“Who paid for their weapons to do it?” Dominic flashed back.
“If this is the case…” Lord Richard was reddening. “If this is the case, I have never heard anything so disgraceful in my life. What the devil is going on in the Home Office to permit this?”
“Sidmouth,” Silas said. “And not the first—”
“Mason,” Dominic said, and Silas couldn’t tell if it was a rebuke or a connection, but he bit his tongue and shut his mouth.
“Mr. Frey.” Skelton looked white about the lips. “You must not speak so. These men had the intention of assassinating the British cabinet, and one of them fired point-blank on an officer. There is no question as to their guilt.”
“Except for Edwards. He walks free to testify against the men he led by the nose.”
“He will not,” Lord Richard said. “I shall instruct Absalom Lockwood. If your damned agent provocateur sets foot in a courtroom, sir, he will be cross-examined by the best barristers in the country, and we shall see what a British jury makes of this filthy business.”
“Enough,” Dominic said. “No, Richard, be quiet. Mr. Skelton, your case against Mason hangs on Edwards’s word. Lord Gabriel Ashleigh and Lord Richard Vane are ready to swear him a liar. I suggest you take a moment to consider what that will do to the rest of your prosecutions.”
“You are very keen to protect him, sir.” There was sweat shining on Skelton’s forehead. “Is that for Mr. Harry Vane’s sake?”
“Quite the opposite, in fact,” Dominic said. “When I discovered that Mason had been arrested wearing my coat—”
“How was that?” Norreys asked.
“Mason has one of my shorter castoffs,” Lord Richard put in. “It seems it was mistaken for Dominic’s by the new footman.”
Norreys gave a theatrical sigh. “I have mentioned, dear Dominic, that you need to visit your tailor more often.”
Dominic did not look in the mood for byplay. “As I was saying, Mr. Skelton. I was concerned, when I learned of what had happened, to hear that Harry’s old friend should have repaid Richard’s kindness so poorly. I looked into the business to see what wrong had been done to Richard and Harry’s trust. And that was when I remembered that you had put the names of Silas Mason and George Edwards together. A slippery fish, you called Mason, and one you intended to catch with Edwards’s help. Tell me, did he decide to give false witness that Mason was in the stable for his own reasons, or was it your idea? A little addition to the truth to bring your quarry down at last?”
Skelton’s mouth opened and closed, eyes darting. Ash said thoughtfully, “I’m not sure I follow all this, but it sounds as though someone needs horsewhipping.”
“You have no idea,” Dominic said. “Go back to your masters, Mr. Skelton, and inform them that if your prosecutions in this case are not carried out fairly, they will not succeed. I shall take the stand myself if I see perjury in the king’s name.”
“You have a duty, sir,” Skelton said through his teeth.
“My duty is to my country and my conscience, and I’ll do it as I see fit. Now get out of Richard’s house. You contaminate it.”
Skelton hesitated, then turned on his heel. Constable Ruthven, who had been doing his best to achieve invisibility, hurried after him. Norreys, at Lord Richard’s nod, followed them into the hall.
Silas stared at Dominic, who was looking at the floor.
Norreys returned, shutting the door, and said, “What a range of experience you give us, Dominic. Is Harry safe?”
“How much of that was true?” demanded Lord Richard.
“What is going on?” added Ash plaintively.
“Thank you, everyone,” Dominic said. “It is quite true, Richard, and if the radicals had not killed an officer, the poor swine would have had a very good case for entrapment. As it is, I expect they will swing, but we shall have to see. Ash…Julius will explain later.”
“Thank you so much,” Norreys said.
“Julius, the only way they can bring in Harry is via Silas, and I very much hope you three have put paid to that. I’m grateful to you all.”
“Be grateful to Cyprian,” Norreys said. “He is the puppet master and we but his marionettes.”
“I won’t lie on oath,” Lord Richard said. “If it comes to trial—”
“I don’t mind,” Ash offered cheerfully.
“I trust it won’t be necessary.” Dominic sounded very weary. “I don’t think Skelton will risk it. He, or Edwards, overreached when they tried to bring Silas into it.”