The Second Shot (The Dueling Pistols) (38 page)
Read The Second Shot (The Dueling Pistols) Online
Authors: Katy Madison
His wife flew across the room and pulled open a drawer. She pulled out several newspapers, then stuffed them in his hands. "This is her. I tossed her body overboard. I didn't kill her. I never thought about becoming her until she was dead. It says...it says in there she died naturally."
He looked down and saw that the paper was folded to an article about an unidentified body, of a young gentlewoman found in the Thames.
He put them on the dresser. "I shall read them later." Right now he had to inform Felicity that her real niece was dead and his wife was an impostor.
When he entered the drawing room, he found the two remaining Lungren sisters taking tea with Felicity. He sat down woodenly and accepted the cup of tea from Felicity.
"Mr. Bedford, we would like to return this to you."
He reached out and took the costly deed to the Lungren estate. He looked up at Miss Lungren.
She smiled.
He should have tried to marry
her.
She was worth a fortune herself now, what with the sacks of guineas they'd discovered hidden in the walls, and her inheriting Lord Carlton's estate when he did not survive his apoplexy attack.
"We think you should have it, since you did so much to find out who the killer was," Miss Carolyn said.
"And were shot at," Miss Lungren added.
"Twice."
"It is not the losing proposition it once was, since all the original land is restored to the property."
"And Lord Carlton kept no record of the land sales we made to him." Carolyn added.
"So please, with our sincerest gratitude, keep the estate. You won it fair and square from Jonathon. I think, under the circumstances, he would have wanted you to have it."
"We just consider the payments Lord Carlton made to Ros as restitution for his crime against her, instead of purchases of land."
"I know the house is in disrepair, but I think it could be made habitable again."
William thought he might cry. "This is too much."
"Not really, Mr. Bedford. We neither one of us ever want to go back there," said Miss Lungren.
"It is not a fond place for us. So please keep it."
The ladies took their leave, and William was left staring dumbfounded at the deed to the Lungren estate. He looked up to find Felicity watching him.
"You know, I think with that estate being so close to London, you could really turn quite a profit if you raised chickens. Fresh fowl are always in demand. Please feel free to use Diana's dowry for your nest egg, so to speak."
"My wife is not your niece," he blurted out.
"I know," said Felicity.
"You know?"
"You showed me the marriage certificate. It didn't bear my niece's name. Or her signature."
"And you didn't say anything."
"I was not sure how much you knew, and I introduced her to society as my niece." Felicity shrugged. "You might hold me accountable."
"And you were still going to give her the dowry?" William asked incredulously.
"I shan't miss it. And I thought we all agreed to keep our silence on all the scandals. My niece was always sickly. I suspect she died, and—Margaret, is it?—decided to take her place. Do you want me to denounce her? Announce to the world that we were all duped?"
William shook his head.
Felicity stood and moved over to him putting her hand on his shoulder. "I suspect she—whoever she is—rather loves you. And that is what really matters, is it not?"
"Absolutely," agreed Tony as he entered the room from what once was the green drawing room. "Come see what the workers have done, love. I, for one, am glad to see those crocodiles go."
Visit Katy on the web at
http://www.katymadison.com/
Other books by Katy Madison at Amazon
Tainted by Temptation ~ Avon Books
All About Seduction ~ Avon Books
Free Extra Epilogue to All About Seduction
The Wedding Duel
The Wedding Runaway
Secret Valentine & Stealing Sterling
As K.T. Madison
A Bright Hot Light
As Kate Madison from Harlequin Historicals~Coming soon:
Bride by Mail in 2013
Promised by Post tba
Cast
Main Characters:
Felicity Merriwether ~ our heroine
Major Anthony Sheridan (Tony) ~ our hero
Charles Merriwether ~ Felicity's son
William Bedford ~ a fortune hunter
Margaret Brown (Meg) ~ an imposter
Secondary Characters:
(some on scene, some not)
Lord Algany ~ a roué
Lord Brumly ~ an old roué
Lord Carlton ~ MP
Lieutenant Casey ~ a former officer of Tony's (deceased)
Keene Davies ~ old school friend of Tony's (The Wedding Duel)
Sophie Davies ~ Keene's wife (The Wedding Duel)
Diana Fielding ~ Felicity's niece by marriage
Thomas Fielding ~ Diana's father, Felicity's brother-in-law (deceased)
Lady Greyston ~ Felicity's mother
Sir Edmund Greyston ~ Felicity's father
Amelia Keeting ~ wife of a friend of Tony's
George Keeting ~ a school friend of Tony's
Regina Keeting ~ daughter of Amelia Keeting
Captain Jonathon Lungren ~ served under Tony
Carolyn Lungren ~ Capt. Lungren's youngest sister
Jocelyn Lungren ~ Capt. Lungren's middle sister
Rosalyn Lungren ~ Capt. Lungren's oldest sister
Mrs. Lungren ~ Capt. Lungren's mother
Aaron Lungren ~ Capt. Lungren's oldest brother (deceased)
Norman Lungren ~ Capt Lungren's next oldest brother (deceased)
Layton Merriwether ~ Felicity's husband (deceased)
Lieutenant Randleton (Randy) ~ Tony's main sidekick
Lord Wedmont ~ school friend of Tony's (The Wedding Duel)
Molly ~ the Lungrens' maid
Physician (Phys) ~ the dog
Table of Contents