Lady Prescott's Confidential Matter by Eliza Lloyd

Author:Eliza Lloyd
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: 0
Published: 2016-02-08T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The Farrells were gathered in Imogene’s front sitting room, only the second time they’d all been together in the past five odd years. Lily bothered Charlie for nearly an hour, but had ignored Danny altogether, before Imogene sent her away to play with the other children.

“What are we going to do?” Imogene asked. “We owe him so much.”

Danny was dressed in fine togs, with a white shirt and matching wool waistcoat and jacket with serviceable trousers—a gentleman farmer. Charlie wore a darker jacket and trousers, and carried his Latin and Greek texts in a glossy leather satchel with his initials, the one she’d given him for his ordination ceremony.

“I think we have to consider Jack is dead,” Danny said.

“No! Charlie, tell him. It’s just not possible.” She wouldn’t believe it. She couldn’t.

“Imogene, what do you want me to say? He wouldn’t just walk away from his sons or his mother. Or you. I talked with Maxwell before I left London—the MPs have nothing. They’ve interviewed everyone twice, including Geoff Shiffington. They say there is no evidence of foul play.”

“And they are just going to ignore the fact Shiffington admitted to seeing Jack after he left here? He was the last one to see Jack. That means something. I kept my promise to you, Charlie. Maybe I shouldn’t have.”

“What promise?” Danny asked.

“She wanted to question Shiffington herself.”

Imogene stared hard at Charlie. She would have punched his leg had she been sitting next to him.

“Why?” Danny asked, glancing from one to the other.

“Because I know him. I know what he is capable of,” Imogene said.

“Because of the time you spent with Jack?”

“Why do I need to explain? Just believe me,” she said.

“Tell me what happened. You both look guilty as hell,” Danny said.

Imogene had carried the burden for many years, especially when she looked at Lily. “You might as well know.” She explained as succinctly as she could. There was no longer a reason to question Lily’s paternity. Jack had acknowledged what he saw as the truth and that was enough for Imogene.

But explaining such a vile physical assault to one’s own brother...what a hard thing.

Danny ran his fingers over his forehead and then brushed his hand back, messing his combed hair. “You should have told Jack.”

“Do you want to guess how many times in my life I’ve regretted not telling him? Especially about Catherine. But that’s in the past, and all I want to know is what we can do now. We were clever little turnips once.”

“There is nothing to do. If Shiffington harmed Jack, he will never admit it.”

“You mean he might get away with murder?”

“Imo, you’re letting your emotions get in the way of logic.”

“He’s the man I love. Of course my emotions are in the way. They are behind every door and under every cover. They face me in the mirror in the morning and scare me when the light is put out. I don’t know what you expect.”

Charlie glanced toward the door. “Hallo, Todd. How are you?”

Todd’s lips were pressed together.

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