With a Little Help from My Lord by Bolen Cheryl

Author:Bolen, Cheryl
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2021-12-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

A pained expression crossed Lord Ryde’s face, and his eyes shut tightly. Then he nodded solemnly. “The gold ring featured a black stone upon which a fox stood out in relief.”

Alex’s stomach plunged. That was similar to what Harriett had recalled. Fragmented thoughts bounced around in Alex’s head. He recalled Penry as a lad, his blond locks flowing behind him as he raced across the pitch at Eton. Years later, they had nodded to each other on one of the rare occasions Alex visited White’s. He remembered Harriett’s description of the gentleman who snatched her book and was subsequently killed by an arrow. Harriett’s description of the signet ring on the dead man’s hand flashed into Alex’s memory.

As much as he did not want to believe it, Alex was becoming convinced that Penry was the man killed by an arrow.

“Have you been able to determine how the man was killed?” Alex asked.

“At first they thought he’d been stabbed,” Lord Ryde said. “But they’re not able to determine an exact method of death. The wound appeared to have been round, as from a musket ball, but there was no ball, and the hole was too small.”

Alex felt as if he’d been kicked in the gut. He had no doubts now. The dead man was Penry.

Though each man in this drawing room been shocked and disgusted over the news of Penry’s murder, Lord Holland was taking it the worst. His head was in his hands, his shoulders heaving. The poor sod was crying. It was no wonder everyone liked Lord Holland so well. The man was possessed of an uncommonly sensitive nature.

“And you have no clues as to who could have murdered him?” Alex asked the Home Secretary.

“None,” Lord Ryde said. “I feel beastly since I was the one who assigned him to the mission. I had no notion it would be so dangerous.”

“Are you at liberty to tell us about the nature of the mission?” Alex asked.

Lord Ryde’s gaze circled the chamber, not missing a single man. “Since you are all good patriots, yes. As some of you may know, Penry was formerly an aide-de-camp to Wellington and had extensive experience in clandestine operations. When the Home Office implored him to offer us his services, as a loyal patriot, he did not hesitate to come to London and lend his expertise to the Crown.”

That Penry had spent considerable time in the Peninsula helped Alex understand why the two had seen so little of one another in recent years.

“We never made this public,” Lord Ryde continued, dropping his voice, “but two months ago a close friend of the regent’s was murdered by poison. The contaminated food was meant for the regent. That’s when we discovered there was a plot to assassinate the regent.”

Alex remembered that an equerry to the regent had died several weeks back. His death had been explained as a digestive complaint.

“Was this perpetrated by the Anti-Royalty League?” asked Lord Holland, who lifted his head. His reddened eyes indicated he had, indeed, been crying over Penry’s murder.

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