Chapter 11 #2
Jonathon walked over to the drink cart and picked up the decanter.
“We searched Emma’s cottage from top to bottom, and other than the usual critters living in the thatched roof, we found nothing that would indicate why Lockhart would want the property so badly.
” He popped off the lid. “Then I asked myself, ‘if I wanted to hide something valuable, where would I hide it?’”
Benedict laughed. “It’s true, Jonathon did say that exact question… aloud.”
“But it worked,” Jonathon said, pointing the decanter lid at him. “Inside Constable Pearson’s bedchamber, we started searching the stones around the hearth and discovered a loose one. We pulled it out and found… contracts.”
“Contracts?” Simeon repeated. “What kind of contracts?”
“Four bill of sale contracts for cottages near Emma’s land, and all of them listed Lockhart as the solicitor,” Jonathon answered, pouring himself a drink.
“We also found this,” Benedict said, removing a gold locket from his jacket pocket. He walked over and extended it towards Downshire. “We assumed it belonged to Emma’s mother.”
Downshire accepted the necklace. “This is an expensive piece of jewelry.”
“Exactly,” Benedict agreed. “It’s not quite befitting a constable’s wife.”
“I will ensure that Emma is given the necklace.” Placing the necklace into the top desk drawer, Downshire said, “Now, back to the matter at hand. What did you uncover about the contracts?”
Jonathon took a sip of his drink while Benedict answered for him. “We went into the village and started asking around. We learned that the men on the bill of sale contracts had all gone missing at different times over the past few years.”
Simeon moved to the edge of his seat. “Are you implying that Lockhart had a hand in their disappearances?”
“It sounds like a grand coincidence, does it not?” Jonathon remarked.
Benedict leaned his shoulder against the wall. “We went to speak to the new constable, and we discovered that Lockhart was known to engage in unscrupulous business practices.”
“That’s not a surprise to us,” Downshire said. “My investigation turned up the same thing.”
“Yes, but Jonathon and I are of the same mindset that Constable Pearson’s death was a little too convenient.”
Simeon lifted his brows in surprise. “You think he was murdered?”
Jonathon shrugged. “We confirmed that he was investigating Lockhart for those men’s disappearances, and then he suddenly takes ill shortly thereafter. It sounds mighty suspicious to me.”
“We encouraged Constable Brown to open up an investigation into Constable Pearson’s death; discreetly, of course,” Benedict stated.
With a curious glance, Simeon asked, “How did you convince the constable to open up an investigation into a death that happened over two years ago?”
“We just asked… nicely,” Jonathon replied, bringing the snifter up to his lips.
“Jonathon and I decided to visit these cottages, which coincidentally neighbored Emma’s land, and discovered an extensive channel of chalk quarries instead,” Benedict shared.
“Chalk quarries?” Simeon repeated.
Benedict nodded. “Apparently, Emma’s land is rich in chalk, including a desirable hard chalk stone, known as Totternhoe stone.
“I’ve heard of that stone,” Downshire remarked. “It’s strong enough to be used as a building stone and has been used to construct buildings such as St. Albans Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.”
“At least we discovered why Lockhart was so keen on Emma selling her land,” Simeon pointed out.
“Besides Lockhart potentially murdering five people and learning that Emma’s land is rich in resources, did you discover anything else in Totternhoe?” Downshire asked.
“Yes, we are closer to discovering the identity of the initials ‘A.B.’. Again, we asked the man at the bank very nicely for that information,” Benedict replied, smiling smugly. “A man named Daniel Booth has been depositing money into Lockhart’s account for the past five years.”
Downshire groaned. “Who in blazes is Daniel Booth?”
“We’re looking into it,” Benedict replied.
“I may not be an agent, but even I can recognize that Daniel Booth does not have the initials ‘A.B.’,” Simeon joked.
Jonathon placed his empty snifter down on the drink cart. “True, but Daniel Booth must be depositing the money into the account for someone with the initials ‘A.B.’. We have asked Uncle Charles to look into it.”
“Poor Emma,” Simeon muttered. “Do we tell her that we suspect Lockhart murdered her father?”
“No!” all the men in the room shouted in unison.
“Are you mad?” Downshire asked, glaring at him. “No one will breathe a word about this to Emma until we have absolute proof that Lockhart was behind the death of her father. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” they all said in unison.
Simeon adjusted his green jacket. “While you were gone,” he said, “a colleague of mine discovered that Lockhart isn’t working at any law office in town, and no one can find his place of lodging.
Furthermore, a man fitting Lockhart’s description has been hiring a band of ruffians from the rookeries. ”
“For what purpose?” Jonathon asked. “What does Lockhart intend to do?”
Simeon rose and walked over to a large window, overlooking the gardens. “Lockhart has come to town, not for employment, but to hire mercenaries.”
“It doesn’t make sense. What does he hope to gain?” Downshire asked.
Simeon felt his hands ball into clenched fists. “He wants Emma.”
“If that’s his end game, then we’ll depart for Scotland tomorrow,” Downshire asserted.
“No,” Benedict stated. “With enough men, they could easily overpower your traveling party.”
Downshire tossed his arms up in the air. “Then I’ll hire a militia.”
“And what of Rachel and baby Matthew? You would put them in danger?” Jonathon questioned.
“It’s not safe to travel now,” Benedict asserted.
Leaning back against the edge of his desk, Downshire asked, “Then what do we do?”
“There’s a place we could take Emma where she would be protected,” Benedict said.
Downshire eyed him with concern. “Where?”
“It’s best that you don’t know,” Jonathon stated firmly. “It’s not a place we discuss lightly.”
Simeon didn’t dare ask for more details. Instead, he suggested, “I could go along to guard Emma.”
Benedict started laughing but turned it into a cough when his gaze landed on Simeon. “Trust me, Wentworth, Emma will be well-protected.”
“So, it’s settled,” Downshire declared. “You will take Emma to an undisclosed location, and we will wait out Lockhart. Eventually, he will run out of money and hopefully scurry far away from town.”
“First, let me speak to Eliza, but it shouldn’t be a problem,” Benedict said. “We all have a fierce desire to keep Emma safe.”
After a long moment of somber silence, Benedict declared, “I shall take my leave.”
“As shall I,” Jonathon said as they both walked towards the door.
Simeon leaned back against the sill. He wasn’t ready to leave until he had a chance to see Emma again, especially if he wasn’t going to see her for a while.
“Care to join us, Wentworth?” Benedict asked, standing in the doorway.
“I was hoping to speak to Emma before I depart,” he answered.
Downshire let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. But no courting nonsense. Just speak to her and be done with it.”
“As I have stated on numerous occasions, I have no intention of courting your ward.”
With a knowing gaze, Benedict teased, “Didn’t you offer for her already?”
“I did, but that was only because I fell on top of her near Gunther’s. Neither one of us actually wanted to marry.”
“Ah, well, thank you for clearing that up,” Benedict said in an amused tone.
Downshire walked into the hall and shouted for the butler.
Simeon found himself grinning. At his townhouse, they had a bell system to alert his staff, but Downshire still preferred that old fashioned way of shouting for his butler. It was quite humorous to him.
Now that Emma was leaving to an undisclosed destination, Simeon felt his heart begin to mourn for the loss of her company.