Selina practically growled in frustration. “Your life sounds rather normal.”
Rafe repeated everything Pauline had said in his mind. Now, he summarized it out loud. “I want to make sure I understand: my uncle, Ludlow Mallory, arranged to murder my father and me. You know this for a fact?”
Pauline looked him in the eye. “Yes. He asked Edgar to start the fire and later spoke directly with me and Edgar to discuss the details. He visited Stonehaven about a week before the fire to make the final arrangements.”
“And you never once thought to alert our father or the authorities? You had no hesitation about killing a man and his five-year-old son?” Selina’s voice was rough with anger and despair.
“I did.” Pauline closed her eyes briefly and pushed her head back into the pillow. “But I was young and foolish.”
“Greedy,” Selina said tightly, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Fortunately for you, there is still time to do something right,” Rafe said.
“What’s that?” Pauline’s lids drooped as she looked up at them.
“You’ll provide testimony to a clerk in the event that you don’t live long enough to testify at the trial.”
She shook her head so hard that she started coughing once more. Rafe glanced at Selina, but she continued to stare malevolently at the woman in the bed.
He went and picked up the glass of water, then waited for her coughing to subside before helping her to take a few sips.
“I can’t do that,” Pauline croaked.
Selina violently uncrossed her arms, elbowing Rafe in the process. “Why not? You can’t be afraid for your life. It’s nearly at an end.”
“No, but I won’t cause trouble for my sister and her husband. They’ve been good to me. Lord knows I don’t deserve it. But they don’t deserve the taint of being associated with someone like me and what I’ve done.”
Rafe clenched his hands into fists as fury tightened every one of his muscles. “So you’ll let a murderer go unpunished. You were party to the deaths of our parents and the servants who also died in that fire. And you allowed my sister and me to be forever changed.” Damaged.
“You’re a monster,” Selina whispered.
Pauline had the gall to raise her chin and give them a clear-eyed stare. “I could have lied to you, but I told you the truth. I will go to my grave with a clearer conscience at least. You can either look backward or you can look to your future. It looks rather wonderful, doesn’t it?”
Rafe snorted. “That was precisely the fucking nonsense your brother said as he used us for his own gain and then sold us to a criminal.” He turned his head to Selina. “We should have brought your husband.”
“Yes. In fact, I’ll see if he can come tomorrow. I’m confident there is ample reason for him to arrest her.”
“What?” Pauline started coughing once more, more violently than she had yet. Her face turned red.
“My husband is a Bow Street Runner,” Selina said with clear satisfaction. “You’ve admitted your crime to us. Unless you’d care to change your mind about speaking with a clerk who will take your testimony?”
“Water, please,” Pauline rasped. When neither Rafe nor Selina moved, she nodded vigorously. “I’ll talk to the clerk.”
Selina went to pour more water and brought her the glass. She even helped the invalid drink. Pauline continued to cough, and her sister returned.
“Oh, Polly, you’ve worn yourself out.” She looked toward Rafe and Selina. “I think you must let her rest now. It’s time for her medicine.”
Rafe pinned Pauline with a dark stare. “The clerk will be here tomorrow. Don’t die before then.”
Mrs. Gill gasped and drew her hand to her chest as her eyes widened. “What a terrible thing to say.”
“Your sister has done far worse,” Selina bit out in a clipped tone. She hesitated before looking toward Pauline once more. The anger seemed to drain from her as he shoulders sagged and her features turned sad. “You used to sing Lavender Blue to me. All I remember is my mother’s coral necklace and that song.” Her voice was soft and haunting. It broke what remained of Rafe’s heart.
Tears filled Pauline’s eyes again. “I loved you. I thought you and your mother would be fine. Your uncle promised me that. I am so sorry for my part in what happened.”
Mrs. Gill frowned at her sister. “Polly, what are you talking about?”
Pauline weakly lifted her hand in a feeble wave. “Later. I need to sleep.” She seemed to sink deeper into the bedclothes. Her eyes closed.
Rafe gritted his teeth and lightly touched his sister’s back to guide her to the door. Selina didn’t move, however. “Did that necklace burn in the fire?” she asked.
It took a moment for Pauline to respond, and she didn’t open her eyes. “No. You had it. She came to the nursery to make sure you got out of the house. You wanted her, but she needed to go find your father. You reached for her and grabbed the necklace. It came off, and you held on to it as we left the house.”
Rafe’s heart broke again as he watched the despair carve deep lines into his sister’s face. Her back bowed with the weight of her grief.
“I made sure it was with you when Edgar took you.”
Was it possible, then, that the necklace Beatrix had given to Selina had belonged to their mother?
“When the clerk comes tomorrow to take your testimony, he’s going to bring a necklace. You will tell him if it’s the same one. I am not certain it is, but you will know.”
Pauline didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry, but you must go,” Mrs. Gill pleaded.
“You’ll keep me apprised of her condition,” Rafe said. “Send word to me at Upper Brook Street in London. Tomorrow, a clerk will come to take her testimony about the matter we discussed today. You must admit him, do you understand?”
Mrs. Gill nodded.
Rafe inclined his head, then guided Selina from the room. They walked in silence from
