A Woman Scorned by Liz Carlyle

Author:Liz Carlyle
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi

Chapter 8

Lady Mercer's dark and dangerous Tale

Jonet's story was simple enough. The New Year's Eve dinner was a tradition at Mercer House. Despite the fact that much of society removed to the country for the winter, a table of a dozen or so close friends and family members could always be counted upon each year. This year the evening had been relatively informal, and the meal unremarkable. No one had been taken ill, although most had imbibed heartily of both food and drink. Afterward, a few guests had withdrawn to a card table at the far end of the drawing room, while the more energetic had danced until the early hours of the morning.

"And who was in attendance?" asked Cole. "Can you recall?"

"Oh, I shall never forget," Jonet answered hollowly. "But why am I telling you all of this?" Her distant gaze drifted across the room, refusing to hold his. "Why do you care? I do not understand you, Cole."

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he understood himself no better than she did. "Just tell me, Jonet," he answered instead, his voice too rough.

Succinctly, she nodded. "Yes, all right. There was Lord James, of course. And Edmund and Anne Rowland. William and Lady Constance Carlough. And David—"

"You mean Lord Delacourt?" asked Cole sharply.

"Yes, of course," answered Jonet, as if there was nothing unusual about a lady of the ton inviting her lover into her husband's home.

And indeed, there was not. Cole found such understandings distasteful, but they were hardly unusual. Moreover, his opinion was of little consequence. "Yes, go on."

Jonet snared her lip as if struggling to remember. "There was Lord Waldborogh, and his widowed sister, Lady Diana Trimble, whom I believe Henry ogled for the better part of the evening. Oh! And Lord and Lady Pace."

"Pace?" Cole frowned. "I thought he and Mercer were on opposite ends of most debates."

Jonet smiled weakly. "Henry was always on the end which best suited his purposes. I believe that of late, Lord Pace had persuaded him to his side on a number of issues, but nothing of any consequence."

Cole filed that fact away for later consideration. Jonet's tone was still emotionless, as if she had considered these very same details a hundred times. Perhaps she had.

"And who else, Jonet?" he gently prodded.

"Sir Ronald Holt, Henry's gaming companion, and his wife." She drew a deep, shuddering breath. "And of course, there was Mrs. Lanier." Her voice dropped a note. "I daresay you know who she is?" Jonet's tone made it plain that she did.

Cole paused for several seconds, then discreetly cleared his throat. "I understand," he answered carefully, "that she and your late husband were... close."

"As often as possible." Jonet gave a harsh laugh. "But Glorianna seemed harmless enough."

Cole caught the strain in her voice. " 'Seemed'? Have you now reason to believe otherwise?"

Jonet shrugged, sending the blanket slithering back down her shoulder. Inwardly, Cole sighed, but he dared not touch her again. "Oh, Ellen wants to believe Glorianna killed Henry—but I cannot agree.

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