30. Chapter 30
Tom waited in Samuel’s study for his return from parliament for the day. Finally, Tom might have a chance to clear his name. He sat in a wooden chair and put his elbows on the large wooden desk. If he was able to prove his innocence, he would be sitting in a much more comfortable chair in no time.
One of the first things Lady Lavender ever said to him was that he was built to make his place in this world.
It was time he did just that. He had an opportunity—because of his birth—to make a difference.
Until he’d disappeared, he’d been so focused on proving his uncle and steward wrong about his obtuseness in his own home, he hardly ever focused on anything that didn’t affect his own estate management.
He understood better now the workings of the world around him.
There were good people like Jack and the new maid, Savannah, who needed to learn to read, to give themselves opportunities to better their lives if they wanted to.
He could fight for them in parliament. It would be an uphill battle, but who better to take the lead than a duke?
All his life, Thomas had spent his time chasing more wealth, or more respect, thinking if he proved himself competent, he’d find happiness.
But over time he realized that happiness wasn’t to be found in his money or status.
So, he’d frequented the card tables and the pubs to pass the time .
. . as if his life was merely a collection of hours he needed to muddle through until the end.
He really ought to thank Lord Chilcott for inventing this accusation of treason.
Without that push, Thomas would never have met Lady Lavender, or Jack, or Mrs. Bitters.
Well, he might have met Lady Lavender, but he doubted he’d have felt like he did now.
His mind would have been too fuzzy to see what was clearly before him.
Samuel walked into his study, and Thomas jumped to his feet. “Good afternoon, Your Grace.”
Samuel threw a newspaper onto his desk. “Is it?” He sat down. “Close the door, Tom.”
Thomas’s hopes for redemption faltered for a moment. He closed the door and turned to his friend. “Bad news?”
“The worst sort,” Samuel sighed. “It seems as if you’ve been spotted colluding with a Frenchman.”
“Information from Lord Chilcott?” Thomas guessed.
Samuel met Thomas’s eyes. “Information from Mrs. Carlton.”
Mrs. Carlton was not one of Thomas’s admirers. More than once she’d been the one to raise awareness to his less than admirable qualities. “And now it’s in the papers?”
“Yes, and that's all anyone is talking about. I don’t know what to do. We were so close. You should have seen Lady Lavender at Lord Chilcott’s dinner party last night.
She made it possible for me and my mother to sneak all over the baron’s house, unlock a secret door, and collect some critical information . . . we hope.”
Thomas’s jaw went slack. “How did she do all that?”
“She forced him to actually speak the truth for once. I hate to break it to you, but your cousin really hates you.”
“I know,” Thomas answered drily.
“But he doesn’t know why your relationship changed. Neither do I for that matter. Can you explain yourself?”
Thomas had never considered that Lord Chilcott didn’t know about the confrontation Thomas had had with his father.
It was so long ago and yet, Thomas still missed his father.
“My uncle and my steward were trying to use my position in society for their own means. I heard them talking about me being easy to manipulate one day when I came home for a break from school. I made them leave and told them never to return.”
“And the former Lord Chilcott never told his son why they became estranged from their connection with you,” Samuel said.
Thomas took a deep breath. “I suppose so, but when I’d heard them talking, it sounded like Ronald wasn’t the friend he painted himself to be either.”
Samuel leaned back in his chair. “That is no surprise.”
“It was to me at the time, I assure you.” Thomas had tried to forget the feeling of betrayal by the family and servants he ought to have been able to trust the most. “That was when I learned that people only acted like they liked me in order to benefit from my status or wealth. True friends are rare indeed.” He nodded toward Samuel.
“I don’t know if I’ve expressed my gratitude for your being among that small number. ”
Samuel waved his thanks aside. “We are equals. It’s a rare thing for both of us.” He cleared his throat. “Now, we have a lead on the Chilcott, and I want to follow it.”
“What lead?”
“A time and a place.”
“For what, precisely?”
“We don’t know for certain. But it was on top of a pile of letters written in your hand.”
Thomas jerked his head back. “I haven’t written to Lord Chilcott in . . . maybe ever.”
“Not to his son, but you did write to your uncle. The letters are ten years old at least,” Samuel said. “I saw the dates with my own eyes.”
“Why do you think my cousin kept those?”
Samuel worked his jaw for a moment. “I think he’s going to meet with someone who can forge incriminating evidence.”
“A time and a place.” Thomas looked up at the ceiling. “What time and what place? I need to be there.”
“I don’t think that’s precisely a good idea. Not with the last bit of gossip about you and the Frenchman, anyway. It has to be someone else.”
“Who?”
Samuel looked at his lap. “You’re not going to want to know the answer.”
“I’ve already got Jack up to his nose in murky water. I’ll not allow him to risk more for me.”
Samuel shook his head. “No, not Jack. Although we’ll unpack that in a moment. I think it has to be Lady Lavender.”
Thomas’s chair clattered behind him, he’d stood up so quickly. “No.”
“She’s more talented than you would expect.”
“I have no issues with how talented she is. I refuse to put her in danger,” Thomas fumed.
Samuel tapped a finger on his desk. “Sit back down so we can talk.”
Thomas picked up the chair and sat on the edge of it, not trying to mask the frustration on his face. “Could anyone else accomplish the task?”
“No one that I can think of.” Samuel put up a hand to silence Thomas’s retort.
“Lord Chilcott has singled Lady Lavender out as the woman he intends to court. It has been pointed and even manipulative at times. What we don’t know is why he has chosen her, specifically.
For any other woman that gave Lord Chilcott a difficult time, he would have given her the cut direct.
But he bends to her whims when she asks it of him.
All we need her to do is get in the way of the plan a little bit to see how Lord Chilcott reacts. ”
“You’re going to put her in the time and place?” Thomas didn’t have a good feeling about that. “When and where is it?”
Samuel closed his eyes for a long moment. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“No,” Samuel said bluntly. “No, I don’t. Not when it comes to her. You would put your life at stake if it meant saving her a scratch. It would be foolhardy for me to give you that information.”
Thomas stood with a calmness he did not feel. “This whole mess is mine to sort out, not yours. Please, allow me to help in some way.”
“Whether you like it or not, it is my problem to sort out. Miriam has decided to take your case of hopeless love as a challenge. Until you and Lady Lavender are safe and married, my wife won’t sleep at night—which means neither will I.”
“You don’t seem all that put out about it,” Thomas remarked drily.
Samuel tried to bite back his smile. “I’ve argued with Miriam about love these past five years, and it never does get old.”
Thomas shook his head. “And does Miriam believe this plan is the best one to discover what Lord Chilcott is doing?”
Samuel nodded. “She does.”
Thomas blew out a breath. “I don’t think I can argue with her.”
“You’d be right on that score.”
A knock sounded on the door.
“Who is there?” Samuel called.
“Lord Chilcott, sir,” came the butler’s muffled voice.
Thomas’s eyes went wide.
Samuel put a finger up to his lips and pointed to the corner of the room where the door opened.
Thomas tiptoed over to stand behind the door while Samuel walked to open it. The door swung open and came within inches of Thomas’s nose. He held his breath.
“Good day, Lord Chilcott,” Samuel said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Might I have a word with you in private?”
“Of course,” Samuel stepped through the doorway. “I was just on my way out. You can join me for a stroll.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Lord Chilcott’s footsteps sounded behind Samuel’s.
Thomas stayed in his place a full minute after he heard the two men exit the house.
What would Lord Chilcott need a private audience with the duke for?
The most likely reason would be for the man to beg permission to ask for Lady Lavender’s hand in marriage.
How would Samuel avoid that without causing suspicion?