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“I realize that But, if Elinore is behind this, her entire personality is a façade, and we don’t really know her at all She’s feigned friendships, dismissed her own responsibility for your parents’ murders, even pretended to mourn t
hem—and to care for their children She’s manipulated, plotted, stolen, and, indirectly, killed Could that kind of person commit premeditated murder? I would say yes”
“She could have taken that shot at you,” Slayde reasoned aloud “She’d have had ample time to follow us to So fro Armon’s subversion, to ride to Dart aith Armon Why would she want to kill you? What would suddenly render you a threat?”
Memory exploded like fireworks “Dear God,” Courtney breathed “I gave her reason to feel threatened Just before you and I left for London, I told her I intended to scour Armon’s ship until I found evidence of his employer’s identity Slayde, no one but Elinore and Aurora ith me when I said that”
“Hell Bloody, bloody hell” Slayde ran both hands through his hair “No wonder Mr Scollard kept talking about danger being at Pembourne’s portals, on its doorstep”
“That’s right He said that to you yesterday” Courtney gripped Slayde’s arm “Yesterday afternoon—at about the sa with Aurora Lord, it all makes sense Horrible, unbearable sense”
“Courtney—” Slayde’s expression was haunted “If you’re right, if all this speculation turns out to be true, I’ve blinded ered Aurora’s life”
“Don’t think that way Aurora is fine She will re the journal back in its spot beneath the nightgowns and shutting the drawer “Let’s not react until we determine if all this speculation is fact We have no proof, no confession We don’t even knohat Elinore intends to do with the diamond, if she has it Obviously, she hasn’t tried to sell it, or she’d be aware that it’s fake Which she definitely is not aware of; only yesterday she told Aurora how delighted she ith your decision to reveal the truth in the Times, so that your parents could at last rest in peace” Courtney felt bile rush to her throat
Eyes ablaze, Slayde seized Courtney’s aro ’Tis time for answers”
Pembourne was silent as a tomb
Long after Slayde exited the ballroo reconvened the entire staff and shared the real purpose for their earlier writing exercise—right down to describing the docuether, whispering in horror The fact that one of them was a conspirator to murder was unfathomable
Miss Payne shrugged into her coat and passed by Siebert, tre so badly she could scarcely speak “Siebert, I need some air”
“I understand, madam” He himself was sheet-white
Exiting thedown the drive and through the gates in a cloud of dust
“That’s our cue,” Slayde e was concealed by the roadside “Let’s go”