“Yes, but knowing Lord Soothcoor’s character, he will not make a leisurely journey back to London. Sir James predicts a multiple succession of horses will give out before Lord Soothcoor does,” she confided wryly as they walked down the corridor from the nursery rooms to the stairs.
“I only met the man once, and he struck me as a dour individual.”
She laughed. “He gives that appearance. I assure you, Dr. Seeton, that is all it is.”
“Ah, self-protection?”
“I would say so. I don’t know the particulars. Not yet. But I shall discover the truth, eventually.”
Dr. Seeton laughed. “After seeing you in that chimney when I entered Lady Newcombe’s parlor, I would wager you are a formidable woman when it comes to getting what you want.”
“Oh, please, surely notformidable!”
“My lady, forgive my plain speaking; however, you do rise above the ordinary. I don’t know another woman who would have climbed up into a chimney.”
“He is correct, my dear,” James said languidly from the landing. He looked at Dr. Seeton. “My wife never ceases to amaze me. She has the heart and soul of a tiger. And like that ferocious animal, she will go after her goal with no thought to her own safety, much to my fatigue.”
“Fatigue!” protested Cecilia.
The hint of a smile answered her protest. “Come and eat. Dr. Seeton, will you join us?” James said.
“Sadly, no. I will be by to check on Christopher tomorrow, if that is all right.”
James inclined his head. “I should expect no less. Come Cecilia, let the good doctor go, and come join Mr. Thornbridge and me.”
They saw the doctor out, then walked together to the dining room.
“How is Christopher?” James asked.
“There are no broken bones. Dr. Seeton is concerned for a neck sprain, much as he might get if he was learning to ride and was thrown off his horse. He does not want him to move his head around at all for several days.”
James nodded. “Yes, I have heard neck injuries can plague a person for life if not given the opportunity to heal properly. And what about you? I saw a nasty looking scrape on your arm.”
Cecilia self-consciously grabbed her forearm. “After I took my bath, Dr. Seeton bandaged it for me. It is but a scrape. He has applied several bandages to Christopher’s scrapes as well. That mortar was sharp!”
James nodded as they approached the door to the dining room. A footman was before them to open it.
“Do you think we will hear from Mr. Martin today?” she asked.
“Yes, he said as much before he went off with Mr. Peasey. He believes Peasey knew there was something nefarious about the apprenticeship purchase, but if the man is as cagey as Martin thinks he is, he will deny it and play innocent, and he won’t be able to arrest him. Instead, he will have him followed to see if he leads them to who sold the boy to him to get his money back. It is that person Mr. Martin wants to speak with. He feels it is too coincidental that the kidnappers happen to lock Christopher in a room, and it just so happens someone gets into that room and steals Christopher away.”
“Hmm. I would have to agree.”
“Mr. Thornbridge,” Cecilia said, when they entered the dining room, “thank you for your help today. How did you happen to be here when Daniel came to get Miss Rangaswamy?”
“I came to inform you that the son of the prospective buyers of Waddley’s Spice and Tea wants a tour of our warehouses this afternoon. Do you want to be there?”
Cecilia looked at James. He shrugged his shoulders slightly, his expression enigmatic. She turned back to Mr. Thornbridge, her lips compressing. She sighed. “Normally I would say ‘yes.’ However, today I prefer to allow you to handle the tour, Mr. Thornbridge. I do not need to be there. It would just be my insatiable need to control that would have me there.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw James’s smile. She turned to him. “What?”
“I shall tuck your admittance to a need to control in a safe corner of my mind. I might need to haul it out to remind you some day.”
“Oh, you!” She flicked her serviette at him. “I’ll allow I wrestled with being here for Christopher and keeping up with the sale of Waddley’s. Christopher is far more important, and I know, Mr. Thornbridge, that you will appropriately represent Waddley’s. Who is coming?”
“Damon Partridge.”
“Demon Damon himself,” James said with a laugh. “Best you are not there, Cecilia. Demon Damon has a certain reputation with the ladies.”
