Dalton shrugged his eyebrows with satisfaction after the demonstration of Radley's anger. "Shall we start in here?" he asked as he stepped into the first room.
"I believe I will make myself useful by watching him until Winston returns from speaking to the butler. I wouldn't wish to miss the event of seeing him thrown into the prison wagon." Reginald's voice sounded as harsh as his anger.
Radley stared at his father with a grin. "Let me know when they escort him out. I believe I would like to witness it as well." His father nodded and leaned his back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
He spoke to Lord Milton as if discussing the weather. "I thought if I came along, I could get you to admit you suspected something concerning those horses. It's arrogant of me, but sometimes, my rank as a Marquess makes others fear my influence in the courts."
Dalton and Radley heard what he said and stopped to listen.
Reginald continued as if he was thinking aloud. "You haven't met my son-in-law, but he and Barrister Hudson are good friends. He attended their wedding. Of course there was a reason for it, involving me I'm afraid, but it proves how wrong parents can be. My son, Radley, was also hurt by my actions." He took a deep breath and let it out.
"I digress. I wished to talk about Dalton's thoughtfulness. When he received word that Radley was robbed and the magistrate was a crook too, Barrister Hudson came to help. He also wished to investigate, of course, but overall, it was a favor to Ben and my son since this area and mine are affected. Because Magistrate Peterson is known to release criminals for the right price, Radley's had to do his own investigations."
Reginald watched how Lord Milton kept looking upstairs. He could be bored with what he was saying, or his wife was likely up there. Sitting handcuffed would be most unpleasant if she decided to come down to witness his demise. Instead of continuing his thoughts, he switched to what he considered Milton's biggest worry.
"I pity your wife," he said with compassion. As he watched, instead of looking at him, the baron looked up the stairs. Reginald wondered why she hadn't already come down. "Does she know that you had more passion for possessions than you did of her well-being?"
At last, Lord Milton's gaze met his. "You are not lacking in funds. You also weren't ignorant of the fact these items you bought were stolen. My conclusion is that you either wanted what belonged to my son, or it was just greed to obtain nice items for a cheaper price. One is covetousness, the other greed.
"What you didn't consider was the true cost of those actions. A religious man would know God holds him responsible for hurting others. It's a black mark against you. But a worldly man may see such an act can mean time in prison. Either reason is one a man should consider. But you, however, did not reflect how my son could be your biggest downfall."
Reginald watched as the baron looked away when he mentioned Radley. He shook his head slowly and straightened from leaning against the wall.
"Hopefully, your son will take care of his mother. It will crush her to watch your sentencing. No family member wants to hear that their loved one will spend years at Newgate Prison. Even if they are appalled at the crime, it is also an embarrassment. I'm afraid your title will only make it worse on your wife and son. As everyone knows, gossip runs through the elite with eagerness. Each person desires to be the first to spread such ill gossip and some exaggerating upon the facts. I'm afraid your wife will have to endure the ugly conversations if she goes to your trial.
"This, of course, will also hurt your son for a time. But the rumors won't last too long. That sort of thing dies quickly among the ton. Once it has reached everyone's ear, the fun of spreading it stops, and they move on to something new. But not for your wife, I'm afraid. No, the lifespan at Newgate prison is short. The conditions are appalling and that will weigh down on her while you are there."
He cocked his head as his fist rose to his hip. "Tell me this; did it ever occur to you what the cost of your actions would be? Did you take into consideration the people who would be hurt by it? Or were you so filled with covetous greed that you couldn't think past it?"
Lord Milton's head hung low as he remained utterly silent. Reginald would have felt sorry for the Baron, except the man had chosen to partake of the misery inflicted upon Radley.
When nothing more was said, Reginald saw Dalton and Radley appear at the door. Dalton shared a look of concurrence with him and Radley simply nodded.
They left and returned to the parlor to search. Radley opened and shut drawers but found nothing.
Dalton watched him. "I imagine the silverware is in the dining room."
"Talbot said he used it to bribe Magistrate Peterson."
"There are many sets missing. I imagine the best of it is here. Tell me; what made you trust the word of a thief, Radley?"
He paused and stared at him. "Radley shook his head. "You would think I'd know better than to continue believing a word he says, but I did about this."
"Trust is different than gullibility, Radley. Most say you trust until that trust is broken. Even then, it is difficult because you question your judgment concerning the person. It isn't unusual to doubt the facts. Most believe there has been a mistake. That's human nature until you become cynical. I see so much corruption that it has been difficult. Thankfully, I still have those around me to keep me from losing hope in the world."
"I've also been lucky. You heard my father. He's always been able to play up that guilt while he teaches us."
Dalton's lips tipped up the slightest bit. "He's a good father. Most of the elite ignore their children," he said with disgust.
"I have you know, his lectures may be good, but my mother could make you beg her for forgiveness," Radley said with a chuckle. "Father was not immune to that."
"No, I wasn't," Reginald agreed as he entered the room. "Have you found anything?"
"Not anything yet, unless it's been gone so long I don't remember it."
"I am sure that Quint was thorough in his list." He left them to go back to Baron Milton and they followed because they headed into the other parlor. The décor was feminine, thus likely used by the baroness.
Radley immediately discovered a blue pottery bowl with a lid, a crystal vase and dish, and a porcelain bluebird. It was something that Radley always thought his mother would have liked.
Dalton was pulling the list from his pocket when Reginald came to the entrance and called out for Radley.
"Winston and Hawkins are taking the prisoner out now. Would you like to watch the event?"
Radley smiled, rubbed his hands together, and left Dalton comparing markings of what was found to that of the list. He and his father stepped outside and trailed behind the two officers walking beside the baron. The event was melodramatic since he had walked across the yard with his head down and his shoulders stooped.
The barred door was opened in the back of the wagon and Milton was helped inside since his hands were cuffed. The door was then locked and Winston and Hawkins walked away. The wagon had iron bars on all sides, so he wouldn't be going anywhere.
"I expected to feel justified seeing that. Instead, it's depressing," Radley admitted.
"Son, you are watching a sad ending to a baron. I pity his wife and son. Getting what he wanted had a price too great to bear."
Radley admitted, "What I enjoyed was planting my fist into his flabby gut. But that—watching the baron enter the prison wagon was, as you said, sad."
They walked back inside to continue searching. Barrister Hollis stood with the list in his hand reading aloud the items that had yet to be checked off of the list.
Dalton saw them enter. "Good, Radley, you're back. Shall we check the dining room? I expect we will uncover more of the things on this list in there."
When they walked inside, Radley saw the large painting of a field of flowers that he once had over his server in his dining room.
He pointed. "That's mine," he said as he stepped to take it down.
Dalton helped, and together, they laid it on the table. Dalton had a tool he used to release the frame from the canvas. The numbers and initials of the well known artist ran along the side of the canvas. He immediately compared the number to the list. It matched. He secured the frame enough for transport and left it lying on the table.
Reginald stood staring at the china cabinet. "Radley, I recognize these."
He moved beside him and nodded. "His wife had no clue that her new antique dishes were stolen."
"Most wives remain innocent to what goes on under their noses. Though, Elizabeth would have demanded to know where I got such items." Reginald smiled with the memory of his dear wife.
"I believe Vivian is the same way. Not to mention Charlotte," Radley said as he slid a drawer open. Inside, he found the flat wooden box he recognized holding the silverware. He pulled it out and opened it. Satisfied, he handed it to Dalton. "This is mine too."
Once again, Dalton verified the information on the list. The box had a brand on the bottom and the silverware was marked. He nodded at the match.
Radley opened the glass doors to the Cabinet to take out a plate. "He sure didn't hide my dishes. These are listed as well as the silver servers in here." He set it on the table to take out a silver tea service.
Dalton read the list and examined the dishes for the markings. When he turned over the teapot, he drew Radley and Reginald's attention to look at the bottom of it. "If you look here, you can see how the smithy dates each item and leaves his initials. That's why it is important to keep a list, as Quint knew to do. It proves that these belong to Maywood Manor. If Lord Milton had purchased them from you, he would have had a receipt. Such a document would be necessary in this case."
Dalton asked Reginald, "I assume you can recognize other items from Maywood Manor?"
"Many things, yes."
"There are items still missing." Dalton showed him the list of silverware and pottery. "It would help if you handled the breakfast room and kitchen while we begin the tedious search upstairs."
"I would be glad to. If there's a doubt, we can put it back later," Reginald stated as he handed the list back and went to the breakfast room.
Dalton found Officer Madison going through papers in Lord Milton's office looking for receipts of sale. "Officer, you can pack those up to take with us. For now, I would like you to supervise the packing of the evidence in the dining room. Have the maids do it. These items will accompany us as evidence. Make sure they are not damaged."
"Will they fit in the prison wagon with Milton and Magistrate Peterson?" Radley asked with doubt in his voice.
"I wouldn't put them there if they did fit. No, we shall borrow a wagon from Lord Milton to take with us to London. They shall have it returned promptly."
They continued the inspection in the office. Radley found more of his paintings, a vase, a small statue that had been lost for the past year, and a crystal bowl filled with hard candy.
"I would like to know how you managed to get more information from Talbot than my father did. Father promised saying he would speak to the court to diminish the sentence if he told us where my items were."
Dalton chuckled. "It's a good technique that the Bobbies use. Talbot told me because I informed him of what his sentencing could be. He's facing fifteen years at Newgate Prison. I told him I could reduce his time if all was recovered. I am the judge and what I do is a guarantee."
"You're also a good man to have as a friend. I am grateful to you for this," he said placing his hand on Dalton's shoulder. "One day soon, I'd like to discuss these deplorable conditions I've heard about at the prison. I've heard the family has to pay the guards to see that the prisoner is fed or has simple things like a blanket. It vilifies the prison and the court. Sending a man there is giving him a death sentence if the time is too long."
"It is, but our hands are bound. The best solution is to build a modern facility with toilets instead of bed pans or straw for beds. This brings rats," Dalton told him.
Dalton watched Barrister Hollis walk down the hall with Reginald heading for the ladies parlor. "I wonder what that's about."
I hope you found the chapter interesting. This one expressed the misery of how it affects more than Radley. It also touched on Reginald's regret. It's more than romance at this point. It's growth of those involved.
Please remember to vote and let me know if you felt the emotions of the characters.