Mr. Tidemark looked from his niece to the Duchess, twin furrows between his brows. “I suppose it would be all right for you to go,” he said slowly. “I can perceive the benefit; however, Mrs. Tidemark and I do not need to go,” he stated. He pushed his wireframe glasses up his nose.
“Oh, but I insist,” the Duchess said sweetly. “Surely you understand the importance of family to support a person who has gone through the trauma Lady Darkford has experienced.”
“I just realized there will not be staff available to handle a house party,” Mr. Tidemark said.
“And why is that?” the Duchess inquired wide-eyed.
He sniffed, his nose wrinkling. “I let most of them go, of course, after my nephew died.”
“Did you, now.Hmmm. Lady Darkford, were you aware he had released the staff from service?” the Duchess asked, turning to her.
Mr. Tidemark’s face showed signs of heightened color.
“No, I wasn’t. Edmund, some of those people had been with the family a long time.”
“Yes, well, it wasn’t all of them, I misspoke in haste. The Gallaghers, that Irish couple are there as caretakers, and Carlyle remains as well. He tends to the few animals, hens, goats, etc. But there is no staff to cater for ten people!” he protested with a slight whine in his tone.
“Oh! Is that all?” scoffed the Duchess. “Not a worry. As no one will be here at Malmsby House I will send staff from here. Don’t you think that is a good idea, Gwinnie? Lakehurst?” She turned toward Mr. Tidemark. “That will keep them out of mischief while we are away,” she confided.
From a corner of the room, Lakehurst heard an aborted laugh. He looked over to see the footman, Stephen, struggling to keep a straight face. He winked at him.
“So, it is settled,” the Duchess decreed. “There will be a house party at Baydon Castle as soon as it can be arranged. I will depart for Versely Park the day after tomorrow. Lady Darkford, will that be enough time to get our young Marquess and his nursemaid ready?”
“I believe so, Your Grace.”
“I require a minimum of three days to prepare for the journey,” Ellinbourne said. “I need to spend a couple of days at the Royal Art Academy to discuss the disposition of my painting at the close of the spring show. I don’t know if Aiden will have returned by the time the show ends. I’ll need to assign someone to take possession of my painting.”
The Duchess waved her hand airily. “Aidan hired the solicitors Hargate and Hargate to handle the artwork destined for his gallery. I suggest you talk to them.”
“Thank you, I will.”
The Duchess looked around. “It is what, a two-and-a-half-day journey to Baydon, isn’t it? Simple.”
“Simple?” echoed back Mrs. Tidemark in a whisper. Her eyes were wide and she’d lost all color in her face. She turned her head and looked at Lady Darkford.
To Lakehurst she looked frightened. He wondered why.
* * *
After the Tidemarks,Lady Darkford, Mr. Farrow, Mr. Stillworth, and Mr. Martin left for the evening, the family and Ellinbourne gathered in the Lady Margaret parlor. Lakehurst was pouring after-dinner drinks for all when Mr. Martin returned.
“Welcome back, Mr. Martin,” Lakehurst said as he held out a glass of brandy to him.
“Thank you, my lord.”
“We haven’t had the opportunity to discover if you have learned anything about the Marquess’s death or the people who might be involved,” the Duchess said.
“It has been too short of time to discover much, however, I have sent out queries and alerted my friend Mr. Liddle to be expecting the house party.”
“Are we to hire him to be a footman at Baydon as we hired you at Versely Park two months ago?” asked the Duchess.
He smiled. “No. He is too well known in the area. He often works with the local magistrate so it would not be unusual for you to wish to speak with him to learn more about the events surrounding the Marquess’s death. Subterfuge is not required,” as he sat down in a chair near the fireplace.
“I have learned a few things. Mr. Stillworth is a man of adequate, but modest means. His properties are small but profitable as such. He has them leased out. He is heavily invested in Baydon Imports with personal funds and with the time he spent in India.”
“At dinner he told me Mr. Tidemark has not been willing to move ahead with the plans he and the Marquess had made for the business.”
Mr. Martin nodded. “And that has put him in a bit of a bind financially. He is not ruined; however, his economies must be dear and his outlook for wealth considerably dimmed.”
