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“Yes I want to know if he kidnapped and drugged my wife”

After a hed “Purcell knows I buy secrets I keep them close to my chest, and I use the to hide Secrets grant a person more power than money or position ever could Purcell wished to know if I had any information on Lord Worthen”

“Lord Worthen?” Cassandra sat forward “You know my father’s secrets?”

“I know your father bribed a man to ensure he secured a property in Shropshire When I heard of Purcell’s suspicions, I sought the clerk who collected the tenders”

Cassandra snorted “Lord Purcell is wealthy enough to pay the clerk for information Why would he need to come to you?”

“Because the clerk cannot be bribed with money Lord Worthen holds the deeds to the house where the clerk’s unmarried sister lived with her child He threatened to evict them unless the clerk co-operated”

“The clerk would face prosecution if people discovered he acted fraudulently,” Benedict said, struggling to shake his disgust for his father-in-law’s actions

“Which is why I offered the clerk’s sister alternative accoe for inforer threaten the clerk as both uilty of a crime”

Benedict had to ad “And did you trade the secret with Purcell?”

“No It is mine to use should Lord Worthen ever pose a problee However, he did ask if I knehy you despise each other Apparently, it is cohout the ton Then he asked if I had inforarth”

Good God!

Benedict’s father would beat Purcell to within an inch of his life if he knew the devious lord was prying into his affairs

“You cannot have anything on arth has always been honest with me”

Mrs Crandall sarth’s affairs, I would never betray you, Benedict” She paused “Purcell returned a second time He said he’d heard I had a particular fondness for you and offered me an opportunity to hurt those who had caused you distress”

“Hell and daritted his teeth and shot to his feet “The conniving—”