“No,” Taviston replied shortly. “We have come to discuss my wife’s kidnapping. Surely you remember? She was taken away from this house under duress, held captive by two men with weapons, and only escaped by using her unqualified resourcefulness.”
“Oh. Of course.” Mr. Browne wrung his hands fretfully. “Dreadful business, that. Please have a seat.” He waved his arm around the room, sweeping over his wife who already ungraciously lounged in a chair.
“I will stand, thank you.” Taviston turned her way and she shook her head slightly. She refused to stay here long, so she would stand as well.
“What is this talk about kidnapping? The girl is unharmed, and it is over and done with.” Louisa exuded boredom.
“I beg your pardon, Mrs. Browne.” Taviston’s voice turned steely. “Did you imagine I would sit by and do nothing after someone had perpetrated a crime against Victoria?”
He glared at Louisa, and Victoria found her brain reeling. What was going on? Mr. Browne continued to look uneasy and clearly would have liked to take a seat. Since Victoria still stood, he could not.
Taviston gripped the back of the divan before him. “I have spent countless hours this past week investigating Victoria’s kidnapping by the two men named Frank and Spade. Finally, two days ago, one of my men discovered the unfortunate Frank in a nasty little pub down by the river.”
“Well, that certainly is a relief. I do hope the unseemly ruffian has been thrown in jail,” Barrett Browne interjected.
Taviston continued on as if the man hadn’t spoken. “Frank was more than willing to talk about the person who hired him. He gave my man a good description of a fellow named Morgan.”
Browne gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. Victoria couldn’t take her eyes from Taviston. Now that she thought it over, the implication of Morgan, the Brownes’ butler, really didn’t surprise her. He had always despised her. But why?
Silence stretched across a minute. Taviston finally spoke again. “Due to his cooperation in this matter, Frank is now on his way to Australia. Unlike the two of you,” he nodded at both Louisa and Barrett, “I was curious as to your butler’s involvement. Frank didn’t know anything more but once we tracked down Spade, things became much clearer.”
Mr. Browne found a feeble semblance of his voice. “What did the man have to say?”
Taviston glanced Victoria’s way, sending her a reassuring look. She watched as he turned to Louisa and his grey eyes hardened with anger.
“Morgan did hire Frank and Spade—at the behest of Mrs. Browne.”
“Taviston!” Victoria could think of nothing more to say. Head spinning, she latched onto the divan to steady herself. As her vision cleared, she focused on her cousin.
Louisa studied her fingernails dispassionately then flicked a glance Victoria’s way. She said with her usual derisiveness, “None of this would have happened if you had stayed in the country, mouse.”
“Louisa! You had me kidnapped?”
Her cousin shrugged. Barrett Browne finally sank into a wing chair as his knees gave way.
“You are not bothering to deny the charge, Mrs. Browne,” Taviston said.
Victoria felt a brief pang of pity for her cousin—she did not ever want to be on the receiving end of such a ruthless tone from her husband.
Louisa shifted in her seat and fiddled with a ring on her finger. “No, I’m not, you sanctimonious prig. I had her kidnapped.”
Taviston smiled, but there wasn’t a hint of amiability to be found on his face. “I do believe you forget who I am, Mrs. Browne. You most certainly forget who you are, if you believe you can escape punishment for this crime.”
An odd, strangled squeak emanated from Barrett Browne’s throat. Victoria’s mind went blank, overwhelmed. Louisa’s hatred of her went far deeper than she had ever imagined.
Her husband caught Mr. Browne’s eye. “Unless you would like to see your wife take up residence in Newgate, you will escort her to Canada forthwith—never to return to England again.”
Louisa finally showed an emotion. “You cannot do such a thing!”
“And why not? You kidnapped my wife, your own cousin, and planned for her to be murdered!”
“Murder?” whispered Mr. Browne.
“What proof have you? Of murder, no less. Morgan is only a servant and you’ve acknowledged that Fred, or Frank, or whoever, has left the country.” Louisa looked proud of her reasoning.
“Spade is currently being held
in Newgate and is more than willing to testify against you. I doubt I will have trouble convincing Morgan to so as well. With the two of them, plus myself bringing the charges, I rather think you might hang.” Taviston spoke with such deadly calm that Victoria shivered.