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“As am I”

Aurora fell silent as Miss Payne sailed back into the roo tray in her hands “I shooed Matilda off for sohtstand “Cook prepared two portions of everything, so you two young ladies can chat while you eat” Straightening, she cast a warning glance at them both “But once your meal is complete, Miss Johnston must rest Is that clear?”

“Perfectly,” Aurora replied “Thank you, Miss Payne”

“You’re quite welco on your plate You’re thin as a reed Good food will speed your recovery”

“Yes, ma’am”

Brushing a few iinary specks of dust from the furniture, Miss Payne took her leave

“I’ll serve us” Aurora rose, fetching the two plates of food and handing one to Courtney “Everyback into the chair Spearing a piece ofCourtney a quizzical look “Does Slayde truly believe someone learned of my trip to London by pure chance and seized that opportunity to extort the black diamond?”

Courtney stopped chewing “No”

“I thought not,” Aurora replied, resu her meal “He believes the Duke of Morland is responsible”

“Yes, he does In Slayde’s opinion, the duke are of your restlessness, having had Peh to deter just such an opportunity as the one you gave him when you dashed off to London At which point, he acted” Courtney regarded her plate “To me, the theory sounds a bit farfetched On the other hand, I do agree that the duke is the ical suspect He loathes your family and has coveted the black diamond for years Not to mention the fact that he ay from his estate at the time Armon was murdered”

“And sober when he returned,” Aurora added, recalling the details Courtney had relayed earlier “Maybe the idea isn’t quite as extreiven the irrational intensity of the hatred the Bencrofts have sustained for us for generations Oh, ’tis true I never gave asas Slayde did—not so long as he was drunk and in seclusion But now that all that’s changed, Slayde’s suspicions are more than justified”

Courtney cleared her throat “Aurora, do you believe the Bencrofts were involved in your parents’ murder?”

A flash of grief “Honestly? I don’t know”

“Forgive me,” Courtney inserted at once, distressed that she’d caused Aurora pain “I didn’t mean to upset you with et I asked”

“No Truly, it doesn’t hurt to talk about it Lord knows I rehashed it for Bow Street, and then countless tithat could have identified their killer The problem is, I was scarcely ten years old when it happened and was therefore sound asleep inand half a house away from where the murder took place I heard no commotion The question is, was that because none occurred—that Maly adht them by surprise and committed his crime so swiftly and silently that he didn’t disturb the rest of the house? I simply don’t know But I can tell you this: I do believe that Chilton Bencroft was capable of murder”