A Regimental Murder (Capt. Lacey 2) by Ashley Gardner

Author:Ashley Gardner [Gardner, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ashley Gardner
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Thirteen

I looked from the two of them to Grenville. Grenville was scowling at them, and the large man scowled back. The other wet his lips, his gaze flicking to me and back to Grenville.

“You must be mistaken,” he said.

“I’m not,” Grenville said flatly. “I saw you both. You watched the match. I did not know who you were, but I remember you.”

I did not recall seeing either one of them in Kent, but then, I had backed out of the crowd, and later been distracted by Breckenridge and Eggleston. My pulse quickened with my speculations. These men certainly had motive to murder the officers from Badajoz, and now we knew they had been on the spot for Breckenridge’s death.

The smaller man shot his brother an anxious glance. “Shall we sit down, gentlemen? And discuss this?”

He pulled back a straight-legged chair with trembling hand and sat down. Grenville took the seat next to him. His larger brother waited until I’d seated myself, then he joined us. I noted he chose a chair with the least obstructed path to the door.

The smaller gentleman offered his hand. “I am Kenneth Spencer. My brother, John.”

I shook his hand. John Spencer did not offer his. He sat with arms folded, regarding us in deep suspicion. He certainly looked strong enough to break a man’s neck, even a man as muscular as Breckenridge had been.

Keeping my expression neutral, I said, “So you did not go to Norfolk, after all.”

“We had,” Kenneth answered. John shot him a glare, but Kenneth plunged on. “But John discovered that Lord Breckenridge was traveling to Kent and decided we should go there to speak to him.”

“Why?” I asked.

John Spencer unfolded his arms. “By all accounts, Lord Breckenridge was present at my father’s death. That makes me interested in him.”

“And did you speak to him?”

His lip curled. “No. Their lordships do not take kindly to being approached without introduction.”

And the two of them had no doubt closed ranks against Captain Spencer’s sons, just as they had against Pomeroy.

Spencer fell silent as the proprietor brought port for Grenville and coffee for the rest of us. We sipped in tense silence for a moment, then Kenneth took up the tale. “We left Kent immediately after Mr. Sharp had fallen at the end of his match, and reached London that night. We found Mr. Grenville’s letter, sent on from Norfolk, waiting for us. I believed that meeting Captain Lacey would be a good idea.” He glanced at his brother, who scowled back. “Perhaps together we can see an end to this matter.”

“There will be no end until my father’s murder is avenged,” John said fiercely. “Colonel Westin escaped justice, and now Lord Breckenridge has as well.”

“I consider Colonel Westin’s death a blessing,” Kenneth said quickly. “It saved us all from being dragged through the courts. The newspapers were bad enough.”

John frowned at me. “If you gentlemen have come here to convince me to give up my search for the truth, save your breath.

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