Somewhat Scandalous (Brambridge Novel 1) (37 page)

The bastard
.

“I was stargazing,” James said quietly. He pointed to the leather bound tube that lay on the table next to the bed. “I was told a comet might pass over tonight.”

Lord Stanton snorted. Even Lord Anglethorpe looked disconcerted.

“A likely tale. No son of mine
stargazes
. It’s something we tell the ladies to get them into bed.” Lord Stanton walked further into the room, stopping suddenly as Lord Anglethorpe clapped a hand on his shoulder. 

“Alright, I'll come with you quietly.” James swung his other foot from the bed. “I'm innocent though, I haven't done anything wrong. I was stargazing. Just let me change my clothes. Please?” The last word stuck in his throat. To his father that word would have been better than a scream.

Lord Stanton opened his mouth to speak again but Lord Anglethorpe stopped him. “Enough, Stanton. It’s a bit of a walk to the lockup, and there is no way out of the room apart from the door and window.” He peered through the murky glass window and sighed. “It’s too high for him to escape by the window and I'll put a guard on the door as well.”

Lord Stanton glared balefully at his son, as if wishing he could pick up James and carry him to the prison himself. James looked away from the hateful stare, so like those in the family pictures. He had
not
killed the riding officer, even though he had been there, in Longman’s Cove.

And yet if he had not, then who had?

Lord Anglethorpe shouldered Lord Stanton from the room. “Come on. The quicker we leave, the faster he'll be ready. It’s not as if he’s going to escape to France.”

Lord Stanton pulled away and brushed at Lord Anglethorpe’s hand. He cast one last red-eyed glare at James and left, shoving a grinning Edgar out of the way. As Lord Anglethorpe pulled the door shut behind him, he stopped and stared at James. With a barely imperceptible flicker of his eyelid, he winked and closed the door with a click.