Chapter 20
Gabriel had barely finished breakfast when Eleanor asked him to join her in the study.
There was something in her eyes that immediately made him send the servants from the room. She remained near the door until it closed, her hands clasped tightly before her, and Gabriel noticed at once that she looked as though she had slept very little.
“What has happened?”
Eleanor crossed the room and stopped before his desk.
“I saw Faulks last night, at the garden gate. He was meeting someone, and he gave a man a folded paper.”
For several seconds, Gabriel did not say anything. The room suddenly seemed smaller from the knowledge she had brought into it. He looked toward the window, though there was no comfort in doing so.
“Are you certain?”
“I am. I did not see the man’s face, and he remained beyond the gate, and it was dark. I saw Faulks clearly, though.”
Gabriel nodded slowly. “Did Faulks see you?”
“I do not believe so.”
“How long were they together?”
“Only a minute or two. The man took the paper and left.”
Gabriel walked away from the desk and crossed to the window. Faulks had entered Hartley service when Gabriel was still a boy. He had been present through the worst years at Ravenscourt, and Gabriel had trusted him without ever thinking to question it.
“I am sorry,” Eleanor said quietly behind him.
“You have nothing to apologize for. You were right to make certain of what you had seen before accusing him.”
“But you look angry.”
“I am, but not with you, more so with Faulks and myself. After all, he has served this family for years, and I never once thought to question whether he deserved my confidence.”
“You had every reason to trust him.”
He turned from the window and returned to the desk, placing both hands against the polished surface.
“At least we know how Julian is receiving his information.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Perhaps, but that does not mean I can do what I wish to do. If Faulks is the one carrying information to Julian, then dismissing him now would accomplish very little. He would know that we suspected him, and Julian would know immediately that we had discovered the leak.”
Gabriel grimaced, wishing he could have indulged himself. Acting upon anger might have been satisfying, but only for a few minutes. It would not protect Sophie, and it would only put Eleanor further at risk.
“We cannot confront him,” he said. “Not yet. Faulks believes he is trusted. Let him continue believing it. If we dismiss him, we lose the advantage of knowing what he does. If we watch him instead, we may learn who receives his information and how much Julian knows.”
Eleanor understood. The thought was unpleasant, but it was also necessary. She came closer.
“Then we should give him something to carry,” she suggested. “Something false. Suppose we tell him something about Sophie, something that would make Julian believe we intend to take her away.”
Gabriel shook his head.
“That is too dangerous. If Julian believes Sophie is being moved, he may act before we are prepared, but I do like the idea. We should give him something concerning the case, something useful enough to tempt Julian, but harmless enough that it cannot damage you.”
Eleanor considered this.
“The investigator, perhaps? We could make Faulks believe that new evidence has been found and that it will be presented at the trial, and if Julian reacts, we will know he received it. And then—oh, I never thought protecting ourselves would involve lying to a servant.”
“Neither did I,” he said with a tired smile. “But we are beyond ordinary circumstances. We need to tell Cassandra, too.”
Gabriel studied her face, searching for any trace of the old jealousy. There was still caution there, but something had changed. Eleanor seemingly no longer heard the name as though it were a threat.
“She can help us watch the household,” Gabriel said. “She already knows William’s servants better than anyone, and no one will think it is unusual for her to ask questions concerning his care. The investigator must know, too, but no one else.”
“Not even your mother?”
“Not yet. The fewer people who know, the safer we are.”
She nodded, then looked toward the study door.
“What happens when Faulks comes in here as though nothing has changed?”
Gabriel followed her gaze. “We behave as though nothing has changed. We must be careful. He cannot suspect that we know.”
Eleanor met his eyes. “Then we must act normally. I am glad you did not send him away in anger.”
Gabriel gave a quiet breath.
“I wanted to. That is the part I dislike most. I wanted to order him from the house the moment you told me. After all these years, it would have been very easy to believe such a betrayal deserved immediate punishment, but Sophie is more important than my anger.”
Eleanor’s gaze remained on him. “She is.”
“And so are you.”
The words came naturally enough that Gabriel did not realize how much they revealed until he saw her expression change. He had no time to retreat behind formality.
A knock sounded.
Both of them turned to see Faulks enter carrying a morning tray. Gabriel felt his anger rise, but this time he gave it nowhere to go. He simply looked at the man who had served his family for years and wondered what else lay behind that faultless smile.
“Thank you, Faulks. Leave the tray.”
Faulks nodded and stepped toward the desk. Gabriel watched him without appearing to watch him.
“One other matter,” he said casually to Eleanor. “I have received word from the solicitor. There may be a development in the case, and it is in our favor. They like that I gave Sophie that rabbit toy, and they find it fatherly.”
Faulks paused, only for a second, then he continued arranging the tea. It was, of course, a lie; he had not given her a rabbit at all, but Faulks did not know that.
“I shall see that the household is informed should anything further be required,” Faulks said, clearing his throat.
“Thank you. That will be all.”
Faulks bowed and left. The door closed behind him, and Eleanor looked at Gabriel. Gabriel reached for the tea Faulks had poured, though neither of them had any desire for it.
“Now we wait.”
The next move belonged to Julian.
***
The investigator returned to Ravenscourt two days later, arriving shortly after luncheon with a report that confirmed several of Gabriel’s suspicions while leaving one important question unanswered.
Gabriel received him in the study with Eleanor present.
They had agreed that, with Faulks still moving freely through the house, there was little value in keeping the matter entirely between themselves.
Cassandra knew enough to protect William and assist with the watching, but for the moment she remained occupied with her husband upstairs.
The investigator placed his portfolio on the desk and removed several sheets of closely written notes.
“I have confirmation concerning Faulks. He has met with one of Lord Marbury’s agents twice in the past fortnight; once in Bath and once at a roadside inn not far from the estate. On both occasions, the meetings were brief and Faulks took care to avoid being observed.”
“Do you have a name?”
“We know the man who received the information. What we do not yet know is how many times he has acted as the intermediary.”
Gabriel studied the report. “And Tibbs?”
The investigator turned to another page.
“We followed the money Tibbs received. It was not a legitimate payment for services, nor did it come from any family source. The amount was transferred through an intermediary who has connections to Lord Marbury’s circle.”
Gabriel felt the last uncertainty settle.
“Julian,” he muttered.
“We cannot say that the payment came directly from him, but the trail leads to one of his agents. Tibbs was paid to give his statement, meaning his original account appears to have been deliberately false.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “Then the accusation against Eleanor was constructed from the beginning.”
“That is what the evidence now suggests.”
He leaned back slowly, allowing the implications to settle. Tibbs had not merely made a mistake. He had given a false testimony because someone had paid him to do it, and Julian had been close enough to ensure that the lie reached the people capable of turning it into a weapon.
One piece of the case had finally fallen into place.
“Jem Carter is still untraced,” the investigator explained. “One report placed him near Salisbury several weeks ago, and another suggested he had taken work farther west, but neither have been confirmed and so the truth about the hunting trip remains beyond our reach.”
Gabriel looked down at the papers.
“Carter was there. He knew what happened to the saddle, and until we find him, we cannot prove what was done.”
The investigator nodded. “Not conclusively.”
Gabriel exhaled slowly. He disliked having one essential piece of evidence remain beyond his reach, but he had learned enough about the case to know that forcing the matter would not make Carter appear.
“Keep looking.”
“I will. As for Faulks, my men have already begun watching him.”
Eleanor looked toward the investigator. “Does Faulks suspect anything?”
“Not yet. He continues his ordinary duties and has met with the same intermediary twice since your instructions were put in place. We believe he still considers himself trusted.”
“Good.” Gabriel nodded. “Let him.”
They spent the next hour considering what information might tempt Julian without placing Eleanor or Sophie at risk. Gabriel rejected anything concerning Sophie’s movements, because he would not knowingly provide an enemy with another opportunity to approach her.
Eleanor suggested a piece of evidence concerning the case, but it had to be convincing enough to provoke a reaction without compromising the genuine evidence they were gathering.