“It seems so. It would be an awful help if everyone could pin down their movements.”

“Unfortunately, we can only speak for ourselves. I heard people walking by at various points but I’ve no idea who or when.”

That was all of use the engaged couple had to say. Fen took Pat’s hand as they left the library and steered her gently up to her bedroom, which was mercifully free of Travers. She shut the door and said, “Come here.”

Pat walked into her open arms, burying her face in Fen’s hair and inhaling her scent. Fen pushed up against her, warm and soft and desperately comforting. They held each other for a moment that Pat didn’t want to break and then Fen stepped away, sat on the bed, and patted the quilt next to her.

“Sit down. We need to talk about it.”

Pat sat. She didn’t know what to say; she didn’t want to speak.

“I’m inclined to believe Victoria and Preston,” Fen said. “They had every reason to hide away together like that, and they sounded truthful. And they both seemed surprised about the blackmail, one could see that.”

“Yes. I agree.”

“So, unless they’re hiding some deep dark motive, I don’t see they had a reason to kill him, other than this idea of avenging insult,” Fen persisted. “They could just leave and not see him ever again.”

“Yes.”

“So it probably wasn’t them. And it wasn’t us. And Jack was with Lady Anna—assuming she supports his story, of course. We still need to know about the Earl and Countess.”

“Yes.”

Fen took a deep breath. “And your brother was lying.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Pat knew it as well as Fen did. She still hated hearing the words aloud. She wanted to clap her hands over her ears and blot them out.

“Now, one mustn’t overreact,” Fen went on.

“Why not?” Pat demanded. “Jimmy admitted they didn’t stay together and Bill talked over him to tell him what to say! When Jimmy went past us, Haworth was on his heels. Jack says he thought Haworth was meeting someone, and everyone else except the old couple is accounted for. And Jimmy hated him like poison.”

“Yes, but—”

“You didn’t hear him. He was barely rational on the subject. Which is understandable because Haworth destroyed your and Jimmy’s engagement, he’s ruining the family and sending the Earl to gaol, you only need look at Lady Anna, and he might have known about Jimmy and Bill. Jimmy wanted him dead. He said as much.”

“He did?”

“Speaking wildly, of course, but he was at the end of his tether.”

“And you think he snapped.”