Read Always Have Hope (Emerson Book 3) for Free Online Page B

husband?”
    “No. Though I believe he had enemies.”
    “But you do not know who they were?”
    “He did not share details about his life with me.”
Other than the beatings he gave her when life wasn’t going his way.
    “Then please tell me what you do know, and we’ll
proceed from there.”
    Win nodded, even as she tried to piece together the
relevant details. “Clarence took over his father’s business. I do not know the
exact nature of his work, other than he insured shipping vessels. I believe he
was also involved in speculative ventures. He issued certificates of stock for
investments in mining, transportation and the like.”
    “Those are risky endeavors,” said Olson. “I can
imagine he angered a lot of people when the investments didn’t have a
satisfactory yield.”
    “That is probably true, but I have no first-hand
knowledge. I do not even know if he had much contact with the people who lost
money. He had others working for him who oversaw the day-to-day transactions.
They would sometimes come to the house and meet with Pierce in his study.”
    “What about when you went out in Society? Did you
hear rumors about your husband’s work? Were there snide remarks? One can
learn a great deal just by listening to gossip.”
    “We were not accepted in Society because of his humble
beginnings and work in trade.”
    “That must have upset him.”
    “It did. You are too polite to ask, but the reason
Pierce married me was to gain entrée into Society. He was rather upset
when it did not work.”
    “And what did he do when he was upset?”
    It was impossible to escape Olson’s kind, yet intense
gaze. “I believe you know, Mr. Olson.”
    James had grown more and more tense while Win answered
Olson’s questions. He now strode across the room, where he began angrily
pacing. “I should have killed him myself. I should have demanded entrance to
your house. I should have…”
    “Lord James,” said Olson. “If you continue talking
like this, you’ll be arrested for Pierce’s murder.”
    That stopped James for a moment. “Do it. I would gladly
confess to this murder. I would die for Win. For that matter, so would Colin
and Nick. Anything is preferable to seeing her in this position.”
    “James, please,” said Win, motioning for him to take
his seat beside her. He was scaring her because it would be just like one of
her brothers to try to take the blame. She had no doubt they would die for
her. But she would not allow any harm to come to them. Not after everything
she’d endured to protect them.
    “Lord James,” said Olson. “I do not doubt you would
take her place. But I cannot imagine Lady Winifred or Miss Wallace would like
that very much, not to mention Miss Emerson. The best strategy we have is to
find the real killer.”
    “Did Bow Street interview the butler?” asked James.
    Olson looked through his notes. “Yes. Havers was in the
servants’ quarters when the murder occurred. Apparently there was a contretemps concerning a footman and a maid who’d been caught…” He blushed and cleared his
throat. “…who’d been caught in an irregularity. He said he didn’t hear
anything, but he was the one who found Lady Winifred with the deceased. He
also said Pierce didn’t have an enemy in the world.”
    “Interesting,” said James. “When I called on Win a
few weeks ago, I was denied entrance. But I made my feelings clear to Havers.
I told him that if she was being mistreated, I would kill Pierce. And I meant
it. I wonder why he wouldn’t have thought to mention it to Bow Street.”
    “An excellent question, my lord,” said Olson as he
made a note of it. “We will have to speak to Havers, again. Lady Winifred, what
was your husband’s relationship with his family? He had one brother, a sister
and a brother-in-law, correct?”
    “Yes. Their relationship was odd. Very formal.
Pierce was the eldest and I sometimes believed his brother Clive resented the
fact their father left the