Chapter Four
Dear God, how can any of this be happening?
Caroline’s heartbeat raced as sour bile rose in her throat.
It was bad enough that a dead body washed ashore literally at Felix’s feet on her wedding day, but it was outside of enough that the corpse wasn’t just any.
In fact, he had been one of her most ardent suitors, the man who wouldn’t take no for an answer, the first man she’d fallen in love with, the man she would have married, except he hadn’t told her he only wanted her for a mistress.
And that had been on a summer’s evening when he’d nearly taken what she hadn’t offered.
Never had she told anyone, for it was too embarrassing and shameful.
Did she hate Danforth on general principal, over and above what he’d done?
That was debatable, but after that night, her parents must have noted her silence and kept her under tight control; she was never allowed to be alone.
Instead, she’d been shuttled off to the country estate. Out of sight and out of mind.
Until she’d met Felix, the man who would be her husband in a matter of hours.
Wouldn’t he?
As Caroline gained the street, she took a few deep breaths, but that didn’t truly help her to remain calm.
How in the world did Danforth end up dead?
Beyond that, what was he even doing here?
Yes, her brother and him were friends, but why invite him to the ceremony?
She certainly wouldn’t have welcomed him, and Danforth probably didn’t want to see her again after the scandal she’d caused the last time she finally told him off, so why did he accept the invitation? For that matter, who’d given him one?
She shook her head. The whole situation was odd.
As she tried to stave off the urge to retch, she watched the area from a healthy distance.
A tall man soon joined Felix, and he seemed quite annoyed to do so, but she couldn’t be sure since she was a good bit away.
Once the urge to vomit had passed, Caroline slowly returned to where Felix waited, and she was careful to keep the hem of her gown away from the beach.
“Ah, Miss Ives, this is Viscount Ballard, acting magistrate for Brighton,” Felix said as a way of a quick introduction as he bounced his gaze between them.
“A pleasure to meet you.” The viscount nodded at her. “I was awakened early and summoned out of my bed at an indecent hour.” He snapped his gaze back to Felix. “Now what’s this about? A drifter washed upon the shore?”
The major snorted. “Hardly. It’s a murder, and what’s more, he was a guest at an upcoming wedding, so I’d like you to secure the scene if you don’t mind.”
A frown pulled at the corners of the viscount’s mouth. “How do you know that?”
“Look, just here.” Felix pointed to a wound on the side of Danforth’s neck. “There’s a puncture wound, which was the cause of death.”
The viscount crossed his arms at his chest. “Yet there’s no blood.”
Felix shrugged. “Could have been washed away in the sea or he could have been killed elsewhere and dumped here.”
“You don’t know for certain.” It wasn’t a question.
“Perhaps, but I also suspect he wasn’t dressed when he was killed.”
Surprise flickered over the viscount’s face, which was the same feeling moving through Caroline’s chest. “What? A lover then? Annoyed mistress?”
“I would have no idea.”
“Where is the murder weapon, then?”
A ruddy wash of color went up the back of Felix’s neck. “I removed it for safe keeping.”
“Sounds suspicious to me.”
“Be that as it may, it’s a vital part of the process. This is how I make a living, Lord Ballard. I investigate murders.”
Silence brewed between them, broken by the crash of the waves as well as the cries and calls from shore birds.
Finally, the viscount narrowed his gaze on Felix. “You are dressed too nicely for an investigator, Major.”
He nodded. “I’m to be married this morning. It is my ceremony this man would have attended, so I feel a certain responsibility toward him.”
Caroline bit the inside of her cheek to stave off a sharp comment. Danforth didn’t deserve anything except to rot in hell.
“I see.” Lord Ballard glanced briefly at her, before he dismissed her with his gaze, choosing to talk exclusively to Felix. “So then, you have an interest in poking about this murder? This man is dressed as if he were attending the ceremony.”
“As I said before, he was, in fact.”
Caroline stifled the urge to dry heave. How would she assist in investigating this case when she didn’t have anything good to say about the deceased?
“Well, I…” Felix glanced at her, but for the first time, she wasn’t excited about partnering with him. He heaved a sigh and gave her a shrug. “I might. However, I refuse to have my ceremony delayed or compromised in any way.”
Would that change once she was forced to tell him that she knew Danforth, and more than just in an acquaintance capacity?
Icy fingers of fear twisted down her spine.
I don’t want to do any of this. Felix might regard her differently once that truth came out, and she still hadn’t summoned the courage to tell him about the baby.
“Very well.” The viscount nodded. “Start the investigation after your ceremony. I haven’t the time nor the inclination to look into it myself.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m going up to London tomorrow.”
Finally, Caroline found her voice. “Why is that, my lord?”
He shrugged, but there was a softness about his expression that completely changed his whole demeanor. “My daughter is in her confinement period, due to give birth to her first child at any time.”
“Ah, your first grandchild?” She glanced at Felix, who seemed uninterested in the new topic of conversation.
“Yes.” The viscount nodded. “I am nervous and excited for her.”
“At least she’ll have your support.” Caroline forced a smile. “I hope everything goes well, but don’t worry about this death. I shall assist the major with the investigation. We have had astounding luck in solving murders together.”
“Very good. I have a few things to take care of before my wife and I leave Brighton.” He shook Felix’s hand then gave him a calling card. “Write to me with updates at this address. If things get cocked up, I’ll need to know because I’ll have to come back to Brighton.”
“Of course, Lord Ballard.” Felix tucked the card into his waistcoat pocket. “I’ll write a summary every week if it takes that long, but most likely you’ll receive a letter from me when I solve the case.”
Caroline frowned. Had he always been that arrogant? Even he couldn’t guarantee that he could find the killer. Or was she being overly sensitive due to this being a heavily emotional time?
The viscount gave a curt nod. “I look forward to it. The coroner should be along in about an hour if you can wait that long?”
Felix waved a hand. “We’ll wait.”
“Good man.” Lord Ballard edged away. “Best wishes with the marriage, Major. I hope she is everything you believe that she is.”
What an ogre! Caroline glared at the departing figure of the viscount. “Bastard.”
“Perhaps, but he is merely worried about his daughter.” Alone, Felix moved up the beach to her location. He rested his gaze on her. Concern filled his expression. “Are you well enough to do this? The investigation might take much time.”
In an effort to hide her trembling hands, she hid them in her skirting to keep it off the ground. “I think so.”
He frowned. “You look pale and ill, though.”
Dear heavens. She wracked her brain for an explanation he might believe. “My mind is whirling. So much to think about this morning, especially. And now this.” She gestured toward the body as knots pulled in her belly. “Because…”
One of his eyebrows lifted. “Because what?”
The urge to vomit grew strong, whether due to Danforth’s death or presence here or the babe she couldn’t tell, but now was not the time to reveal her little secret. It would keep. “I know who this man is.”
“Danforth?” He frowned at the body. “Why?”
She shook her head. “Not here. Not like this. Not this morning.” It took a few tries to force a swallow into her dry throat. “Suffice it to say, he and I had a history together, but I have no idea why he was here today. After our last meeting, there was no love lost between us.”
For long moments, Felix regarded her. His expression didn’t give away any clues as to what he was thinking. Finally, he said, “I believe your brother invited him.”
That made absolutely no sense. “Why?” But then, if Andrew didn’t know about what had occurred between her and Danforth…
“Who can say? But I will definitely ask.”
The use of “I” instead of “we” let her know the direction of his thoughts, even if he didn’t know it had given that away. “Regardless, your mother’s letter opener was stuck hilt deep in his neck. Another connection to the Ives family.”
Did he truly believe one of them had killed Danforth? “Where is the letter opener?”
He patted his jacket. “Tucked away to head off embarrassing questions just now. To spare your parents if…”
“I know.” But she wished she didn’t. What had happened between her family and Danforth that would have led to this pass? Not knowing, Caroline nodded. Everything felt so surreal. “What now?” She simply didn’t have the courage to ask any more questions.
“We will go through with our nuptial ceremony, of course.” The look he gave her suggested there was nothing else to do.
“Afterward, we will begin the investigation. It’s summer and that body will be ripe soon.
His family will need to be notified, and I don’t want to do that until I have another chance to look over the corpse. ”
“Are you sure?”
“About what, Caroline? The ceremony going forward or the investigation?” The slight annoyance in his tone betrayed his own nerves.
She blew out a breath. “Both?”