Natalia's Secret Spinster's Society (The Spinster's Society) (A Regency Romance Book)(6)

Her brother frowned, and before he spoke further, they switched to Spanish. No one in the Spinster House for Women knew the language well. “Sarah? You mean the maid who lived with us all those years ago?”

Leah nodded. “She doesn’t appear to be a maid anymore. She must have seen what took place all those years ago. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“But the servants were dismissed that night,” Lorenzo reminded her. “It’s impossible—”

She shook her head. “No, Lorenzo—”

“Not Lorenzo,” he reminded her in a low tone. “Not here. I’m Zedock Sudworth here. You have to remember that.”

Leah rolled her eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous name I’ve ever heard. I refuse to call you that. Our mother gave you a beautiful name.” She pushed her fingers through his dark hair and admitted she’d grown used to the color he’d dyed it using the same components in ink. Iron and tannins. When she’d first seen him, she’d been amazed by it. Lorenzo had always been golden, and when he stood by Julius, they’d always been mistaken for brothers, not cousins. The only difference had been the hint of red in Lorenzo’s locks.

That was probably the reason her brother was disguising his true color. No one could know either of them were here. No one could know their connection to Julius or their cousin would likely finish what he’d begun years ago and kill them.

Lorenzo… or rather Zed… gave her a ruthless grin. “Call me Zed.” He used a slight East London accent that made her laugh whenever she heard it.

She touched his cheek and sighed. Had it not been for Zed’s humor through the years, Leah was sure she’d have crumbled under the weight of the blackmail and life’s other challenges.

Zed had come to London over two years ago, simply to see how Julius was faring. Leah had stayed in France and waited for his reply. She’d been surprised by the story her brother had sent back.

Zedock had found employment with Lady Lorena Cullip and had quickly become one of her most trusted servants… and a friend.

Leah had never met Lorena herself, but she’d met her brother Francis, along with the other Men of Nashwood, long before they’d been given that name. During breaks, the men would travel to visit one another’s families. Julius’ estate, which was close to Oxford, was always their first and last stop during their travels.

Leah knew them all. Morris Kidd, the Duke of Cort. Francis Cullip, the Duke of Valdeston. Hugh Vance, the Marquess of Edvoy, Aaron Walsh, the Earl of Jeanshire, Frank and Calvin Lockwood, the sons of wealthy gentry, Rollo Kerry, whose father had been called ‘King Kerry’ for his luck in the market, and little William Tift, whose family had been gentry, but whom Leah had always despised for reasons she didn’t know.

And then he’d killed her cat.

The murderer.

Not that she was in any position to judge. After all, her father had played a role in the night of the marchioness’ death.

The only one of Julius’ friends she’d not known had been Emmett Starr, the Earl of Ashwick, but Leah had heard about him and had known he’d come up from Oxford on the night Julius’ mother died.

Zed had told her of the way the earl had courted the stubborn Lady Lorena but had known that if the earl were anything like the others, he’d win her over. Then Zed had written her the tale of Lorena’s kidnapping… and now the man who’d done it ceased to breathe.

The Brothers had made that so.

She’d feared for her brother’s life then, but Zed had assured her that he was well and that the men did not suspect that he was the same boy they’d played with all those summers from long ago.

He’d not written her often after that. Money had been thin with the blackmailer still over their heads. But now she was here.

“Can you believe that it was Sarah our mother had been paying all those years? Who we’ve been paying?”

Zed shook his head. “She was such a quiet girl.”

“She was most certainly not quiet the other night,” Leah had to fight to control her temper. It wasn’t even the money that bothered her. It was the fact that Sarah was trying to hurt Julius, who’d already suffered enough. “We were not able to speak for long. Frank appeared and I had to flee.”

“Why did you return to London if she is in Oxford?” her brother asked.

“Because she lives here,” Leah crossed her arms. “She hinted at it when we met and that makes sense. If she’s been handing off her own notes to Lord Reinburg— who also lives here— then it stands to reason that she leaves the ones that arrive at Julius’ door.” She and Zed had worked to gather as much of those threatening notes as they could, but they’d not managed to get them all. The Brotherhood was onto her. Leah only hoped she could find Sarah first.

“We should tell the men who she is,” her brother suggested. “They’ll see that the matter is put to rest.”

“No!” Leah grabbed his arms. “We can’t. I’ll not have another stain on their souls. Julius has already been through so much.” Tears burned her eyes as vague memories filled her vision. Julius’ mother had hated him and so had Leah’s father. Leah was glad they were both gone but hated that the evil deed had been done by someone she loved. “Now that we know who she is, we can find a way to make her stop without there being violence.”