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“Engage him in a conversation. And…” He paused. “Do you think you’ll be able to make him bend over for a little longer than a brief bow?”

She chewed her lower lip in thought and then nodded confidently.

Perfect.

William disengaged from her and moved a few feet away to grab a glass of wine from an approaching footman. He slowly moved after Pembroke as he got closer to Victoria. Pembroke wasn’t even looking at her, so concentrated was he on the exit, but she blocked his path.

He paused, startled by her sudden appearance, and as agreed, she quickly engaged him in conversation. Though usually morose, Pembroke even smiled a little.

William curled his fingers into a fist. This was a ploy, he calmed himself. His ploy, and he needed to not wreck it.

He moved closer still, and when he was about a foot away, Victoria deftly, and rather gracefully, dropped a handkerchief to the floor.

William’s handkerchief.

Just as a gentleman would, Pembroke bent down to retrieve it. With nimble fingers, William plucked his chain from his neck and pulled out a key. He quickly hid it in his pocket before the man straightened and handed Victoria her handkerchief.

Pembroke glanced around sharply, as if sensing something amiss. William smoothly joined Victoria’s side and offered her a glass of wine.

“Thank you, dear husband,” she replied, beaming up at him.

William returned a doting smile before bowing politely to their host. “Pembroke.”

The earl bowed curtly in answer, then excused himself from the ballroom.

Victoria raised a questioning brow, and William gave a subtle nod of confirmation. “You were perfect,” he said with a smile.

Her eyes shone with joy as she looked at him. His wife was so beautiful. He wanted nothing more than to kiss that lovely smile.

“Wait here for me,” William murmured, already moving to disengage from her.

“I can help,” she protested.

He flashed an indulgent smile and bowed. “Better if I go alone.”

It had to be a five-minute job. There was a risk that Pembroke had felt him pilfer the key off his neck, and William wouldn’t allow Victoria to be caught up in that.

He exited the ballroom and quickly rushed downstairs toward Pembroke’s study. It was located on the first floor, and William prayed he wouldn’t run into anyone on the way.

Luckily for him, the corridor was clear. He easily made his way to the study, unlocked the door, and with the aid of the key, opened the safe.

He found a dark brown leather journal in there and hid it in the inside pocket of his coat. He locked the safe back up, left the key on the desk, and withdrew from the study.

It was easy. Too easy.

William climbed the staircase back to the second floor when he heard the sounds of… gurgling? A couple of lovebirds might have been hiding under the stairs for an intimate meeting, but it didn’t sound like that. Unless they were doing something he’d never done before.

Curiosity overtook him, and he moved toward the sound. He rounded the stairwell and paused in horror.

Just under the staircase lay Porter, blood gushing out of his neck.

Without thinking, William hurried to his aid. Perhaps he could apply a tourniquet and save the man. But as he felt Porter’s absent pulse, he realized he was too late.

William sprung to his feet and rushed back to the ballroom. Getting caught crouching over a dead body would not be the best turn of events. Especially not for him. Especially not when he had Wolverstone’s journal in the inner pocket of his jacket.

He stormed into the ballroom and quickly found Victoria only a few feet away from the door, nervously fiddling with her gloves. “We need to leave, now,” he murmured.

“Why, what’s wrong? Were you caught?” she whispered frantically.