The pistol retort bounced off the walls of the small room, deafening the inhabitants. The echoes seemed to go on and on, but Eleanor realized the fireworks display had started outside. When the roomful of acrid smoke cleared, Teddy was on the floor, his chest a bloody mess. Shermont knelt beside him and pressed his handkerchief over the gaping wound.
Patience dropped the pistol and put her hands to her mouth, not quite stifling her cry of dismay. She turned from the sight and ran outside.
“Give me your handkerchief,” Shermont said, shrugging off his coat.
Eleanor still had her reticule looped over her wrist. When she found her handkerchief and held it out, he had covered the other man’s face with his coat. She swallowed. She didn’t have to ask if Teddy was dead.
Shermont took her handkerchief and said, “I’m afraid I’ll ruin it.”
“Go ahead.” She pressed it on him. As he dabbed at his bleeding lip and wiped his hands, she said, “Hurry. Patience is getting away.”
“We’ll deal with her later.”
As soon as his hands were clean, he tossed the handkerchief to the floor and wrapped Eleanor in a tight embrace. “Are you all right? For a moment there …” He choked up and couldn’t put into words the terror that had swamped him while Digby aimed his pistol at her.
“I’m fine.”
He knew she lied because she was trembling.
“Patience is a murderer,” she said, her quivering voice rising in pitch. “And she’s getting—”
“Eleanor!” He took her by both shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. “Right now we have other problems. I need you to remain calm. Take a deep breath. That’s better. Undoubtedly, any number of people heard the gunshot—”
“The fireworks …”
“Military men and hunters will know the difference and will likely investigate the source. We can’t keep this disaster quiet for long, but I don’t think the girls deserve to hear about this from a curious crowd.”
“Of course not.”
“I’m glad you agree. I want you to find them and use whatever excuse you can to get them someplace private.”
“Our rooms?”
“Excellent. You can tell them—”
“I don’t think I should be the one to tell them. It should be someone who knows them well and loves them, like their Uncle Huxley.”
“Good thinking.” He kissed the tip of her nose and gave her a quick, tight hug. “I knew I could count on you to keep a cool head. I’ll send Huxley to your rooms as soon as I can.”
Carl was the first to arrive in the estate office. Eleanor left on her errand. Outside the door, she leaned against the wall, her knees like Jello and her hands shaking. All her bravado of earlier had drained away.
Omigod. Shermont could have died. She could have died. She wanted to run back into the room and hold him. Just being with him gave her strength. But he was depending on her, and she had a job to do. She took a deep breath and straightened. She had to be strong. Her friends Deirdre and Mina needed her.
Eleanor found them in the ballroom about to line up with their partners for the next set.
“I need to speak to you,” she said. “Privately.”
“But it’s the supper dance,” Mina said.
That meant it was close to midnight, her deadline. But she hadn’t prevented Teddy’s death. Did that mean the ghosts would not take her back? She couldn’t worry about herself now.
“You look terrible,” Deirdre said. “Is your toothache worse?”
“We looked for you,” Mina said. “But you weren’t—”
“I know. This is important.” Eleanor looked at the young men. “If you gentlemen will excuse us.” She stepped between them and took each girl by the elbow, guiding them out the door and toward the stairs.
“What—”
“I can’t tell you here. We’re going to our room where we can’t be overheard.”
As they walked up the stairs, Deirdre said, “I know the secret. Shermont has asked you to marry him, right?”
Eleanor shook her head but didn’t slow the pace.
“I don’t think it’s a happy secret,” Mina said.
“Oh dear,” Deirdre said. “You’re carrying his child, and he refused to marry you.”
Eleanor started. “Whatever gave you an idea like that?”
“I’m not as naïve as you think,” Deirdre said smugly. “If you hadn’t found us in his room, you would have been there alone with him. And then you left again, but the next day you said you hadn’t seen Teddy.”
“That’s right,” Mina said. “I didn’t even think of that.”
“I’m not pregnant,” Eleanor assured them as they entered the sitting room. Both girls sat on the settee and looked at her with expectant expressions. Where was Huxley? She needed to stall for time. “We need tea.” She used the bellpull to call the maid.
While Shermont explained to Carl what had happened, Huxley entered and listened. Shermont then sent his valet to apprehend Patience, both assuming she would head to the oak tree to meet her contact.
Huxley looked down at the body of the man who had pretended to be his nephew. “My brother thought the world of him, but I always knew he was a bad apple. I’ve always said, never trust a man who mistreats animals.”
“What story do you want to tell the girls?”
“The truth. There have been enough lies already. The girls are stronger than you think, stronger than they themselves know. No, I won’t have them grieving for a beloved brother when he never deserved their regard.”
“I’ll support whatever you decide.”
“I would appreciate it if the facts did not become common knowledge. No sense dragging the girls’ names into his disgrace.”
“A few need to know the truth, but I guarantee their discretion.”
Huxley gave him an assessing look before nodding. “I’ll make a succinct announcement, canceling the balance of this evening’s festivities. The story will be that Digby was fatally wounded during a robbery attempt.”
“As you say.”
“I’ll make funeral arrangements befitting his former position. But I refuse to have him buried in the family plot. His true grave will not carry my brother’s name.”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Will you make it look—”
“I’ll straighten up in here. The scene will reflect the story.”
The two men shook hands.
“One moment,” Shermont said. “I’d like you to witness that I’m returning all this jewelry to the safe. If anything is missing, I want you to know I’m not responsible.”
“I trust you with my family’s name. Compared to that, those baubles are inconsequential.” Huxley left without another word.
Shermont unpacked the portmanteau and was surprised to find two red leather portfolios. He recognized the folders used for diplomatic dispatches. The seals had been broken. He opened one and found it addressed to Wellington and signed by the Prince Regent.
Major Alanbrooke and Captain Rockingham burst into the room. Alanbrooke quietly assessed the situation, but Rockingham blurted out, “What happened? Hey! What are you doing with those?” He started forward with his hands outstretched.
Alanbrooke stopped him. “Give the man a chance to explain.”
Shermont faced Rockingham with a stern expression. “You’re supposed to be on your way to Spain, aren’t you?”
The captain’s ears turned as red as the folders. “I leave at dawn. Digby promised me his fastest horse. Said I could make up two days during the trip, and no one would ever know.”
