Tenacious Trents 03 - A Reluctant Rake (35 page)

Bridges studied her for a moment. “The
only person my sister has made angry of late is Lord Creighton, her
brother-in-law.”

Bentley nodded. “We are aware of the
circumstances. Did you know that another woman was attacked
recently, in the same manner?”

“Yes, though for the life of me I can’t
image how the two could be related.”

“What did Lady Rothsbury tell you of
the night of the attack?” Audrey asked.

Bridges leaned back in his chair, light
brown eyes focused on somewhere else in the room as if seeing
something else.

“She told me that she had retired
early, having left the ball after encountering
Creighton.”

“Go on,” Bentley encouraged.

“She had gone to bed only to be
awakened by an intruder. His face was covered.”

“Did she mention what time this
occurred?” Audrey asked.

Bridges frowned for a moment. “I don’t
believe she did, nor did I ask.”

“After the man left, then what did Lady
Rothsbury do? Did she send for Bow Street?” Bentley
pressed.

Bridges shook his head. “She sent for
me.”

Audrey leaned forward. “You were at her
home?”

“Yes, I arrived at around somewhere
between one-thirty and two in the morning.”

“When did Mr. Trent arrive?”

“After speaking with my sister we
concluded that it must have been Creighton and she asked me to send
for Jordan Trent, which I did. I believe he arrived about an hour
later. The doctor was still there.”

Audrey turned to Bentley, fuming and
exasperated. “Did Bow Street ever bother to ask times when all the
events took place or simply lump the events into night, morning,
etcetera?”

He simply stared at her.

“Jordan Trent was still at the ball
when Lady Rothsbury was attacked.”

Elizabeth straightened. “He was! It was
near one thirty when we were leaving. John and I spoke with Jordan
as we were waiting for our carriage.”

Hope bloomed in her breast and she
turned back to Bridges. “Did Jordan Trent leave Lady Rothsbury’s at
any time between the moment he arrived and six in the
morning?”

“Is that when Dalton was killed?”
Bentley asked.

Audrey shook her head. “No that is the
time I saw him leaving her home.” She glanced at Bentley. “Lady
Rothsbury’s home is across the square from my uncle’s.”

“Do we know when Dalton was killed,”
Elizabeth asked.

“No,” Audrey said with disgust.
“Sometime in the middle of the night, that is all.” She focused
back on Bridges because he had not answered her
question.

“He didn’t leave until six.”

Bentley stood. “Thank you for your
time, Mr. Bridges.”

Bridges stood. “I am happy to be of
help.”

They turned to leave and were walking
down the stairs when Elizabeth suggested that they stop by Bow
Street and tell them that it was impossible for Jordan to have
attacked Lady Rothsbury because he was with them.

Audrey turned to her when they reached
the entrance of the storehouse. “First we need to go to the gaming
hell.”

Bentley crossed his arms over his
chest. “I am not taking you to Dagger’s Haven. Jordan would have my
head.”

Audrey adopted a similar stance and
faced him, looking up into his eyes. “If you do not take me I will
find a way there on my own.”

They stared at each other for a few
moments longer before Bentley blew out a breath. “Very
well.”

They stood outside of Dagger’s Haven,
the entry blocked by a man as large as the one at Bridge’s
storehouse. Were the giants brothers?

“We are not open,” he informed Bentley
before looking at Audrey and Elizabeth. “And ladies are not allowed
inside.”

“We are not here to gamble but have
business with Mr. Stanwick,” Bentley informed the man.

“You need to come back when we are
open.”

Audrey pushed around Bentley. “This is
a matter of life and death.”

The brute stared down at Audrey and
narrowed his eyes. “If your brother, husband or father lost his
fortune here you can take it up with Stanwick during business
hours.”

“This does not involve gambling,”
Audrey insisted.

“Then I don’t see how it pertains to
Stanwick.” He looked over at Bentley. “Please take the ladies and
go.”

“I am not going anywhere.” Audrey
stamped her foot.

Bentley gave her a censoring glance. It
was a childish thing to do but she was beyond frustrated at the
moment. “I just need to ask Mr. Stanwick a few questions and then I
will be on my way, I promise.”

“He ain’t here.”

“Well, why didn’t you tell us?”
Elizabeth demanded.

“Ye didn’t ask.”

“I will handle this.”

Audrey whipped around at the sound of a
new voice. A gentleman with midnight hair, dressed in the height of
fashion strolled toward them and stopped. “Bentley, it has been
some time.”

The giant moved aside and opened the
door to the gaming hell.

“Stanwick,” Bentley greeted before
quickly introducing Elizabeth and Audrey

Stanwick frowned and led the way into
his establishment. “Is it true that they have arrested Trent for
the murder of Dalton and Everton?”

“Yes,” Audrey answered. “We need for
you to tell us what happened the night Dalton was
killed.”

“I don’t know why they think Trent did
this. He was gone long before Dalton was ever killed.”

Breath hitched in her breast. “At about
what time did Dalton encounter Mr. Trent?” she asked.

Stanwick scrunched his brow in thought.
“We had just left my office when Dalton approached and struck
him.”

“What time was it?”

“At around two-thirty in the morning,
or a little before.”

“We know Trent left right after that.
How long did Dalton remain?”

Stanwick rubbed his chin in thought.
“He was here for an hour at least.” He paced a few steps. “Now I
recall, it was around four when we helped him out of here and into
his carriage.”

A smile burst on Audrey’s face and she
turned to Bentley. “We now have proof that Jordan did not attack
Lady Rothsbury or kill Dalton. We have found the
witnesses.”

“It was ludicrous to even think Trent
was possible of the crimes to begin with,” said with
disgust.

“I don’t understand why Bow Street
didn’t bother to question in more detail. Had they, Jordan would
have never been arrested in the first place.” Audrey fumed. “If Mr.
Wesby was interested in arresting the correct man he would have
been more detailed in his investigation.”

“I will be taking this up with Wesby,”
Bentley assured her. “But first, let’s get Jordan free.”

Giddy happiness bubbled up inside of
Audrey as they settled back into the carriage. “We must go to
Newgate after we have seen Mr. Wesby.”

Bentley chuckled. “I will accompany you
to Bow Street but not Newgate.”

Audrey opened her mouth to speak but
Bentley held up his hand.

“I know my brother. Once he is released
he will want to see you , but not before he has bathed. You have no
idea of the conditions inside the prison and he would have my head
on a platter if I brought you there before he had a chance to clean
up.”

“I don’t care about any of that,” she
cried.

“Jordan will,” Bentley said
firmly.

Audrey studied him and finally let out
a sigh and fell back against the squabs. If the situation was
reversed and she had been locked up for four days, unable to bath,
brush her hair or tend to her teeth, she would not want to see
Jordan either. Not until she had washed and repaired her
appearance. “Very well.”

Jordan lay staring at the ceiling,
hands locked behind his head. He had run out of questions and
answers. All he could do was pray.

“Time to go, Trent.”

He lifted his head and stared at the
jailer. Clayton stood behind him, a wide grin on his face. Jordan
hadn’t seen him smile like that since the day Clayton married
Eleanor. He couldn’t remember his brother smiling like that even
when they were children. At least not after Adele had run
off.

He sat up as the door swung open. His
heart beat fast. Was it true? Was he finally going home?

“Did you find out who murdered Dalton
and Everton?” He came to his feet. “And who attacked the
women.”

“No,” Clayton answered.

Jordan’s heart sank.

“But, we can prove you did not attack
Lady Rothsbury or kill Dalton. As you did not commit those two
crimes Bow Street agreed that it stood to reason you would not have
committed the others.”

Jordan’s legs suddenly felt weak and
for a moment the room began to darken. He grabbed the back of the
chair. Good Lord, he had never fainted in his life what was the
matter with him.

Clayton came forward and clapped him on
the back. “Let’s get out of here.”

Jordan glanced at the desk. He shoved
the papers into the basket, leaving the food behind and headed for
the door. He could not get out of here quick enough.

They emerged into the overcast day. The
fresh air was welcoming. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs.
The stench of Newgate was still too close but in time he hoped it
would be behind him forever.

Clayton directed him toward the
carriage, a most welcome sight when out of nowhere Lady Lydell was
running toward him. Jordan grimaced and held his ground when she
flung her arms about his waist.

“Oh Jordan, you are finally free.” She
looked up at him. “I was so afraid. I’ve been here every day but
they would not allow me to see you.”

Jordan handed the basket to Clayton and
then removed Lady Lydell’s arms from his person and took a step
back.

“I thank you for your concern. I must
be going.”

She grabbed onto his arm. “But you
can’t. I’ve missed you.” She sniffed and frowned. “Let me get you
home and cleaned up.”

Jordan clinched his jaw and fought the
urge to do bodily harm to the annoying woman. He had just left
Newgate for crimes he had not committed and he would be damned if
he landed himself right back in there because of her.

“I am going home
alone
. Please do not
approach me again.” With that he turned on his heel and marched
toward the carriage. He didn’t glance back despite her calling
after him.

Clayton followed him inside and the
footman closed the door. Jordan glanced out, not meaning to look at
Lady Lydell, but simply to appreciate the outdoors. She was
watching them, eyes narrowed and glaring, mouth set. A feeling of
foreboding settled upon him, but Jordan shook it away.