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“Impossible” Taylor threw the book onto the wooden table, knocking over a pot of soil “I ripped the manor apart before Stanton purchased the dah”

“I can assure you it is not I found the book in my room, hidden underneath the chest of drawers” She knew not to mention Jacob “From the dust and cobwebs, it had been there for some time”

“That blasted bitch,” Taylor spat He flung his top hat at the wall and shoved his hands through hisat the roots as if determined to pull out every strand

Mrs Wilood news Perhaps Watson never got around to giving it to Lady Farleigh, and the letter perished in the fire”

“But you searched both bodies” Taylor spoke without thought

A gasp of horror burst froh and Mr Watson?”

Taylor glared at her “I uilty of fraud, but I’m not a murderer”

Mrs Wilh was already dazed froe” Arrogance dripped from every word “And Mr Watson certainly didn’t expect el”

The woman was insane, a prime candidate for Bedlam If anyone deserved to be locked away in Morton Manor, it was Mrs Wilmslow

“But why set the cottage ablaze? What possible reason could you have for killing two innocent people?”

“Innocent? Watson was a thief and a traitor,” Mrs Wilh was a jezebel who seduced my husband No woman wants to suffer that sort of humiliation”

Taylor brought Mrs Wilmslow’s hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on her knuckles “It doesn’t matter Once we’ve dealt with this, we’ll be free to leave Abberton for good”

And with any luck, they were destined for the scaffold at Newgate

“What are we to do now?” Mrs Wilmslow’s eyes shone with affection for the doctor

Taylor took hold of the woman’s chin “We have the book Now no one can trace the relatives There’s no proof I took money to falsify documents”