"I suppose for me, I've wanted this forever. So it doesn't feel new at all." Henry nodded and gently touched my shoulder. "Maybe we both need some time to decompress so we can think through this logically."
"Agreed. I'll have a butler find a room for you."
Oscar settled Henry into a guest suite, and I made my way back to my room alone. My “room” at Pemberley was more like a series of rooms. The entrance consisted of aformal sitting room, a reading nook, and my desk. These led into my bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, and my private balcony. The corner of my bedroom had a spiral staircase leading to my private library on the third floor.
Outside, the sun had set, but swirls of snow still cascaded from the sky. Even in the short time we'd spent together, I'd already grown accustomed to Henry's presence. But soon the snow would stop falling, and they would clear the roads. Then what? Of course we could try dating; that wasn't a problem. But he didn't want to just date. He wondered if we tried and if we fell in love if that I could be his, forever. Though it didn't matter to me whether he was high fae, it might matter to a lot of other people, including Henry himself. And that may make things difficult for both of us, but I couldn't see the future, and I didn't want to make this decision alone.
It was at times like these that I missed my mother the most. I needed a sister.
I stared at my selection of dinner dresses, tired of making decisions. My green velvet was warm and comfortable, so I opted for it over some of my more elegant pieces. After I put on the dress, I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Being flat on my back seemed to helpwith some of the pain. But a little scratching sounded outside my door, so I went to let Waffles, my sweet little dachshund, in. She wagged her tail and hopped up on her back legs.
“Come here, sweetie.” I sat on the floor and let her curl up in my lap while stroking her head, ears, and back.
A dull ache reminded me of my ankle injury, and repeatedly flexing then pointing my toes helped. The whole day had been one unexpected event after another, and my instincts told me I’d missed something. Something important.
Chapter 10
Sittingonthefloorwith Waffles, I glanced over to a corner where our staff decorated a live Christmas tree for my room, just like Mom used to do. It was, as tradition, adorned with ornaments representing “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” I breathed in the fresh scent of pine, looking forward to planting the little tree in the woods come January.
A few possibilities crossed my mind, and I sat up. If the killer really was out riding Storm, they’d need to be an experienced rider and probably not too heavy. Storm was fast but used to a lightweight jockey. They also would have needed to know he was in the stables. It was too bad our stable hand didn't work full-time, otherwise we might've had some simple answers. If I was correct about any of my hypotheses, everything would make sense. But we might also be in danger.
I pulled myself back up to my feet and grabbed my phone from my nightstand, texting Darcy.
I wonder if Daphne knows how to ride? I’m narrowing down the suspects in my mind. Also, did anyone ever identify the person on the four-wheeler?
I paced back and forth on the creamy plush carpet in my bedroom, then flopped back down onto my bed, crumpling the silky duvet with its embroidered roses. It took a few minutes for him respond, but then a message from Darcy appeared.
I thought you were staying out of this.
Relax, Darcy. I’m alone in my room. I just had a thought come to me.
You think the killer was out riding this afternoon or on one of our four-wheelers?
Well whoever shot Zac had to have some mode of transportation. Someone was out on a four-wheeler, we know that. But Mr. Arnold said he saw someone racing to Pemberley on a horse. Unless there were two killers.
I'm pretty sure it was just a gardener. But security hasn't positively identified them yet.
I wonder if someone could have driven out to the woods on a four-wheeler. Do you know if any of the four-wheelers are missing?
We can check. But, Georgiana, how would they have gotten Storm to follow them while driving a four-wheeler?
Maybe Zac took Storm and someone chased him on a four-wheeler.
Or the other way around. Zac could've taken a four-wheeler and whoever was riding Storm could've chased him. I think the killer knew the property, though.
Well, we have this open house every year, all of our staff know the house, Daphne tries to buy artwork from me yearly, of course Bradford’s visited before, and as a neighbor, Mr. Arnold knows the place best of all.
You’ve been digging pretty deeply into things, haven’t you? I’ll have security look at the gardener on the four-wheeler once more to verify the identity. By the way, I’m on my way to your room….
That really isn’t necessary…
I rolled my eyes and checked my hair in the vanity mirror. At least I’d be comfortable for dinner in my velvet dress. I’d left my long blonde waves loose, too tired for a fancy updo. Even though I hated having to dress for dinner as a child, we’d kept the tradition since losing our parents, and I didn’t mind it so much anymore.
Mom explained it showed gratitude and respect to our cook, chef, and dining companions. But it was more than that. Dining together gave Darcy and me a sense of family.
A knock sounded on my door, and I opened it to find Henry instead of Darcy. He had just showered, smelled of soap, and wore a blazer for dinner.
He also looked embarrassed. “You look stunning.”
