The Ruby in the Storm

Chapter 41: The Quincys

Phillip could not believe what he was hearing. Preserving the Boatwright name was more important than justice for Lucy? Where was the preservation of her honor? Her safety? What did it matter what taint was on James's name if real and true justice was served?

"That is vile," he bit out. "You are vile."

Stone looked surprised at Phillip's reaction. "Do not think of me in such a negative tone? Why, my fellow, Mr. Jacob Ashe, your friend's representative, does not have Ms. Quincy's best interests at heart himself, and why would he? Neither of us wishes to defend an illegitimate girl when there are two great men on either of our stands whose families we can preserve. Mr. Ashe has Captain Beauchamp's good name to worry about and I have Mr. Boatwright's. It is the one thing we agree with the Magistrate: Lucy Quincy is the real guilty one. She enticed these two men and one of them is now dead. You cannot deny that the connections are there to be made."

"It's all speculation!" Phillip shouted. "And a vile and crude one at that. An innocent woman is being held to judgment for a crime she did not commit. She never once had any intent to seduce James Boatwright, not a one! She and Captain Beauchamp left Belmoran separately, I ensured that. They spent a year apart. If they murdered James to be together, then why go through the trouble?" He took in a deep breath. "I orchestrated their departure. I assisted in the cover up. If you want to arrest anyone, arrest me! Leave Lucy out of this, she is the only innocent one."

"Arrest you?!" Stone looked aghast. "Good god, man, did you not hear a word that I said? To take apart the name of yet another great family? No, no, that would be most unsophisticated. Why, the Doyles are very well known and respected even in Hertfordshire."

Phillip threw up his hands, frustrated. "This is not about the preservation of anyone's names this is about a woman's life! Have you no decency? Her father was the Magistrate before Donaldson. Would he have stood for this sort of injustice?" When Stone didn't reply, Phillip continued. "Captain Beauchamp confessed. He provided me as a witness. I myself have confessed to covering up the crime and, in all of these confessions, never once was it implied that Lucy had any hand in Mr. Boatwright's death. There is no evidence to that fact, only assumptions and speculation. Furthermore, I am sure Captain Beauchamp made you swear to petition to have her name cleared in exchange for his confession, so if you truly want to operate on the side of justice, I advise that you do just that."

Harold Stone sighed and took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. "The fact of the matter is that no one is going to see anyone other than Lucy convicted this no matter what either of us believe. The Magistrate has already convinced the town of her guilt."

"And how convinced are you that the Magistrate is all together righteous himself?" Phillip pressed. "Do you really and truly know what that man has done in order to see his ends met?"

Harold Stone frowned. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I have it on good authority that he was using Lucy's paternity to threaten James Boatwright into doing his bidding. And if my word is not good enough for you, here," Phillip produced the list, given to him by Sebastian, and handed it Harold Stone. "The names of his enemies here in Lanfore. He has them listed, including their associates, as well as Bertha Denning, the sister of the man claimed to be Lucy's real father, and even the Boatwrights. If you really and truly want to do right by the family you befriended, you are pointing your pistol at the wrong enemy, and you have the wrong people behind bars."

Harold Stone took the list, and Phillip sat back, his heart about ready to burst out of his chest.

XXX

It seemed almost too easy. She had come to him, the Magistrate, as though serving herself to her own slaughter, and told him the truth of what happened that night. But all signs pointed to a conspiracy, and it all served to prove him right: Lucy Quincy had killed James Boatwright.