Kathleen E. Woodiwiss(266)
Shanna and Ruark exchanged glances that communicated the fact that they had both caught the significance of what Ralton had said. Besides Pitney, only Milly had known of their marriage.
“Mister Ralston,” Pitney rasped out. “You are an amazingly innocent man.”
“Major!” Ralston called for the attention of the officer. “I am a citizen of England, due the protection of the law.” He worried at the glove he still wore on his right hand, snatched it off, and flung the both of them to a table. “If anyone is to accuse me, let him do it in a court. Then I will answer. But this mockery is unbearable. I demand the protection of a king’s officer.”
Amelia had moved to Ruark’s side as the man finished his tirade, and now her elbow began to dig at his ribs. He glanced down at her, and she cast her eyes at Ralston. Bemused, Ruark frowned and with a sigh Amelia pointed to Ralston’s right hand. Ruark looked at the man’s hand and frowned at his mother again. Amelia’s brows drew together, and she gestured again. This time Ruark looked closely and suddenly saw her reason for such insistence.
“Mister Ralston?” Ruark asked gently. “Where did you get that ring?”
Ralston raised his hand to stare at the ring and answered sharply. “ ‘Twas payment for a debt. What of it?”
Ruark shrugged and mildly stated. “It has been in my family for several generations. I believe it was stolen from me.”
“Stolen? Nonsense! I lent a man some money, and he had no means to pay. He gave me this instead.”
Ruark half faced the major and spoke as much to him as to Ralston and the others. “My mother gave me the ring to present to my wife when I chose one. I wore it on a chain about my neck, and there it was when I went to the wench’s chambers in England. That was the night she was murdered. Whoever took it had to have been in the room that night.”
Ralston’s jaw sagged as he realized the full implication of what Ruark had said. The major’s hand came to rest upon his pistol, and a horrified expression crept over Ralston’s features as once more he became the center of attention.
“Nay! ‘Twas not me! I did not kill her!” He began to sweat. “You cannot lay this to me. Here, take your damned token.” He twisted the ring from his finger and flung it across the room. His eyes grew wild as he stared back at them all. “I tell you—I did not kill her!”
His voice grew pleading as he turned to Ruark. “How can you accuse me? I never did anything to hurt you. Good lord, man. I paid the money to save you from the hangman. Is that worth nothing?”
Suddenly Ralston remembered the chains on the man, the threats he had heaped upon him. No mercy would be found here. He faced Pitney to present his plea.
“We traveled together.” But Ralston recalled the bloody quirt and knew the hulking man suspected him. No help from this quarter. He stared at Trahern and saw the angry gaze in return and heard the words gritted out.
“You brought me men from the gaol and pocketed the balance?”
Panic! Fear! Ralston’s world was collapsing around his ears. He fought to still his trembling hands and a quaking in his knees. Then Ruark spoke calmly.
“Who gave you the ring, Mister Ralston? Sir Billingsham, perhaps?”
The agent stopped and gawked. Then he laughed in sudden, overwhelming relief. “Of course. He repaid me for some moneys I had lent him.”
“And where did Sir Billingsham say he had gotten it?” Ruark questioned above the murmurs of surprise.
“Why, from a Scotsman, he said. For a debt the man owed him.”
“Jamie is a Scotsman,” Pitney offered, frowning. “He could have taken the ring from Ruark.”
“Where is Sir Gaylord?” Ruark asked, his voice flat. “Riding still?”
“No one has seen him,” Amelia replied.
“We’ll get to the bottom of this when he returns,” the major stated.
“How much did you pay for Ruark?” Trahern broke in to question his agent.
Ralston’s relief turned abruptly to distress, and he gulped out the answer. “Two hundred pounds.”
“Fifteen hundred you told me. I can only assume you cheated me before.” Trahern hefted the bag of money before he tossed it back to Ruark. “There was never any fair debt of bondage against you, and your services have more than repaid my investment in you.” Without turning, he added, “Mister Ralston’s accounts on Los Camellos shall go as repayment for what he’s cheated me of.”
Ralston stammered in outrage. “That’s everything I have in the world!”
“You’d best have enough to live on here in the colonies for a time,” Trahern said, fixing Ralston with a cold stare, “for you are no longer in my employ.” Then the squire continued almost jovially. “Perhaps Mister Blakely will accept your bondage. Whoever your next master is, I urge you not to cheat him.”