She shook her head. ―Do you?"
―No." Damn.
―We can put him in the saloon," she suggested. ―Or anywhere else there might be drink. If he was drunk, then maybe he would have fallen over." She swallowed. ―Hit his head?"
Sebastian let out a long breath, planting his hands on his hips as he looked down at his uncle. He looked even more hideous in death than he had in life. Big, bloated…At least no one would doubt that his heart might have given out, especially after the excitement of the day. ―His head, his heart," he muttered. ―It doesn‘t matter. I feel unhealthy just looking at him."
He stood still for another moment, putting off the inevitable, and then finally he squared his shoulders and said, ―I‘ll grab him under the arms. You take the legs. We‘ll have to roll him over first."
They got him onto his back, then moved to their spots and tried to lift. ―Dear God in heaven,"
Sebastian grunted, the words flying from his mouth.
―This isn‘t going to work," Annabel said.
―It has to work."
They lifted and dragged, heaving with exertion, but they couldn‘t get the body to clear the floor for more than a few seconds at a time. There was no way they would be able to move him all the way to the saloon without making enough noise to wake someone.
―We‘re going to have to get Edward," Sebastian finally said.
Annabel‘s eyes flew to his in question.
―I would trust him with my life."
She nodded. ―Maybe Louisa…"
―Couldn‘t lift a feather."
―I think she‘s stronger than she looks." But Annabel realized she sounded more hopeful than anything else. She bit her lip and looked back down at Newbury. ―I think we need all the help we can get."
Sebastian started to nod, because they did need all the help they could get. But as it turned out, the help that did arrive came in the most surprising form…
Chapter Twenty-five
What the devil is going on in here?"
Annabel froze. Not in horror. It was something far, far worse than horror.
―Annabel?" her grandmother snapped, marching in through the connecting door between their rooms. ―It sounds like a herd of elephants. How do you expect a woman to get any sleep when—
Oh." She stopped in her tracks, taking in the sight of Sebastian. Then she looked down and saw the earl. ―Bloody hell."
She made a sound that Annabel could not quite interpret. Not a sigh, really; more of a grunt. Of supreme irritation.
―Which one of you killed him?" she demanded.
―Neither," Annabel said quickly. ―He just…died."
―In your room?"
―I didn‘t invite him in ," she ground out.
―No, you wouldn‘t." And damn if her grandmother didn‘t sound almost regretful. Annabel could only stare at her in shock. Or maybe wonder.
―What are you doing here?" Lady Vickers asked, turning her frosty glare to Sebastian.
―Exactly what you think, my lady," he said. ―Unfortunately, my timing was not what it could have been." He looked down at his uncle. ―He was like this when I arrived."
―Better this way," Lady Vickers muttered. ―If he‘d come in with you on top of her…Good Lord, I can‘t even imagine the commotion."
She ought to blush, Annabel thought. She really ought. But she couldn‘t summon the will. She wasn‘t sure anything could embarrass her now.
―Well, we‘ll have to get rid of him," her grandmother said, using the same voice Annabel imagined she would have used about an old sofa. She cocked her head toward Annabel. ―I must say, this all worked out nicely for you ."
―What are you saying?" Annabel asked, horrified.
―He‘s the earl now," Lady Vickers responded, flicking her fingers in Sebastian‘s direction. ―And he‘ll be a damn sight more palatable than Robert here."
Robert, Annabel thought, looking down at Lord Newbury. She hadn‘t even known his given name. It seemed strange, somehow. The man had wanted to marry her, he‘d attacked her, and then he‘d died at her feet. And she hadn‘t even known his name.
For a moment they all just stared down at him. Finally, Lady Vickers said, ―Damn, he‘s fat."
Annabel slammed a hand against her mouth, trying not to laugh. Because it wasn‘t funny. It was not funny.
But she really wanted to laugh.
―I don‘t think we will be able to get him down to the saloon without waking half the house,"
Sebastian said. He looked over at Lady Vickers. ―I don‘t suppose you know where his room is."
―At least as far as the saloon. And right next to the Challises. You‘ll never get him in without waking them up."
―I was going to wake my cousin," Seb told her. ―With one more person we might be able to do it."
―We won‘t be able to move him with five more people," Lady Vickers retorted. ―Not quietly, anyway."
Annabel stepped forward. ―Maybe if we…"
But her grandmother cut her off with a sigh worthy of the Covent Garden stage. ―Go ahead," she said, waving an arm to the connecting door. ―Put him in my bed."
―What?" Annabel gasped.
―We‘ll just have to let everyone think he died having his way with me."
―But—but—" Annabel gaped at her grandmother, then looked at Lord Newbury, and then at Sebastian, who appeared to be speechless.
Sebastian. Speechless. Apparently, this was what it took.
―Oh for heaven‘s sake," Lady Vickers said, clearly irritated with their lack of action. ―It‘s not as if we haven‘t done it before."