Page 111

“I am very sorry,” she said.

Mr. Harris inclined his head.

“For years, the church has helped the families who lost their men. We knew someone was providing the money, but we did not know it came from His Grace.”

Marina turned to Ambrose.

He looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“I never thought it necessary to make a spectacle of it,” he murmured.

“No,” Marina said softly. “I do not suppose you did.”

Mr. Harris continued, “When we heard what was happening to Lady Emma, we thought it was time we did something in return.”

Marina frowned.

“What could the mining families possibly have to do with Douglas?”

“More than we realized,” the vicar replied.

He glanced toward Ambrose.

“Perhaps we ought to explain what happened after the ball.”

Marina felt her heart give a painful little thud.

After the ball. After Ambrose had told her to take Emma and leave him. After he had disappeared without another word.

“Please do.”

Lady Beatrice drew a breath.

“Yesterday evening, I overheard part of a conversation concerning the Earl of Rutland. I heard enough to understand that he was demanding control of His Grace’s property in exchange for allowing Lady Emma to remain with you, Your Grace. I spoke to the vicar after the ball. My family was staying with my cousin, who lives in Griffin, and the vicar happened to call upon her.”

“I was making my rounds,” the vicar explained. “There were several families staying in the village rather than attempting the roads after dark. I had hoped to see that everyone had somewhere warm to spend the night.”

“And when Lady Beatrice told me what she had overheard,” he continued, “I went to find His Grace.”

Marina looked at Ambrose.

“Where were you?”

“I had gone out to clear my head.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“I was not thinking very clearly.”

That, at least, was something she could believe.

“The vicar found me near the church,” Ambrose said. “He told me what Lady Beatrice had heard, and I went with him to the vicarage. That is where I was all night and day.”

“But the sun…”

“The vicar has a study with heavy curtains and shutters. We closed them before dawn.”

Marina stared at him.