The Sign of Death by Callie Hutton (children's books read aloud .TXT) 📗

upset she’d been earlier, William was not surprised. “I can leave now and see her home.”

He slapped William on the back. “No need. I’m more than happy to see her home.” He turned and walked back to where William’s mother stood conversing with Lady Margaret.

William studied his mother for a moment. She didn’t look to him as if she was suffering any headache. Before he could march over and demand that he personally see her home, Amy stepped up to his side, a very feminine smile on her face.

“Leave them alone, my lord.”

CHAPTER 24

William looked up as his butler, Madison, entered the library, where he was struggling to make sense of his finances.

“My lord, Mr. Frank Wilson has arrived.”

“Send him in.” He’d been employing Wilson ever since Harding died. His new man of business came highly recommended by Lord Winchester, among others, and William actually felt sorry for the poor man on account of the financial tangle he was having to unravel for him.

“Good morning, my lord.” Wilson strode into the room and extended his arm.

William stood, and they shook hands. “Have a seat.”

Wilson settled in and placed a portfolio on the desk in front of him. He took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “My lord, you are in a mess.”

“Tell me something I do not already know.” William sighed. “What I’m anxious to find out is, can I recover my good name?”

“Absolutely.”

The man’s confident assurance went a long way toward easing William’s anxiety. “I am happy to hear that and am willing to do whatever you think is necessary to clear up this dilemma.”

Wilson pulled a pile of papers out of his portfolio. “One thing I discovered in my efforts to unravel all of this is most likely the reason Mr. Harding went from a reputable man of business to a thief.”

That certainly got William’s attention. “Pray tell.”

“Apparently Mr. Harding chose a very risky investment for a few of his clients.”

“Indeed?”

“Yes. You were one of the investors, as were two others.”

William had a good idea who those other investors were: Lemmon and Montrose. “He never said anything to me about that.”

“Just so.” Wilson studied the paper in front of him. “Rather than advising these clients, it seems, in an effort to recoup his losses, he began taking money from other clients and using it to gamble.”

“Gamble?”

“Yes. In order to keep it as quiet as possible, he made trips to London for that purpose.”

William shook his head. “Only a foolish man attempts to make money on gambling.”

“From what I’ve discovered, he got deeper and deeper into trouble, and dipped once more into your account and then pulled some other shenanigans which are just now coming to light. It was only a matter of time before his nefarious deeds became known.”

It crossed William’s mind that perhaps Harding had not been pushed into the river but had gotten himself drunk on purpose and taken a dive. It would not be the first time a man had done such a thing to escape a bad situation.

“Thank you very much for that information, Wilson. Now I suggest we look at how bad things are and what we can do to correct it.”

It was Tuesday evening, and as the carriage made its way to Amy’s house, William patted his pocket, where he did, in fact, carry a gun. Even though he’d told his mother he didn’t have one and constantly thwarted Amy’s intention to buy one, he did have two pistols locked away in his library.

However, unlike the ladies, who thought they could pick up a gun and shoot anyone who threatened them dead center, he had spent years practicing and was quite confident in his skill.

At least he would not shoot himself in the foot.

On the way home from the Assembly Saturday, William had made one final effort to convince Amy not to accompany him to the pub. But she had been stubborn and adamant.

“We can bring a gun,” she’d said.

He’d pressed his index finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose. “No gun.”

Amy was ready and eager to go when he arrived at her house. However, since fate loved to play little games, Lord Winchester was also home, and invited him in for a drink.

“Where are you off to tonight?” Winchester swirled his brandy and smiled a warm and frightening smile at him.

Well, my lord, I am about to bring your daughter to one of the seedier parts of town. In fact, next to a place where a man was killed. But then, I’m sure you don’t mind. No need to worry, since I am carrying a gun, because once before when we were out and about, we were shot at. May I have some more brandy, please?

“We are making a trip to the bookstore.”

“The bookstore? Don’t you go there every Thursday?” Winchester frowned. “Today is Tuesday.”

William cleared this throat. “Yes, very true. However, the book we are to read for this week’s meeting was unavailable last week, but the store clerk said it would be in today. Late shipment.”

Winchester nodded and then quickly changed the subject, for which William was grateful until he heard the question. “Young man, I would like your support in something.”

Amy glared at her papa, and William got a sinking feeling in his stomach. “Yes, my lord?”

“Amy tells me that you are aware of her writing hobby.”

“Hobby! Papa, I write well-selling books that I make money on.”

Winchester pointed his finger at her. “No matter. A woman has no need to earn money if she has respectable men in her family. Only the lowest of the low must send their wives and daughters out to seek employment.” He took a sip of his brandy. “Am I not right, Wethington?”

How the devil was he going to get out of this one? He decided to play the diplomat. “I agree that there is more female employment in the lower classes.”

He didn’t applaud himself for avoiding the issue, because he knew Amy’s father was not