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“We also have Mr Proctor’s notes” Soone’s best friend Lies after ely ht habits of the Duke of Melverley’s steward That gives you a motive, Mr Warner”

Why else would Mr Proctor have asked to meet Lucius?

“And now you have a dilemma,” Lucius said “We all know the truth, Sir Melrose You’ve already murdered three men—Cribb, Proctor and Atticus Atwood How do you propose to keep us silent?”

Sir Melrose turned deathly pale “Look, I uilty of blackmail, but—”

“The fact you’re willing to go to extreuilt,” Lucius pressed

“Warner is equally guilty,” Julia said, but this tih made her retch The Scot patted her back until she could breathe easily again “Warner withheld my allowance froested you useof my weakness for the tables, he employed a card sharp He made sure I ran up debts, made sure I had no choice but to return here and steal the evidence of Sir Melrose’s crimes from my son”

Sir Melrose looked like he ht retch, too He scrubbed his face with his bony hand and whilances with Warner, who suddenly shuffled backwards and bolted

“Peregrine?” Sir Melrose shouted at his accoer “Don’t leave me to answer for your crimes!”

“Hellfire!” Lucius thrust his bound hands at the Scot “Untie ets away”

“I’ll catch the devil” Alcock thrust the satchel at Sybil, forgetting there was a loaded pistol inside, and gave chase Mere seconds passed before she burst back through the loom “Mr Wycliff and his friends nabbed him by the boathouse”

Mr Wycliff appeared, hauling Warner behind him by the scruff of his neck His friends Mr Trent and Mr Cavanagh followed behind to join the crowd gathered on the narrow path The men were dressed in tatty breeches, poorly fitted coats, coarse shirts and blue striped neckerchiefs

“I believe you have a runaway,” Da the weasel forward “Let’s hear the fop’s confession, shall we?” He released Warner and gave him a hard shove

Warner al to confess Can a man not help a troubled friend?”

“Don’t blame me for this debacle,” Sir Melrose countered

“Who else should I bla your lovers, none of this would have happened Mr Cribb was hunting for a goose ripe for the plucking And you’re a daoose”