Always Have Hope (Emerson Book 3) (21 page)

The Lynwood House knocker was in almost constant use
from the moment the broadsheets proclaimed the news that a young, rich widow
was about to be released into the
ton
– after a suitable period of
mourning, of course.

Matrons came to express their condolences and,
presumably, to extoll the virtues of sons unencumbered by either fortunes or professions.
Fortunately, Heskiss denied entrance to everyone except family and Lady Win’s
legal advisors.

But somehow Mr. Peyton slipped through. Heskiss had
been torn on whether to admit him, but the barrister had informed the butler he
had news of great importance to impart upon her ladyship.

When Heskiss reluctantly showed him to the sitting
room where Lady Winifred was visiting with the other ladies of the Emerson
family, Peyton immediately made himself at home.

“I have done the impossible, Lady Winifred. I had all
charges withdrawn, though you certainly would have hanged had I not done so.”

“But were you not in charge of my defense, Mr.
Peyton?” asked Win.

“And quite ably so. But the evidence was stacked
against you. You had not one chance of acquittal, even with my defense.”

“Then what did you do to convince them to withdraw the
charges?” Rose asked, knowing fully well Peyton had nothing to do with Win’s
good fortune.

That flummoxed Peyton, who couldn’t put into words the
myriad thoughts that seemed to be meandering through the portion of his body
that should encase a brain. So, he changed the subject, instead. “Have you
given any thought to your future, my lady?”

“I am still trying to get used to the fact that I am
no longer accused of murder.”

“And you should have no fear that I’d ever remind you
that were it not for my efforts, you surely would have hanged, dear Winifred.”

“I believe you forget yourself, Mr. Peyton,” said
Ava. “It is improper to call Lady Winifred by her Christian name.”

“Under normal circumstances, yes. But I am the one
who saved her.”

“And how did you do that, again?” asked Irene.

“My dear Winifred,” said Peyton as he dropped to one
knee, then wobbled so much he had to put a hand on the ground to steady
himself. “I am overcome with the vehemence of my feelings toward you.
Feelings I had even when I was certain you’d killed your husband. They have
only grown stronger since learning you are indeed not a murderess. Do be so
good as to be my wife. I have a partiality to warm climates and good wine. I
am ready to leave chambers as soon as we are wed in order to devote myself to
your every wish. Might I kiss your hand?” He reached for her hand and bent his
head perilously close to it.

“No, Mr. Peyton, you may not,” said Win, as she
withdrew her hand from his damp grasp. “You should also rise since I fear this
business is damaging your knees if those creaking sounds are any indication. I
am not interested in marrying you. And I am most surprised to learn you are
the cause of my release as I believe you were wholly convinced of my guilt.”

“I am quite surprised, as well,” said Alex from the
door.

At the sound of his voice, Win looked up She also
cursed herself for not taking more care with her hair that morning, but it had
been rather a shock to learn she was no longer an accused murderess. It had
been wonderful, but a shock nonetheless.

“Lewis!” cried a disappointed Peyton, who wobbled and
nearly fell over. “What the devil are you doing here?”

“Language, Peyton. You should also come up from there.”

“I am down here for a particular reason, not that it’s
any concern of yours. Now, where was I?”

“I believe, Mr. Peyton, you may wish to rise,” said
Win. “There can be no reason for you to be in that position.”

“But I was just proposing!”

“Yet, I distinctly remember your saying terrible
things about my lovely niece.”

“But that’s how much I wish to marry you! I could
even abide having her as a relation, though I do hope they would have the
decency to keep her in Wiltshire.”

“Mr. Peyton!” said Win. “I told you I would not allow
you to speak disrespectfully of my family. You must leave, now!”

As if on cue, Heskiss entered. “Mr. Peyton, I will
show you the door.”

“But I’m not finished.”

“Yes, you are, Peyton,” said Lewis.

If only Alex would get down on one knee,
thought Win, once again cursing herself for spending so little time with her
brush that morning. There definitely would have been no need to call for
Heskiss if he’d proposed.

Peyton struggled in vain to stand. “If you change
your mind, Winifred…”

“It’s Lady Winifred to you, Peyton,” said Alex as he
watched him struggle.

The extremely efficient Heskiss made no motion to
assist, either.

Perhaps wishing him gone with no further delay, Alex finally
extended a hand and all but pulled Peyton off his feet. “Good day, Peyton.”

“I suppose I should leave,” grumbled Peyton, looking
one more time at Win in hopes of a reprieve.

“Let me help you to the door,” said Heskiss, as he
took Peyton’s arm, escorting him from the room with some force.

“Dear me,” said Ava, as she rose. “I quite forgot
that I promised Rosalind I would help her with some things.”

“We shall help, as well,” said Irene.

“We must find some way to repay her for her generous
hospitality,” said Rose, as she joined the two women in quickly vacating the
room. She paused just long enough to whisper to Alex, “Good luck, Mr. Lewis.”

Then the three Emerson ladies left and shut the door
behind them, leaving Win and Alex quite improperly alone.

*

Alex had known a moment of panic as he’d entered the
room and seen Peyton on his knees. He knew Win would have too much sense to
marry the fool, but it had forcibly reminded him that Win would soon be on the
receiving end of any number of proposals. Even if that number dwindled when
the truth of her financial situation came out, he had no doubt there would be
any number of men in the
ton
who’d be all too anxious to marry her. One
or two might even almost deserve her.

He wanted to find those one or two men and have them
thrown in Newgate.

He also had the mad impulse to get down on one knee and
beg her to be his wife. Though he knew the proper thing to do would be to ask
her brother or – more accurately – brothers for permission to court her.

And they bloody well wouldn’t grant it, no matter what
Grayson thought.

At any rate, he shouldn’t be entertaining thoughts
like that when there were more important matters at hand. Win was no longer at
risk of hanging, but that didn’t mean she was out of danger. Someone had
already killed twice and neatly framed her. He didn’t think the villain would
give up easily, especially since she would no longer be residing at the
well-guarded Lynwood House.

He realized Win was staring at him. “Is there
something I can help you with, Lady Win?”

“I was about to ask the same of you, sir. After all,
you came to see me.” She adjusted a tendril of her hair for the third time
since he’d entered the room. He wished he could touch her hair – or any other
part of her.

He had to clear his head. “Are you certain you want
to go through with this?” he asked her.

“I cannot say I’m not frightened, though I have faith
that you and my brothers will keep me from harm.”

Alex would die trying to protect her, but he reckoned
he would only frighten her more if he voiced that aloud. His fierce desire to
keep her safe frightened even him.

Win continued. “And I feel like I owe it to both
Pierce and Tawny to at least try to bring their killer to justice. I would
also like to go on with my life without fear the killer would target me once
again. Or, even worse, my family. So, I am at your service, Alex. Pray tell
me the next step.”

She’d called him Alex.
It wasn’t the first time, but he savored the sound of it. He wanted to tell
her the next step would involve being in his arms and on the receiving end of
more than a few kisses. Instead, he said, “It is time we met with your
wretched in-laws.”

“I believe I would rather meet the killer.”

“You could be doing both.”

“You truly think one of Pierce’s relations killed him?
They are not pleasant people, but I cannot believe one is a murderer.”

“I do not know, but I believe it is likely. Sergeant
Fisk and his friends have been scouring London’s docks and underworld. Many
people hated your husband, but no one is claiming credit for his death. Nor
can they find a credible informant. If someone from the underworld had done
it, it would have been much easier to kill him on the docks near his office
than sneak into your home unnoticed.”

“But what about Sir Wilfred or one of the men in that
ledger?”

“It could very well be one of them and we are hampered
by not having been able to break the code. We do not know all the names in the
ledger. But, again, it is highly unlikely that one of them could have broken
into your house unnoticed. I believe the more likely possibility is that
someone familiar with the house – and the passageways – killed Pierce, perhaps
working with one of the men in the ledger.”

“So, it’s Clive or Horace.”

“Why not Mrs. Warren? You said you thought you heard
a woman calling out to you when you were arising from your stupor. She could
have killed Pierce – he certainly wouldn’t have expected her to do it, then
lured you downstairs just in time to be caught by the staff.”

“But why kill Tawny?”

“Because she likely witnessed the murder from inside
the passageway. She then tried to blackmail the villain – or villainess – then
was later killed in the rendezvous room.”

“So if I tell them you’re in possession of the ledger,
you believe one of them will come after you?”

“Exactly. And when they do, we’ll have him.”

“I think a better plan would be to tell them I am in
possession of the ledger.”

“Absolutely not!”

“Think about it, Alex. No one in his right mind would
go up against you. You’re too strong, too powerful. But even Emmeline would
think she has a chance against me, the woman her brother beat for years. They’ll
underestimate me and that’s when we’ll catch our killer.”

“Do you really think I’d allow you to be in a
vulnerable position for even one moment? You’ll never face physical harm
again. Not if I have anything to do with it!”

Win’s eyes widened and Alex cursed himself for being
so forward. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he was one of those
fortune-hunting lordlings.

“And will you?” she asked. “Have anything to do with
it?”

She was bewitching him with her dark brown eyes, with
just a speck of green in them. He could happily spend the rest of his days
gazing into those eyes.

Now he was even sounding like one of those insipid
young lords.

“Well…” he cleared his throat. “As a barrister – at
least as long as I am allowed to remain one – I would not wish to see any lady
harmed.”

“Oh,” she said, in what he hoped was a voice tinged
with disappointment. “You have only a professional interest in me.”

“My interest in you is….complicated. I am officially
investigating this crime. It would be improper of me to make advances when I
am in a position of authority.”

“And are you always so proper, Alex?”

Oh, how he loved hearing her say his
name.
“Not in my mind, Win. I daresay I’d frighten you with
some of the thoughts I’ve had.”

She took a shaky breath. “Tell me, anyway.”

He was on the verge of doing just that when her brothers
entered.

“Lewis,” said the Earl of Ridgeway, sticking out his
hand. “We cannot thank you enough for what you did for Win.”

Alex greeted Win’s brothers even as he inwardly cursed
their timing. Of course if he’d said what had been on his mind….perhaps it was
good they’d entered when they did. “I’m glad the charges have been withdrawn,
but she’ll not truly be a free woman until we catch the killer.”

“I agree,” said Layton. “Which is another reason
we’re glad you’re here. We cannot allow you to be the bait. Grayson has
volunteered to take the risk.”

“Actually,” said Win. “I’m the one who’ll take the
risk.”

“Out of the question,” said Ridgeway.

“We’ll never allow it,” said Layton.

“Never,” said Lord James.

Win sighed. “It could take the villain forever to get
up his courage to take on Grayson or Mr. Lewis. But he wouldn’t think twice about
doing so with me. And I’m not so foolish as to want to do this alone. We’ll
arrange it so one of you is always close.”