But Lily’s grief still felt too fresh. She had waited three long years to marry Freddy, and his death had come after only two years of marriage. She had spent so long looking forward to living a life and starting a family together that she didn’t know what to do with herself now that she was alone. Enjoying her widowhood was unthinkable.
Together, Lily, Freddy had promised her. We shall do something that matters for the people of this country. None of that was left for her now.
And as Reggie Harper had made clear, a woman in her position was considered useful for one thing only.
Lily took a deep breath, pushing such ugly thoughts out of her mind and trying to think practically. She had taken the house for the season, and unless she returned to Hertfordshire, there was no other place for her to live. She had friends in London. And even if she would have preferred staying outside to returning to the gossiping, flirting masses inside, the air was too chill for her to linger. It was time to put her society mask back on and return to the ball.
Making up her mind helped, even if it was only about what to do for the rest of the evening. Her tears were gone, and her breathing was calm. Giving her clothing and hair a quick pat to make sure they were tidy, Lily made her way back through the shrubbery.
That was when she heard voices.
The two men were speaking quietly, so she didn’t hear anything until she was nearly on top of them. The urgent tone of the voices was clear, though. Without thinking, Lily paused behind a tangle of trees and leafless vines, not wanting to walk into the middle of an argument.
And then, because she couldn’t help herself, she leaned forward to listen.
“… cannot be serious,” the first voice—deep, cultured, and angry—was saying. Lily thought it might be familiar, but the man spoke too quietly for her to be sure. “You insolent young …”
“… am quite serious, sir. If I am not paid …”
“… do not even know who you are!”
The second voice chuckled. “But I know who you are.” That speaker was younger than the first, his voice lighter, with an accent she couldn’t place. “And the information I have …”
There was another moment of low, tense conversation that Lily strained to hear, then, “Who wrote this?” the older voice demanded suddenly.
The voices dropped again, and the only thing she could pick out sounded like, “… ruined if you do not pay what I ask.” A matter of unpaid vowels, Lily wondered, money lost and won at a gaming table?
At last the first voice rose enough to be heard more clearly. “… think anything you say would damage me? Publish your speculation. You are no one, and no one will believe you.”
There was a rustle of footsteps, and Lily realized that the deep-voiced gentleman was turning to leave. A jolt of panic raced through her. If either man realized they had been overheard—or worse, caught her in the act of eavesdropping—she would be in very serious trouble. Lily began to back away, thankful for whichever efficient gardener had made sure the paths were clear of leaves and branches.
“I will not—!” The young voice burst out violently, and then just as swiftly was cut off.
In the sudden quiet, Lily clearly heard the click of a pistol’s hammer being drawn back.
She had to get away. Feeling panicked, Lily told herself to run, but her legs felt frozen though her whole body shook.
“Easy, lad.” The deep voice again. “No need for that.”
The other voice replied but was again too low to hear. Lily didn’t know which of them held the gun, and she didn’t want to find out. She was mere feet from two highly nervous men, one of them armed, and she had to get away. Bunching up her dress in her fists, she finally forced her trembling knees to bend and crept backward.
When she was out of earshot, Lily turned and ran until she reached the hedge. There she paused, breathing deeply, taking an extra moment to calm down before returning inside.
Gentlemen argued all the time, she told herself. But they wouldn’t resort to violence in the middle of Serena’s garden. If it was a matter of honor, they would meet to settle it privately. And if it was a matter of business, there was a court system to deal with such disputes.
This logical train of thought was making her feel better. Surely, her nerves on edge from the encounter with Mr. Harper, she had imagined the sound of a pistol being readied. What gentleman would bring a gun to an evening of pleasure? There was no reason to be scared—
The cracking report of a pistol echoed through the gardens.
Lily hiked up her dress and ran toward the house. Not stopping to think what someone on the terrace might see, she dashed up the steps.
She was looking back over her shoulder when she collided with someone tall, her momentum carrying them both back several steps before the other person steadied them both. Biting back a scream, Lily looked up, terrified that she might have run into one of the two men.
The light spilling out of the ballroom illuminated his face. “Mrs. Adler?” Jack didn’t let go of her arms. “What’s the matter? Are you well?”
“Perfectly well.” She pushed herself away from him, her movements sharp and abrupt. The terrace was empty again, save for the two of them, but it wouldn’t do to have someone come out and find her in his arms. “What are you doing here?”
He frowned. “Looking for you. Lady Walter said she saw you disappearing towards the terrace …” He trailed off, taking in her distress. “You’re trembling.”
“I said I am well.” But he was right, she was still shaking. “I had a bit of a fright …” She wanted to believe she had imagined it all, but she had never been good at lying to herself. And if someone had been shot, he needed help, not for her to fall to pieces. Dragging in a long breath, she looked back toward the garden. “Not a fright. Something terrible happened.”
He looked at her sharply. “Did someone … did you …?”
“Nothing to do with me.” Now that she had made up her mind, Lily was impatient to take action. “I was walking in the garden, and I heard … I think someone has been hurt.” He grew very still, and Lily took that as a sign to continue. “I heard two men arguing, and one of them had a pistol. And just now I heard a gunshot.”
His expression was unreadable as he studied her face; then he turned to look at the garden once again. “This just happened?” She nodded. “Did you see either of the men?”
Lily was about to answer when a quick, scuffling noise from the boxwoods made her turn sharply. “What was that?”
“What was what, Mrs. Adler?”
“I thought I heard footsteps … is someone there?”
The silence stretched until Jack said, his voice very patient, “Perhaps it was an animal?”
“It wasn’t …” Lily frowned. “In any case, we mustn’t delay. Whatever happened, someone may need help—”
“Did you see one of these men shoot the other?”
Lily scowled at the interruption. “No, I was already on my way back to the house.”
“I did not hear anything.”
Lily stared. It hadn’t occurred to her that he would doubt her. “You think I imagined it.”
“I did not say that. But it might not have been the sound of a gun—”