“Too rustic? Odd for you to say that. Yet he came here for the Marquess’s parties.”
Tidemark compressed his lips. “Unfortunately, he and Richard were quite close.”
“Unfortunately?Why would you say that?” Cassie asked.
“Because they weren’t supposed to be!” he ground out.
“What? Why not? I’m not understanding you, Edmund,” Cassie said. “You seem to be tied in knots.”
He appeared to collapse in on himself. He put his head in his hands. “I can’t talk anymore. I’m tired. I can’t think straight. It has been a long trip, a trip I never thought to make again. I hate this place!” he said vehemently.
Mrs. Tidemark clung to her husband. It was obvious she didn’t understand what was going on. “Can we go to our room?” she asked Cassie tentatively.
Cassie realized there was no getting any more from Edmund at the moment. “Of course. I’ll have Mrs. Pritchet show you to your room. Please don’t hesitate to ask her for anything you require.”
Mr. and Mrs. Tidemark rose, leaning on each other.
“Thank you, thank you,” Mr. Tidemark said on a great sigh. They walked to the parlor door. Suddenly, Mr. Tidemark stopped and turned back to the others in the room. “Let’s not discuss the tea venture in front of Mr. Stillworth,” he asked plaintively, then they left the room.
When the door closed behind them, everyone looked at each other.
“What just happened?” Ellinbourne asked.
Cassie shook her head. “I don’t know; however, I feel there is more going on than we ever thought.”
“Excuse me, my lady,” Mr. Harold said, coming into the parlor from the servant’s entrance. “There is a gentleman at the kitchen door to see you.”
“Who is it?” Cassie asked.
“A Mr. Liddle. Says you know him.”
“Mr. Liddle? Here already? Yes, please show him in,” Cassie said.
“But do not let anyone else into this parlor while he is here,” Lakehurst said, thinking quickly of Mr. Tidemark’s possible reaction to any news Mr. Liddle might bring.
Cassie nodded. “Excellent suggestion,” she said. The smile she directed at him threatened to addle his brain.
“Very good, my lord,” bowed Mr. Harold.
“Who is Mr. Liddle?” Ellinbourne asked.
“He’s a friend of Mr. Martin’s. Mr. Martin sent him a letter asking him to contact us. When we met two days ago, we asked him to go after the Gallaghers,” Lakehurst explained, pulling his thoughts back together as the back door to the parlor opened.
“And I have apprehended them. They are in the magistrate’s custody in Wells,” Mr. Liddle announced as he entered the room.
“Amazing!” Cassie said, clapping.
“Did you recover stolen goods?”
Mr. Liddle’s grin went lopsided. “Goods and cash,” he said as he pulled a leather pouch out of the deep pockets of his coat. He crossed the room to place it in Cassie’s lap.
Cassie’s eyes went wide. “It’s heavy!”
He nodded. “The goods will arrive tomorrow by cart.”
“There was that much?” Cassie asked. She turned to look at Lakehurst. “I thought Henry only saw them load luggage into their carriage.”
Lakehurst shrugged.
