Page 78 of Courting Claudia
Chapter 17
The note from Mason had arrived that morning confirming that Richard was dead and the authorities hadn’t been forthcoming with specific details, but said they suspected it was murder. Derrick knew he’d have to tell Claudia.
If Baubie’s suspicions were correct, her father was to blame, but he couldn’t tell her that. Not yet. Not until he had proof.
If her father was capable of such a crime, he might hurt Claudia, and that thought had Derrick feeling rage as he’d never felt it before. He’d kill him. With his bare hands, if the lousy excuse for a father hurt Claudia. It was a sobering thought to find he had so much violence in him, when he’d always considered himself a gentle man. Perhaps marriage had changed him.
No, Claudia had changed him.
The thought of losing her or someone harming her made his thoughts spin out of control.
Which was why he had to convince her to stay here in the country without him. Then he could be sure of her safety. Back in London he could do some investigating and uncover the truth behind Richard’s murder. If her father was to blame, he wanted to be the one to tell her.
Publishing the information contained within the blackmail letters would eliminate some of Chester Edwards’s guilt in the embezzlement. Give his family a little peace. It would also reestablish Derrick’s name as a journalist. It would be the last and final story he’d write, and then he would retire to his job as editor and publisher.
Printing that story would indict Claudia’s father, which might or might not pit her against him. If he knew she trusted him, if he could guarantee her loyalty would lie with him, then he could print it with no worries. But he had no guarantee. He knew she trusted him, to an extent. But he wasn’t so certain that choosing him over a man she’d idolized her entire life would be easy.
He had called her to meet him in his study. Having both of them fully clothed and on neutral ground might prevent this discussion from becoming a lovemaking session. Not that he wouldn’t rather do that, but they needed to have this conversation. She needed to know about Richard’s death.
He tried to prepare himself for her reaction, not knowing the extent of her feelings for the man.
A knock sounded on the door, then she poked her head in.
“You don’t need to knock, Claudia. This is your house now.”
“Oh.” She opened the door, then shut it behind her. She looked fetching in a simple gown of lavender. It suited her much more than those frilly frocks she usually wore.
“I like that dress,” he said.
“Really?” She looked down on it. “You don’t find it boring?”
“No. I like the simplicity. It allows me to see you and not a dress. Which is nice, because you are what makes the dress attractive, not the other way around.”
“Thank you.”
“You should order ten more just like it when we get back to town. In every color.”
“Ten?”
“Twenty then. However many you want. But I much prefer this to the ones covered in ribbons and ruffles.”
“I certainly don’t need twenty new gowns.”
“I can afford them.”
She scrunched her nose. “Is this what you wanted to discuss with me?”
“No.” He was avoiding the real topic. “It was merely an observation.”
“Well, I shall go to the dressmaker when I return and order some dresses more to your liking.” She sat across from him. “I rather like the simplicity as well. It’s that I felt—”
“Felt as if you had to hide yourself behind those layers? Not necessary. You have a beautiful body that any woman would be lucky to have; you should flaunt it with pride. You should consider wearing bolder colors. They would suit you. Especially a nice, bold red or wine.”
She chewed at her lip a moment, then said, “I’ve always been rather fond of daring colors, but never thought I could wear them. I shall consider your suggestions.”
“Excellent. Now we need to get to that thing I wanted to discuss with you. I’m afraid I have bad news. I don’t know how you’re going to take it, but I wanted to tell you myself before you read it in the paper.”
“Is my father well?”