That Infamous Pearl Read Online Free Page B

your brother a murderer, you must
believe it to be Brayleigh."
    "Did Brayleigh
accuse Malcolm of the murder?"
    "Not at all."
Lady Belmont grew quite animated as she spoke, color rising to her cheeks. "Indeed,
he urged Malcolm to remain in England and stand trial."
    "Then he
believed in Malcolm's innocence," said Rowena. "If he was guilty, he
would surely have been overjoyed to let my brother take the blame."
    Lady Belmont shook
her head. "You are entirely too trusting, Rowena. If Malcolm has stood
trial he surely would have been hanged. And then there would have been not a
bit of suspicion cast on Brayleigh. But with Malcolm fleeing, at least the
matter hasn't been settled. Even now many suspect that Brayleigh is the true
murderer."
    Rowena considered her
aunt's words. "I see no evidence that either of them is guilty," she
announced judiciously. "It all seems to be a muddle of misunderstandings
and masculine pride to me."
    Lady Belmont looked
at her as though she had suddenly sprouted wings and flown about the room. "Rowena,
you mustn't say such things. People will think that you have no loyalty to your
brother. If you love your brother, you must believe Brayleigh to be guilty."
    Rowena tipped her
head to one side and considered her aunt's words. "I barely remember
Malcolm. I was only eleven when he died--or when this event occurred--and he
had lived in London and at Oxford for four years before that. I have regretted
his death, but now I find that I do not even need to do that."
    Lady Belmont was
shocked. "Never let me hear you say such a thing again, Rowena! We all
hope that someday Malcolm might be proved innocent. In the meantime, that
Monster takes his place in Society, laughing at us behind our backs. You must
promise me never to speak with him again!"
    Rowena smiled. "Very
well, Aunt Louisa. I will behave myself as befits an Arlingby. But I hardly
think you need worry; Brayleigh has surely amused himself with me enough. I am
certain he has some collecting to do and has forgotten all about me by how."
    "I can only hope
so," snapped Lady Belmont. "The man has no shame. I trust that Lady
Jersey is wrong and he does not intend to pursue you. That would be entirely
humiliating."
    A mischievous light
came into Rowena's eyes. "Perhaps I could marry Brayleigh, and then I
would be able to search his house for the pearl. Would that not be the perfect
solution, Aunt? Of course, it would be quite shocking of me to turn my husband
over to the magistrates, but I would be avenging my brother. Then I would truly
be of service to the family."
    Lady Belmont gave a
little shriek. "Never think of such a thing, Rowena. If you were to marry
Brayleigh I would doubtless die of palpitations. The man is evil, I tell you. You
mustn't even consider such a notion."
    "I was teasing
you, Aunt Louisa," said Rowena soothingly.
    "This is not a
laughing matter." Lady Belmont gave her a reproving look. "Have I
your word that you will stay away from Brayleigh?"
    "I will do my
best, Aunt Louisa," said Rowena.
    "See that you
do. And now, we will not discuss this further. With any luck Society will soon
find something else to talk of than an ancient scandal."
    Rowena returned to
her breakfast with a thoughtful air. She had much to ponder. The startling
knowledge that her brother was alive was unsettling enough, without finding out
that either he or the gentleman she had danced with the night before was more
than likely a murderer. Her memories of her brother were faint; he had been
kind to her, but the difference in their ages and the fact that he had gone to
Oxford when she had been six and then returned home only for holidays, made him
seem a stranger indeed. But she had heard enough tales of him over the years to
think that he was unlikely to have committed murder.
    Lord Brayleigh was
another matter altogether. Rowena did not find it startling that people could
imagine him killing someone for an ancient pearl. His passion for collecting
was well known, and