Giles sighed. “Later. When we get back.” He turned to Evan. “A light lunch today I think. We need to talk afterward.”
“Of course,” said Evan. “Is Trick here? I saw Jane and Mrs B…”
“I didn’t see him,” answered Jeremy. “But here comes Jane. She’ll know.”
Greetings were exchanged, and Gwyneth naturally rested her hand on Giles’s arm as she stood at his side.
“No, he’s not here, Jeremy. I’m sorry.” Jane shook her head. “He’s over in Ditchley. Someone’s mare foaled last week and he wants to take a look at the little one.” She smiled. “Actually, I think he wanted to avoid church.” Her voice was quiet but full of laughter.
“That’s Trick,” grinned Jeremy.
“Jane, if I might,” Giles leaned toward her a little. “Would you ask Trick to visit Wolfbridge when he has a chance? There’s a matter I’d like to discuss with him.”
“Of course,” she nodded, a slight frown on her face. “Is…is everything all right, sir?”
He relaxed and smiled. “Certainly, yes. I have come to rely on Trick’s advice. I’m lost now and again without it.”
“He’ll be pleased, sir. I’ll tell him as soon as he gets back.”
“As will I,” chimed in Mrs B. “Now Janey’s keepin’ ‘er eye on Fivetrees, I get ter ‘ave tea there on a Sunday. Right nice it is, but their cook could do wi’ a hand when it comes ter teacakes, Evan…”
Everyone laughed and as if by mutual accord, drifted off in different directions, Giles and Gwyneth to the gig, and the gentlemen to their mounts, agreeing to meet for lunch within the hour.
Giles was quiet as they drove home, waving and smiling now and again to others they passed, but then lapsing into his own thoughts.
“Is everything all right, Giles?” Gwyneth peered at him from beneath the rim of her bonnet. “I saw Randschen there, but I was not about to let him spoil my enjoyment of the service.” She sighed. “It worried you, I think.”
“I’m not sure what it did,” he answered finally. “But it will not detract from the beauty of this day, my Lady. I insist upon that.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
*~~*~~*
“Come in, Trick. Join us.” Gwyneth smiled as the tall, good-looking man peered around the door of the Rose room.
“I guessed you’d be in here.” He bowed to Gwyneth. “My Lady. You look well. Jane and I are very happy you’re recovered.”
She waved his compliments aside. “Thank you…but Giles has more important matters to discuss than my looks.”
Giles nodded. “I do.”
She sat next to Evan on the couch, with Jeremy and Royce in nearby chairs, Gabriel sprawled comfortably at her feet and Giles at the desk.
Trick took an empty chair near the desk and gazed at Giles. “It’s about Fairhurst? Jane thought she recognized him at this morning’s service.”
“Yes,” Giles replied. “For Lady Gwyneth’s sake, I’ll run down the basics. Evan, Jeremy and Trick know this man of old.” He glanced at Royce and Gabriel. “And you may or may not know that he was largely responsible for having Trick jailed on trumped-up charges of murder.”
Royce frowned. “Why?”
“That’s an excellent question, and one I’ve spent more than a few hours stewing over, I can tell you.” Trick shook his head. “Sir Amery Fairhurst, who owned Fivetrees for several years, was poisoned last year. I was present, as was Lady Adalyn. There were circumstances in my past that made it easy for a finger of guilt to be aimed my way, even though I had no earthly reason to want the man dead, and Lady Adalyn confirmed my innocence.” He looked at Giles. “In all fairness, I probably wouldn’t have been confined as long as I was, had the judicial system worked more effectively.”
“True,” nodded Giles. “But the fact remains that Fairhurst was perfectly willing to assign guilt to you, even though he must have known you were innocent.”
He turned to the others. “We traced two servants from Fivetrees and believe that they poisoned Sir Amery’s meal. Unfortunately, we were unable to pursue the matter further, since both were attacked not long after we learned their identities.”
“How badly?” Royce asked.
“The woman was killed. The man barely survived and never regained consciousness. I was informed a couple of weeks ago that he had succumbed to his wounds.”
