“I returned to that place.” Lord Wiltsham shot William a glance. “It may have been unwise of me, but I wanted to see if I could meet with anyone who had been there that night.”
William looked over at him.
“And were you successful?”
Lord Wiltsham shook his head.
“It was claimed that I had never set foot in that establishment before. My anger became so great that I had to step away and the door was closed so firmly behind me that I do not think I would ever be permitted again to enter.”
“I am sorry for that. But you were wise to go and seek out answers in the very place you lost your fortune.”
Why have I never thought of doing such a thing?
“Lord Gillespie does not appear to be at home. Either that or his butler is so slow and deaf that he has not heard our knocking!” Changing the subject, Lord Wiltsham knocked again, for what was the third time, on the heavy door. “You are certain that this was the correct time for us to call?”
“Yes, I am quite certain.”
His frustration getting the better of him. William put out one hand and turned the door handle and, much to his surprise, it opened without any difficulty. There was nothing locking it from the inside, then.
“Whatever are you doing?” Lord Wiltsham hissed, putting out one hand to hold William back. “We cannot simply walk into another gentleman’s house!”
“But we have been invited,” William reminded him. “Given that he was the one who sent us to that particular place in London where we all lost our fortunes, I have no intention of being left standing on his doorstep. He ought not to hide!” His frustration still pushing him forward, William stepped into the house and looked around. It was a little dim but, given that there was no bright sunshine today, that was to be expected. No servants moved around the house, and neither did the butler appear, despite the fact that William lifted his voice and called for him. His words echoed around the seemingly empty house and William’s stomach twisted. “Something is wrong.”
Lord Wiltsham snorted.
“There is nothing wrong. Lord Gillespie clearly does not wish to speak to us and has decided to pretend he is not at home. Perhaps, he has left the house entirely, to avoid us!”
“But that does not explain why there are no servants.” William took some steps forward, his footsteps echoing on the floor. “Nor does it explain why we received a note from him encouraging us to call today. Why would he send such a note if he was not expecting us to arrive?”
Lord Wiltsham threw up his hands.
“I do not know, but all the same, I feel most uncomfortable walking into another gentlemen’s house without his permission. I think we should simply return home and write to Lord Gillespie again thereafter. Our reputations are damaged enough already. We do not want to make anything worse.”
William shook his head.
“If you wish to take your leave, I shall not hold it against you. For myself, I am determined to find Lord Gillespie, wherever he is hiding, and demand the answers that I have requested.”
It was as though Lord Gillespie held William’s future tightly in his hands. Either William could leave him to cling onto it, to hide any brightness from the rest of his life, or he could find him and demand that it be released from his grip. Making his way forward into the house, he marched swiftly across the hallway and down towards Lord Gillespie’s drawing room and study. He had been in this house before, but the memory of which room was which was lost to him. He tried one room and then the next, walking through the parlor, the library, and the drawing room until he came to what he assumed was Lord Gillespie’s study.
“It is very strange, I grant you, that there is no one else present in the house.”
William’s skin prickled as Lord Wiltsham’s voice echoed behind him. Turning, he lifted one eyebrow.
“You decided to remain then.”
Lord Wiltsham said nothing, leaving William to turn the handle of the study door and step inside.
As soon as he did, everything changed in an instant, for Lord Gillespie was present, certainly, but from the way he was slumped across the desk, William realized that he was almost certainly dead.
“Whatever is the matter?” Stepping in behind William, Lord Wiltsham let out a gasp of horror. “Good gracious! Do you think he is...?”
“Given that his eyes are open, but he is not moving, I would say that yes, Lord Gillespie is no longer of this world.”
William’s shock caused his heart to beat painfully fast. Blood was roaring in his ears, and he could not lift his hand from the door handle.
“We should leave.” Lord Wiltsham’s hand grasped William’s arm. “Come, wemustdepart.”
William did not move, despite his friend’s insistent hand. He stared at the slumped figure of Lord Gillespie, devastation filling his mind. Lord Gillespie was dead. Then he could tell them nothing about why he had sent them to the gambling houses in the east end of London. He could give them no explanation, could not tell them whether or not he had been involved in the scheme.