Free Romancing the Earl by Darcy Burke Page B

ensured she’d all but hated him too. “Do I not seem changed to you?”
    She perused him at great length. “Yes, you do. You’re quite handsome, more so than I would’ve thought.”
    The backhanded compliment didn’t surprise him, but the fact that she’d given him a compliment at all did. It also wasn’t shocking that she noted only his physical appearance. He didn’t expect her to glean a sense of how he’d matured, not within the span of brief minutes since she’d come downstairs, but even if he spent a fortnight in her company, he doubted she would. However, now that he was the earl, perhaps she would treat him differently—maybe try to acquaint herself with the son she’d always disdained. But he didn’t want that. He was content with their mutual disregard.
    “Back to my reason for being here,” he said, avoiding her gaze as much as possible. “What was the purpose of Matthew’s visit?”
    “Purpose?” She cocked her head to the side as if she were an exotic bird, many of which he’d seen firsthand in Australia. “He came to see me. He was a good son.” She sniffed.
    It seemed Matthew hadn’t told her anything about the tapestry. That in itself was curious, since he’d been an overly effusive fellow. If he’d been excited about the prospect of a treasure map, he would have found it difficult to contain his enthusiasm, especially from their mother. That he did spoke volumes about his desire to keep the map secret from those who were desperate to obtain it, perhaps by any means necessary.  
    “You mentioned his valet. He accompanied Matthew?” he asked.
    “Of course.” Her mouth puckered. “This is an awfully strange visit, Elijah.”
    Would she not call him Norris? He would’ve thought his title would be too alluring for her to resist. But maybe she couldn’t quite accept him as the earl. It was far more than she ever would’ve expected for him. She’d been shocked enough when he’d found success in the army.
    He knew the precise way to gain her assistance, if not her interest, which he’d prefer to do without anyway. “I’m troubled by Matthew’s death,” he said, waiting for her reaction. She leaned forward slightly, suddenly engaged in a way she’d hadn’t been since entering the room. “Someone tried to buy this tapestry from him. It’s very valuable. After he declined their offer, someone tried to steal it. He then hid it, and I wondered if it might be here.”
    Her manicured hand fluttered to her chest. “What are you saying, that Matthew was involved in something dark? Because I don’t believe it.”
    Elijah worked to retain his patience. “No, I’m not saying that. I merely want to find this tapestry before someone else does. It occurred to me that his death might not have been an accident.”
    Mother’s sharp intake of breath filled the room. “You don’t think he was killed?”
    “I’m not certain. The circumstances are somewhat suspicious. Right now, I’m merely trying to gather as much information as possible.”
    She put her fingers to her lips and looked up at the portrait again. When she turned her attention back to Elijah, her mouth was tight, the flesh around her lips pale. She clasped her hands in her lap. “Shortly after . . . he died, there was a robbery here.”
    Elijah sat forward, anticipation coursing through him. “What happened? Tell me everything.”
    “There isn’t much to tell. It happened while everyone was out, save the cook. She didn’t hear a thing, but Denkins found several pieces of silver missing.”
    Elijah frowned. “How do you know it wasn’t one of your retainers?”
    Her gaze turned positively frigid. “Because I do. Denkins also found a broken vase in my upstairs sitting room, and the carpet near the back door was wet—it was drizzling that day—and no member of the household had used it.”
    “Did you report the theft to the authorities?”
    She gave him a supercilious glare. “Of course I did. They determined