The Vital Principle (27 page)

Denham stood. “What?”

“His
wife
?” Miss Spencer’s pale cheeks turned even paler as she clutched the arms of her chair.

The others gasped and whispered to each other, breaking off when Miss Brumbly cleared her throat. “Lord Crowley fell dreadfully in love and married this darling girl out of hand.” She caught Miss Spencer’s shocked gaze and stammered, “Are you Miss Spencer? The betrothed?”

“Yes,” the girl replied in a faint voice.

“He had intended to break the news gently to you, my dear. He held you in the highest esteem. In fact, it’s my understanding he intended to introduce his new bride during this very house party. Well, unfortunately, um—well, it wasn’t to be,” she finished lamely. She glanced at Knighton as seeking his approval.

He smiled. Miss Brumbly patted Crowley’s widow on the knee as if she were a child barely out of leading strings and nodded encouragingly.

“Then this young lady is the widow of the deceased?” Timberlake asked in a stunned voice.

“Yes. Unfortunately,” the dowager replied. A look of consternation passed over her face. “That is, yes. Yes, she is. It’s lovely news, isn’t it?” she asked in a weak voice.

“I see. Well, that certainly changes the situation considerably.”

“So—” May said before Miss Brumbly grabbed her wrist. “So—I—should—think,” she enunciated each word clearly. Miss Brumbly released her hold and patted the widow’s forearm.

“And you have proof of this…marriage?”

“Oh—yes,” May replied. “Yes—indeed.”

“I’ve looked the papers over,” Knighton added. “They’re legal. Perhaps we can discuss the details after the reading of the will, Mr. Timberlake?”

The papers shook between Timberlake’s twitching fingers. “Yes, of course. I should state, however, that the deceased’s will was made before I was aware of this change in his status.” He flashed a quick glance at May. “Long before he married this fair damsel. So the circumstances of his marriage change things considerably. Except for specific behests to various individuals seated in this room, the bulk of the estate will, of course, go to his wife—”

“And—child.” May’s veil puffed out with the force of her words. Despite the gauzy film over her face, it was clear that May was smiling.

Again, numerous gasps broke the silence.

“A child?” Timberlake repeated.

“Yes.” She complacently folded her hands in her lap.

Timberlake’s gaze shifted to Mr. Hereford. He stared back with his craggy face set in immobile lines. If anything, he appeared bored with the news that he’d have to wait several months before knowing if he had inherited the Crowley title and entailed property.

“I see,” Timberlake drawled. “That does indeed change things. Although it is premature at this juncture to discuss the disposition of the property.” He stared at the papers on the desk for a few minutes before glancing up again, his eyes drifting from one face to another. “As I stated earlier, the easiest course shall be to go through the simple behests. When we have concluded that business, I shall meet with the members of the immediate family to discuss how to proceed in light of the late Lord Crowley’s marriage and possible heir. Are there any objections?” He tapped his fingers impatiently.

“Get on with it,” Mr. Hereford replied. “There’s no need to draw it out. We understand the situation plainly enough.”

“Very good.” Mr. Timberlake studied the papers, running a finger down the top sheet until he reached the midpoint. He glanced up. “Lord Alvin Thompson and Mr. George Denham, Esquire, you are bequeathed a shelf of books. The exact shelf is described as second from the top in the bookcase directly opposite the library door. You may divide the books between the two of you as you see fit. There is also a suggestion that Miss Fanny Howard may be interested in a volume or two. You are to give her the opportunity to look them over and make her own selection.”

Thompson’s brittle laugh cut through the puzzled silence. Denham slowly turned an angry red.

Stiffening, Knighton remembered the books only too well. The shelf contained Lord Crowley’s pornography. To mention Miss Howard in the behest was a brutal insult if anyone discovered the subject matter.

Thankfully, at least Denham seemed decent enough to protect her if Lord Thompson should fail to do so.

While he could not condone the poisoning of any man, Knighton was beginning to develop a deep appreciation for the motivation behind the action.

The man deserved his fate.

“I know the shelf. I’ll take care of the matter,” Thompson said through stiff lips.

“Burn them,” Denham added abruptly.

Thompson’s gray eyes darkened ominously. “I said I’d take care of it. We can discuss it later. In private.”

“Agreed,” replied Denham, his face still mottled crimson.

“You may do with them as you wish, gentlemen. They are your property, although you should inquire into Miss Howard’s wishes before you do dispose of them. Books can be very valuable,” Timberlake replied, flipping over the first page to peruse the second. “Mr. Jekyll, Lord Crowley wished me to inform you in these precise words that although he declines your kind offer for the fields immediately adjacent to the property commonly referred to as West Farm, he bequeaths to you however much land you can fit into a farmer’s cart.” Mr. Timberlake's mouth pursed with distaste, but he made no apologies for his client.

Mr. Jekyll grunted, rubbing a heavily veined hand repeatedly over his thigh. “Bastard—I beg your pardon, Lady Crowley.” He laughed harshly. “Just his sense of humor, I suppose. A joke, nothing more. No harm done.”

“It is good of you to take it that way, Mr. Jekyll. I’m sure you are correct,” Timberlake said. “I’m afraid, Miss Spencer, he did not mention you directly. However, on his last visit to our offices, he did indicate you should be allowed to retain a pearl necklace which I gather he had already given it to you as a betrothal gift in the event anything happened before you married. I apologize. I realize this must be difficult, but I believe he may have been considering breaking your engagement at that time. However, he refrained from mentioning the matter to me during that visit.”

“I—” Miss Spencer touched her neck, although it was bare of any jewelry and only framed by the black lace edging her neckline. “I have no wish to keep something that rightfully belongs to his…bride. I shall return it at once.”

“As you wish,” Timberlake said. His restless fingers picked up a quill and annotated the paper.

“Thank you,” May simpered, her fingers fluttering over the lower edge of her veil. Miss Brumbly rested her hand lightly on May’s forearm as if in warning.

Knighton realized he’d been holding his breath in anticipation of May's next statement and let out a deep breath. Miss Brumbly’s gesture stopped her before she showed an ill-bred lack of sympathy. He leaned back in his chair.

“The dowager, of course, retains the right to use Dower House, as well as her family property in Sussex. An allowance of eight hundred pounds per annum shall be granted to her during her lifetime.”

“Eight hundred pounds?” the dowager repeated, her voice rising. When everyone turned their heads in her direction, she cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. She stared at Timberlake, her lips in a thin line.

“Yes.” Timberlake said, refraining from comment.

The allowance was not generous. Could the estates simply not bear a larger sum, or was Henry Crowley as much a bastard in death as he had been in life?

His mother appeared devoted to him. And judging by her ability to overrule him on the matter of Miss Barnard, it appeared he stood in awe of her. Nonetheless, this would not be the first time a mother had overlooked the sins of her child. In Crowley’s case, he had waited until death to get revenge against her control.

“That is the last of the behests except a few trifling amounts for servants, including one hundred pounds for a maid, May Allen.”

Once more, Knighton held his breath, waiting for reactions from the three women who knew what this meant. There was nary a sound. Not even a startled gasp interrupted the silence.

“Now, I would like to request a private conference with Dowager Crowley, Mr. Hereford, and Lady Crowley.” He nodded in the direction of May. He clearly had not guessed that the maid, May Allen, and Crowley’s young widow were one and the same. Hopefully, no one would enlighten him. If May were intelligent, she’d give up the one hundred pounds in view of her much more substantial inheritance as the new Lady Crowley.

Denham and Thompson rose first, following by Mr. Jekyll, who almost forgot his quiet wife. When he reached the door, he turned and gestured to her impatiently. Finally, Miss Spencer rose, her eyes dazed and fixed on May’s veiled face.

“You seem familiar, somehow,” she murmured, taking a step toward her.

Miss Brumbly leapt to her feet. She stood between the betrothed and the widow. “Oh, dear,” she muttered. “Truly, we’re very sorry. And to hear that your betrothed loved another in this terrible way must be very upsetting.”

“Yes, but I—”

“Perhaps a cup of tea?” Miss Brumbly tucked her hand under Miss Spencer’s dangling arm. “Shall we go home and have a nice cup?”

“And ask Graham to send refreshments to us here,” the dowager said.

The more Knighton saw of Miss Brumbly, the more he realized how deftly she protected May. The slender, gray-haired woman appeared scatterbrained and vague, but she knew her business and kept May well away from trouble. As long as the young widow continued to cooperate and kept her mouth closed, she might pull off her sudden rise in social status.

“Do you intend to stay?” Mr. Timberlake asked, his pale eyes focusing on Knighton.

Stay and watch Crowley’s uncle, Stephen? Or find Denham and question him about the poison? Which course would yield the most information?

While he hesitated, the dowager waved at him impatiently. “Stay if you wish. I have no objections. Though I doubt it will assist you in finding my son’s murderer.” She flicked a glance at Mr. Hereford before resting her gaze on May.

“You are pursuing that inquiry?” Timberlake studied him with interest. “I had no idea the family hired you for that purpose.”

“Not originally,” he replied. “But I was present when Lord Crowley met his unfortunate end. It seemed expedient that I investigate.”

“Yes,” Lady Crowley interrupted. “I agreed. My son, Henry, imprudently brought Mr. Gaunt here. Against my wishes, I might add. However since he is here, I’ve allowed him to look into matters—” A hitch broke her voice. “That Lord Thompson….”

“Lord Thompson?” Knighton asked.

Lady Crowley fidgeted. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”

“Slander,” Timberlake said quietly as if to himself.

“Why did you mention Lord Thompson?” Knighton asked.

“No reason. Forgive me,” the dowager said.

When she refused to say more, he made a note to ask her later why she’d mentioned Lord Thompson’s name. Did she believe him to be responsible for the murder? Had she remembered something?

“Shall we continue, then?” Timberlake looked at May. “Obviously, I shall need to see your marriage lines.” He clasped his hands and laid them on the desk, leaning forward slightly while his gaze roved over his audience. “But we shall assume they are all properly signed and witnessed. Since there is the possibility of an heir, we shall be unable to settle the question of the title and the entailed properties until we know the sex of any living issue from this union. In the meantime, perhaps our new Lady Crowley would consider increasing her mother-in-law’s portion? I recommended to Lord Crowley that he reconsider several of his…behests. I suggested a thousand pounds a year to make life comfortable for his mother in Dower House. However, Lord Crowley chose the smaller amount. There was no need. The estates could easily cover double that amount.”

When all the eyes in the room rested on May, she took a giggling breath that nearly sucked her veil into her mouth. “I'm sure I, uh,
will
take this under advisement, sir,” she said slowly.

Knighton hoped she meant it. The gesture would go a long way towards making the dowager accept her.

“Now, Mr. Hereford, I regret we cannot settle matters for you as I previously anticipated. If Lord Crowley’s widow should bring forth a male heir, that child will inherit the title of baron, as well as the manor house and entailed estates. However, if the widow should bring forth a female or if no issue survives, then the title and estates shall, of course, revert to you.”

“I understand.” Mr. Hereford waved a negligent hand, watching Lady Crowley. “I never expected to inherit. My son Charles and I will do quite well without it, I assure you.”

“We shall see, won’t we?” Timberlake replied, again rustling through the papers on the desk. Finally, he rolled them neatly and tied a red ribbon around the scroll. “Now, are there any questions? Lady Crowley?”

“No, none.” She moved her hand slightly. To Knighton’s surprise, Mr. Hereford reached over and briefly squeezed her hand.

Prohibited degrees of marriage
. The phrase clanged through his mind like the peel of a church bell.

“Excuse me, Lady Crowley,” he said. Both widows swiveled their heads to stare at him. “That is, dowager.” He nodded toward her. “Your husband passed away ten months ago?”