“We needn’t talk about this right now. Later, when you’re feeling better . . .”
“No, I think I must.” He gave her a faint smile. “I’d rather they not succeed. So it would seem the only recourse is to find him and stop him.”
“Very well.” She sat down on the bed beside him. “Who—do you have any idea who it is?”
“As you’re the one who stopped it, I think it’s safe to assume it’s not you.”
“James! Don’t even joke about such a thing.”
“My guess is my loving brother. It’s Claude who will inherit the title and the estate. Until I married you, he doubtless assumed I would leave him all the rest, as well—or at least the bulk of it.”
“There could be other reasons. Other people.”
“You’re saying there are a number of people who would like to see me dead?”
“No.” She grimaced. “I didn’t mean that. But it would be careless not to look at other possibilities. The apothecary could have added the mercury to your treatment.”
“True, but why? I hardly know the man. Besides, it would be rather hard for him to put the pan of mercury beneath my bed unnoticed. I think it must be someone here. Besides my family, that leaves only the servants. Any one of them could have been bribed, obviously.”
“A big risk to take for a bribe,” Laura pointed out. “They’d face the gallows if caught.”
“That’s one reason I’m inclined to put the staff at the bottom of my list. That leaves my family.”
“And Mr. Netherly.”
“The poet?” He snorted. “Yes, I suppose he could have done it, though I don’t see how it would help him in any way. That leaves us with the family. It’s the near and dear who would benefit most.”
“I think we can exempt your mother.”
“One would hope.”
“But you left money for all the others. Even if it is in a trust, it would mean more money—and one could easily assume that the trustees might be easier to persuade than you.”
“Yes. The same would apply for Sir Laurence’s trust. If I am gone, it would fall to his attorney and our banker, with his friend Blankenship as the third trustee. Everyone knows Blankenship is a soft touch, and our banker is more or less putty in Mother’s hands. No doubt she could talk them into any idiotic thing Patricia or Walter wants.”
“Claude doesn’t receive money from it?”
“No. Claude got his share. He was already twenty-one, and he’s never been a spendthrift. Sir Laurence wanted to protect Patricia’s funds from Archie. Walter was still quite young, and money goes through Tessa’s hands like water. Those were his major concerns.”
“Does that mean that Walter will get his portion when he reaches a certain age?”
James nodded. “At twenty-one, he gets one third, another third at twenty-five, then the rest at thirty.”
“So he will be coming into money fairly soon. It would be easier, not to mention safer, to wait.”
“True. But Walter’s hallmark is his impulsivity. Maybe he’s too impatient to wait another year. Besides, the amount he receives at twenty-one is subject to the trustees’ approval. We have to agree that he’s mature enough to handle it.”
“Ah. He might fear you would withhold his money.”
“If he was smart, he would. I’ve had to buy him out of enough scrapes to harbor some doubts on the issue. Remember, Walter is the one who usually brought my tonic from the apothecary, so he had the best chance to doctor it.”
“Yes, but after he brought it home, it was sitting in the cabinet, where anyone could have added something to it. It’s hard for me to picture Walter wanting to do away with you. He was the most concerned about your health. He offered to help; he looked in on you frequently.”
“Maybe he wanted to make certain his scheme was working.” James grinned faintly at her frown. “However, I’m inclined to agree with you that Walter is not our villain. I don’t think he’d have the nerve.” He tilted his head. “Who would be your choice for the culprit?”
Laura’s response was immediate. “Mr. Salstone. He would control any money your sister inherits, wouldn’t he?”
“Ah, yes, the inimitable Archibald Salstone.” James’s narrow smile was a little chilling. “I’d like it to be Archie, too.” He toyed idly with the ruffle that ran around the hem of her skirt. Laura was tinglingly aware of his fingers, so close to her leg yet not touching her. “I would wager his dislike of me outstrips even Claude’s. And because of our dear Archie, Patricia’s trust was set up not to ever distribute the principal to her. It will continue for her children and eventually be given outright to them.”