Taming the Dragon - H.S. - Harry Styles (AU)

Chapter 18

An endless stream of visitors demanded Harry's attention during the following two weeks. Sir Roberts was there so often he might as well have had his own bedroom. Louis stopped by every afternoon, and so did Liam. Darya didn't see much of her husband during the daylight hours, but the evenings belonged to her. Harry would catch her up on all the latest developments in his investigation directly after dinner.

Stewart proved to be very helpful. He found out a policy had been taken out on Elizabeth's life just four months before her disappearance. The beneficiary named on the contract was her brother, Owen. The policy was underwritten by Morton and Sons.

Through his sources, Harry found out Owen would inherit his sister's sizable dowry, set aside on the day she was born by a distant aunt, if she didn't return to London to claim it.

Sir Roberts had joined them at the dinner table. He listened while Harry explained to Darya what he'd learned, then interjected a comment of his own. "Until a body is found he can't collect the insurance money or the inheritance. If he's the culprit and his motive was money, why would he go to such lengths to hide her body?"

"It doesn't make much sense," Harry agreed. "He has a large bank account of his own."

Sir Roberts nodded. "He might think he needed more," he said. "Darya did tell us Owen didn't particularly like his sister," he added. "There's another bit of damning evidence wagging its finger in Owen's direction, too, circumstantial though it is. You see, he offered for Constance six years ago, but she turned him down in favor of the viscount. Rumor has it, Owen continued to pursue her even after she was married. Some believe she was having an affair with him. And there, you see, is the tie-in between the two women."

"I can't imagine any woman wanting to be with Owen Pelly," Darya whispered. "He isn't at all... charming."

"Have you received any other gifts?" he asked.

She shook her head. "The gift I ordered made for Liam and Sophia arrived this morning. Harry almost destroyed the thing in a rage before he remembered I'd ordered the ship. Thankfully, he only shredded the box."

"You failed to mention you had the gift outlined with strips of gold," Harry said. "It would take five men to destroy it."

Louis interrupted the talk when he came rushing into the dining room.

"They found Elizabeth's body!"

Harry reached over and covered Darya's hand. "Where?" he asked.

"In a field about an hour's ride from here. A cropper happened upon the grave. Wolves had... " Louis stopped in midsentence. The look on Darya's face showed her anguish. Louis wasn't about to add to her heartache by going into more vivid detail.

"The authorities are certain it's Elizabeth?" she asked.

Her eyes filled with tears, but she forced herself to remain in control. She could weep for Elizabeth later. She would pray for her dear friend's soul as well... after the man who'd hurt her had been caught.

"The jewelry she wore... it helped with the identification," Louis explained.

Sir Roberts wanted to see where the body was found. He pushed his chair back and started to stand up.

"It's too dark to see anything," Louis told the director. He pulled out the chair next to Darya and sat down. "You're going to have to wait until tomorrow."

"Who owns the field where she was found?" Harry asked.

"Owen Pelly."

"How convenient," Harry said.