—”

“Try me,” Alec said through gritted teeth. He had never spoken so harshly to Sir Alfred, and the man noticed.

He shook his head. “After her parents died, I was supposed to protect her. I failed her mother, the poor girl. I couldn’t fail Lottie, too. If things had carried on between you, it would have been a disaster for her. And then all of it—all of it—would have been for nothing.”

Alec knew that Sir Alfred was still haunted by the death of his younger sister, but Lottie had paid the price for far too long. They both had.

“That wasn’t your choice to make. And I never should have agreed to your terms. I should have gone to Lottie. Instead I—” his throat tightened at the realization “—I was no better than you, was I?”

The barest hint of remorse crossed Sir Alfred’s face before the anger returned. “I made your career that day. Gave you a future.”

“No. You made me a killer. A liar. And I hurt the person I cared about most. Because I thought I was nothing. That I could give her nothing—”

“I’ll hear no more of this rubbish,” Sir Alfred grumbled as he reached toward the bell pull, but Alec snatched it away.

“Ah, but you will. And I’ve only gotten started.” He moved closer until he loomed over the man, but Sir Alfred merely tilted his head up, refusing to be intimidated. Even now. Even in this state. Alec couldn’t help but admire his pluck, but he wouldn’t back down. Not until he knew everything once and for all.

“Tell me what my mother was doing for you.”

The old man said nothing. Just stared back at him in silence. Alec swallowed a frustrated sigh. What he would give to have Rafe’s interrogation abilities…