A Scandal By Any Other Name-Chapter 166 - Hundred And Sixty Six

Delaney’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"The Crown still believes your father intentionally sold the poisoned silk to harm the Queen," Carcel continued, his voice heavy with frustration. "If we take this confession to the House of Lords today, Hawksley and your uncle will hang for murder. But your father will still be termed a criminal. The history books will say that Arthur Kingsley was a traitor who defrauded the Queen, and he was simply murdered by his greedy partners before he could face justice."

Delaney felt a cold, hard knot form in her stomach.

"I see," Delaney replied softly.

She looked toward the large, warm bed. She looked at Rowan’s sleeping face. Rowan had promised to clear her family name. He had promised to give her back her identity and her pride. Hanging her uncle would bring her vengeance, but it would not bring her peace. She would still be the disgraced daughter of a traitor. She would never be considered a proper, respectable match for a Duke.

"We need proof of the silk scam," Delaney said, turning back to Carcel. "We need to prove that Hawksley bought the poisoned silk, not my father."

Carcel replied, "Yes. And right now, there is absolutely nothing to hold on to."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, outlining the massive wall they had hit in their investigation.

"Vance and I searched the old trading offices," Carcel said, shaking his head in defeat. "No evidence remains. No witnesses. All the workers that worked for your father’s trading company are missing. My guess is they are no longer in London. Hawksley either paid them to leave the country, or he silenced them permanently."

Delaney’s heart sank. "What about the ledgers? The account books that record the silk purchases?"

"All the ledgers, too, are gone," Carcel answered bitterly. "We checked the bank vaults. We checked the old warehouses. They must have been turned to ashes years ago. Everything was cleared out. It was too clean."

He let out a short, frustrated breath.

"Men like Hawksley do not leave loose papers lying around," Carcel muttered. "They burn their mistakes."

Delaney slumped slightly in her wooden chair. The brief spark of hope she had felt reading the coachman’s confession began to fade. If there were no ledgers and no witnesses, it was simply the word of a dead Baron against a wealthy, living Lord. The Crown would never reverse the charges.

But Carcel did not look entirely defeated. A sharp, dangerous smile slowly spread across his face.

"However," Carcel said, his voice dropping into a smooth, confident tone. "Vance told me something very interesting."

Delaney looked up, her hazel eyes searching his face. "What did he say?"

"He told me that it is completely impossible to cover a crime as big as putting the Crown in danger," Carcel said. His dark eyes shone with the thrill of the hunt. "When you deal with the Queen, there are dozens of clerks, tax collectors, and harbor masters involved. You cannot bribe every single one of them. You cannot burn every single piece of paper."

Carcel sat up straight, his broad shoulders squared with absolute determination.

"He said there must be a loophole," Carcel declared firmly. "Somewhere, in some dusty archive or hidden drawer, there is a piece of evidence they missed. A shipping manifest. A receipt. A forgot ledger. Something."

Carcel looked directly at Delaney, offering her the full, unwavering support of the Anderson family.

"And I agree with him," Carcel promised, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "And we will find it. Vance has half the investigators in London turning over every stone. I will tear this city apart if I have to."

Delaney felt happy again. She had spent so many years fighting entirely alone, hiding in the shadows, believing that the wealthy and powerful were untouchable. Now, she had a Duke sitting in front of her, promising to tear the city apart on her behalf.

"When we do find it," Carcel continued, his voice turning cold and lethal, "we will send all the evidence to the high courts. We will clear your father’s name completely. He will be remembered as an innocent, honorable man."

Carcel paused, letting the final, beautiful promise hang in the quiet air of the bedchamber.

"And as for your uncle and Lord Hawksley," Carcel finished, a dark satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "They will mostly be sentenced to death by hanging. The Crown does not show mercy to men like them."

The thought of the gallows, of the rough hemp rope around the necks of the men who had destroyed her life, did not frighten Delaney. It brought her a deep, profound sense of justice.

Delaney smiled. It was a small smile, but it was incredibly bright.

She stood up from her wooden chair. She looked at Carcel and offered him a deep, respectful curtsy.

"Thank you, Your Grace," Delaney said softly. Her voice was filled with a massive, overwhelming gratitude. "I really appreciate the effort. You and Mr. Vance have done more for me in a few days than I could have achieved in a lifetime."

Carcel waved his hand dismissively, though his smile warmed at her sincere thanks. He stood up from his velvet armchair, smoothing the front of his coat.

He looked past her, resting his gaze affectionately on his unconscious brother-in-law.

"Do not thank me, Miss Kingsley," Carcel replied, his tone turning light and teasing. "I am only helping because my stubborn brother-in-law ordered me to do so. He threatened to take my Ines from me if I did not clear your name."

Carcel turned his eyes back to Delaney. He offered her a deeply knowing, highly amused look.

"When he wakes up," Carcel said softly, a wicked little spark in his eye, "you make sure to thank him properly."

Delaney’s cheeks instantly flooded with a brilliant, fiery shade of pink. She understood exactly what Carcel was implying. He knew that Rowan loved her, and he was giving them his complete, brotherly blessing. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Delaney looked down at the floorboards, completely unable to hide her bright, shy smile.

"I will," Delaney replied softly.

Carcel chuckled, a rich, warm sound that filled the quiet room.

He stood up completely, preparing to leave. He patted the inside pocket of his coat, feeling the folded parchment of the hidden will.

"I will give the will to my solicitor," Carcel offered, his tone returning to serious business. "He is a highly trusted man. He will keep it locked safely in his iron vault for you, till when you are ready to use it in court. It is far too dangerous to carry around."

Delaney nodded her head in agreement. "That is very wise, Your Grace. Thank you."

Carcel bowed his head politely. "Have a good evening, Miss Kingsley. Send for me the moment he opens his eyes."

"I shall," Delaney promised.

Carcel turned and walked toward the door. He pulled it open silently and stepped out into the hallway, leaving the quiet master bedchamber behind.

The heavy door clicked softly shut.

Delaney was left entirely alone once more with the sleeping Duke.