Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(70)

Her shoulders sagged and she linked her hands over her bulging belly.

"Why not petition Julia instead of my wife," Gillingham said, once again taking his chair. "She is Swinburn's fiancée, for God's sake. Surely she has some influence."

"She won't help Lincoln," Harriet said. "He threw her off the committee, after all. Anyway, I don't think she has much influence with Sir Ignatius. In my discussions with him, he doesn't seem particularly fond of her. Their arrangement benefited him, but now that she has passed on all the information she could about Lincoln and the ministry, I wouldn't be surprised if he ended it. God help us all when he does. She'll become even more desperate."

"She's dead," I said.

They both stared at me. "No, she isn't." Harriet laughed nervously. "I saw her two days ago. She was looking as healthy and lovely as always."

"She killed herself."

Gillingham spluttered a laugh, but it died when I did not join in. I told them the little I knew of the situation, which seemed woefully inadequate considering how well acquainted Lady Harcourt and I were.

"Poor Julia," Gillingham murmured. "We didn't get on but…to take her own life…"

"She must have been very unhappy," Harriet said. "To be honest, I didn't think she and Sir Ignatius a good match. I wonder if something happened there." She frowned and absently stroked her belly.

"Things were not going her way of late," I said.

"Yes, but…" Harriet shook her head. "Are you sure she wasn't pushed?"

What an odd thing for her to conclude. To think it an accident, yes, but she was implying Lady Harcourt was murdered. "By whom?" I asked.

"By someone who wanted to get rid of her, of course."

"Like Swinburn," Lord Gillingham suggested. When we both gave him incredulous looks, he added, "You did just say he wanted to be rid of her."

"I don't know for certain. It was merely a thought, idle gossip." His wife sighed. "Poor Andrew. He'll be devastated."

"He is."

Harriet looked to her husband. "You ought to visit him and pass on our condolences."

"Me?" He sniffed. "No, thank you. He's a revolting person. Anyway, I can't stand being near grieving people. Send him a note, my dear."

"You write one, Gilly." She winced and cupped her belly. "I can't sit at a desk right now."

"Are you all right, my dear?" He crouched before her, his hands resting on her knees. He was the picture of a loving, considerate husband.

"Thank you, yes. You are a dear man for asking." She touched his cheek. "I forgive you for going to Mr. Salter, Gilly. I understand you only wanted to protect me, and Wolfie too, of course." Her lips pinched. "But don't try to manipulate me again. Is that understood?"

He nodded quickly. "You are my entire world, Harriet. You and our child." He drew her hand to his lips and kissed it. Her faced softened and she smiled at him.

I couldn't stomach any more and got up to leave.

"I'm sure Lincoln will be home in time for the wedding," Harriet said after I bade her goodbye. "The police surely cannot hold him for long."

"Get his lawyer onto it," Gillingham said.

"We have," I told them. "But I'm not sure he can do much. At this stage, it's doubtful that Lincoln and I will marry tomorrow."

"Oh, Charlie, I am sorry," Harriet said. "All the preparations have come to nothing. At least you can save the gown for when he does get out."

"If he gets out," her husband added.

"Gilly!"

I bade them good day after extracting a promise from Harriet that she would get my necklace back. I left wondering if her promises were now worth anything.

I asked Gus to take me home, and instead of sitting inside the coach, I sat beside him on the driver's perch. Being inside meant being alone, and I didn't want to be alone. I wanted to engage in conversation so my thoughts didn't wander in a hopeless direction.

Yet even conversation with Gus turned to the wedding. Neither of us could come up with a way in which Lincoln would be freed in time to marry me. Every method would take too long. Every legal method.



* * *



Gus slowed the horses when he spotted the two coaches parked at Lichfield's steps. "Who's here?" he asked, squinting against the sunshine.

The front door burst open and Alice and Lady Vickers met us on the drive. Lady Vickers flapped her fan at her throat, her bosom heaving. "They're back!" she gasped out.

"Who?" I followed Alice's gaze toward the walled garden.

Oh God no.

I lifted my skirts and jumped down from the driver's platform. I spotted Seth up ahead, standing in the entrance to the garden, his arms crossed.

"They brought shovels," Alice said, striding alongside me. "And more men."

"I thought they gave up," I said.

"It seems they didn't."

Seth looked over his shoulder as he heard us approach. He shook his head in warning. "Don't say anything," he whispered.

"Is that Miss Holloway?" asked Detective Inspector Fullbright from inside the garden.