A Clandestine Courtship Read Online Free PDF Page B

acceded to the title. Tenants, craftsmen, merchants. All owed their livelihoods to Ridgeway. John would have ruined anyone who blamed him. So they would have ignored the servants’ claims, attributing them to fury over the lost positions.
    “A few more theories were posed, but none was believable. The marriage tale died rapidly, for no one could produce a viable candidate. The doctor set the murder story to rest. Ridgeway met with those who blamed him for driving you off, and they decided he was innocent.”
    That sounded ominous. But claims that he’d killed his father accounted for his cool reception at the Court.
    “Why did you leave?”
    He shrugged. “John ordered me to. He was unhappy about Father’s will and threatened to relieve his frustrations on the tenants unless I obeyed.”
    “No wonder you cut all connections.” He relaxed with the words, noticeably warming. “But you could have stayed in touch.”
    “No.” Word would have leaked out if he had written, drawing John’s wrath onto Isaac.
    “I suppose not,” he agreed, meeting his eyes. “But he is no longer here. Will you stay?”
    “I doubt it. My home is now in Lincolnshire. But enough of the past. What can you tell me about John’s death?”
    Isaac sighed. “Very little. He was killed Christmas Day. But no one admits seeing or hearing anything.”
    “Cause of death?”
    “Murder.”
    James glared. “I’m not stupid, Isaac. That much information accompanied news of my accession – as you well know. How did he die?”
    He sighed. “Multiple stab wounds. His arms and legs were bound, so someone may have been questioning him.”
    Or torturing him. James shuddered. Torture indicated violent hatred, but John had been capable of inciting it.
    “It wasn’t a pretty sight,” continued Isaac. “But I cannot think of a more deserving victim.”
    “No one deserves that,” he countered, barely hiding his anger. “I don’t care how grievous his faults were, I want his killer found.”
    “I’ve tried, but this is not a simple case. Little evidence was left near the body. No one has come forward with any information, and nothing new has turned up in six months. Where would you suggest I start? The list of potential suspects includes most of England.”
    “Surely you know something!”
    “The killer was tall and strong.”
    “I thought no one admits to seeing anything.”
    “True. But the incident started with a fight. Even if the killer ambushed him, it would take great size and strength to have overpowered John that quickly. Yet I have no witnesses, and no one knows which of his dubious activities might have killed him. No strangers were sighted in the area.”
    “If no one saw a stranger, then the killer was local. So which of his dubious activities did he practice here?” Only great effort kept his voice cordial. He hated discussing his family’s skeletons with others.
    “You cannot assume the killer is local. The weather that day was the foulest we had all winter – blinding snow complicated by high winds. An army could have marched through Ridgefield unseen. As for his activities, he was rarely here. If one of his associates turned on him, it was undoubtedly an outsider.”
    “Are you aware that John’s servants believe I killed him?” he asked wearily.
    “Which explains why you are anxious to find the real killer. But you needn’t bother. Only the Ridgeway staff believes it.”
    “Do you think I want the killer found just to divert suspicion from me?” he demanded, glaring daggers at his former friend.
    Isaac paled.
    “I want the killer found because I cannot condone taking a life. Any life. John may have had problems, but he was still my brother.”
    “Very well.” Sighing, he topped off their glasses and pulled out a sheaf of papers.
    “Why do people believe I killed him? I’ve not been near Shropshire in years.”
    “Human nature. When someone is murdered, folks naturally suspect the one who benefits the most.