“A simple, compelling tale.” Harbury drummed his fingers against the desk. “Of course, John pledged to help.”
Neville nodded. “He not only pledged to help, but he also offered to marry her himself.”
Harbury whistled. “Love at first sight?”
“So he claims.” A year ago, Neville would have scoffed. But a year ago, he hadn’t yet met Millie. “John arranged to meet her again the next day. That afternoon, he rented a horse, headed out of town, and reserved a room at an inn she directed him to find. On his next walk through the park, he slipped her the key to the room as well as his ring, in case she needed something to pawn.”
“He didn’t take her to the inn?” Harbury asked.
Neville shook his head. “They decided against traveling together, at least during the trip’s first part. She went by foot, keeping out of sight of the road. He was to meet her that night.”
“For a helpless young woman, she certainly did not hesitate to act.”
“I know.” Neville shook his head. “Why he couldn’t see…” He shrugged. “In any case, Miss Wilson—if that even is her name—let him into the room he’d rented. First, she apologized. Then, she started to scream…”
Harbury winced in sympathy with John.
Neville rubbed his forehead. “When the innkeeper unlocked the door and “caught” John grasping the young lady by the arms, Miss Wilson, according to John, appeared genuinely terrified. Between the young lady’s tears, and the crowd’s moral outrage, they refused to listen to his pleas of innocence. John found himself locked in the room. However, he managed to escape out the window while the Justice of the Peace was taking down the girl’s statement.”
“At least he had presence of mind enough for that! But what of the girl?”
“After giving her version of events, she, too disappeared. But if, as I suspect, she was not acting on her own, but as the tempting lure in someone else’s plot against John, I can’tunderstand why she gave a false name for John. Or why she didn’t turn over John’s ring as proof.”
“Be grateful she did not,” Harbury commented.
“Believe me, I am.” Although, as long as the ring was in Willard’s possession, the ring was the Sword of Damocles—a source of constant anxiety. “But her version of events, and the statements of witnesses accurately describing John, still exist. I cannot rest easy, nor allow John back into Society, until I can fully clear his name.”
“You say John was staying with your mother at the time. What does Aunt Jane have to say?”
Neville cleared his throat. “I’ve tried to keep her out of this as much as possible.” In fact, he’d instructed John not to tell their mother anything at all. She could only complicate matters. “All she knows now is the excuse John gave her the night he planned to elope—that he had received word from me and needed to return to London.”
“I am surprised she has not questioned his extended absence. I know she would want to help.”
“She would, but I don’t want her involved.”
Harbury lifted his brows in a manner that indicated his disapproval.
Neville held firm.
The whole situation had grown increasingly sordid, and he had an obvious responsibility to keep his mother from the worst. Still, Harbury was right. In fact, she was growing increasingly alarmed and would not believe the excuse Neville gave—that he’d sent John to settle a family concern on a remote Scottish estate—which showed that she had a keen sense something was very wrong.
Finally, Harbury spoke again. “You said you suspected someone else of taking part in the plot. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Nothing, right now.” Harbury’s immediate offer lifted a small portion of Neville’s burden, even though he knew he could not accept. “I only told you what I have because Uncle Farnsworth insisted. I’ve been searching without luck for the mysterious Miss Wilson. But I have madesomeprogress.”
“You’ve found the ring?”
He sighed.Damn Harbury’s intuition!“I have an inkling of where to look…”
“But you’re not going to share that inkling with me?”
“Forgive me, but I cannot reveal the details. Not yet.” Harbury and Willard’s father shared business and political interests dating back to the old duke’s days. Before he tore apart those alliances, he wanted to have the witness identify the man who’d hosted the party. “I can tell you the person I believe engaged the young lady to trap my brother has his ring.”
Harbury’s eyes narrowed. “You suspect a specific person?”
Neville nodded. “But without any evidence, it would be unwise to accuse him.” Few people knew of the bad blood between himself and Willard, but Neville was certain Willard would try to twist their history to discredit him. “He is dangerous. And without evidence, I can’t demand he return John’s property, can I?”
“What ifImade the demand?”