Emily carried the tray into the parlor. It felt odd to be so pleased to offer Charlotte tea and cakes. She only briefly mourned the lack of the fine bone china they had drunk from in the manor house back in England. Such things broke too easily for the life she led now. When Neddy was brought in she and Charlotte talked quietly while the two boys got to know each other. As soon as the awkward first moments had passed and the two boys began to happily play, Emily smiled at Charlotte.
“Success,” Emily said, and shared a toast of tea with Charlotte then settled in for a pleasant talk.
* * *
Iain shook George’s hand when the man came into the stables. “You already have news?”
“Not the news you sent out the letters for. Not yet. Did think you would be interested in why the fool at the bank tried to cheat you.”
“Aye. I have had a few people asking me to sell them all or a piece of my land but couldn’t figure out who would try to cheat me out of it all or who would use the bank to do it for them.”
“Morrison. Harold Morrison.”
“Ah. That does explain why the banker did what he did. Morrison would be a nice catch as a customer. He and the old man hated each other which is why the man travels a fair distance to deal with a bank in another town. Man would impress his da if he caught Morrison as a customer.”
“Well, his father was convinced his firstborn would soon ruin all he had built so he took him out and gave the seat to his younger son. That fellow is painfully honest and truly understands the job.”
Iain laughed and shook his head. “I willnae ask how the fool’s da found out the truth.” He stroked the nose of the horse he had been grooming and went on to the next in line. “Did you find out anything about those people I asked about?”
“Not much. One thing, a close friend of mine, a classmate from Harvard, told me that the Duke of Collins Wood is an important man, a power within the gentry.”
“Ye had a classmate that kenned such things?”
George nodded. “He was English, called himself minor gentry, but claimed to know most of the gentry. He said most of them know one another, or, at least, about one another. Said they were an incestuous bunch. I decided he had something he was bitter about.”
Iain grinned. “It certainly sounds that way.”
“Well, the duke is not as old as one would think with him being a grandfather and all. He must have wed young and had his son married off young. Stanton is the family name. The man rarely does anything of notice but, according to my friend, he is constantly there at every important event or decision. He suspected the man was a quiet power but one to be reckoned with.”
“Did he happen to tell ye how to reach the man?”
“Send a courier, secretly. Address it as being for him and him only.”
“Then do so.”
“Done. Anything else?”
“I am certain there are a dozen but I have trouble deciding which direction to take in all of this. The priority is to keep Neddy and Emily alive. We cannae keep fighting off the men he hires. At some point one of them will get through and do the job he was hired to.”
George shook his head. “I still find it difficult to believe a man would kill a child or that he can find so many men willing to do so for him. It is chilling to think there are men out there willing to do so for a title or fancy properties or money but they do kill for such things all too often.”
Iain nodded. “And this man doesnae see Neddy as just a child; he sees him as an obstacle to what he wants therefore he must be removed. And we have to do more than stand against the men he sends hunting us. I am tired of burying the dead,” he added in a soft voice.
“I can only imagine.” George smiled faintly. “I have not even fired a gun.”
“Do ye nay ken how to use a weapon?”
“No. Never had the need that I know of and did not join any of the sporting or shooting clubs at Harvard. So, I do not even own one although I have been informed, numerous times, that I should get a gun and learn how to shoot it.”
“If ye decide to do so, we can teach ye.”
“I will keep that in mind. So what should I have this courier say to His Grace?”
“His Grace.” Iain laughed and shook his head. “Never thought I would ever have one damned thing to do with a person who sat that high at the table. It doesnae surprise me that the duke has a greedy relation, however.
“As for what to say, just that. Albert has killed Annabel and David and now tries verra hard to kill Neddy and Emily. Feel free to tell him about any or all of the attempts. Tell him who she and the boy are with and where. Annabel already let Albert know by writing to the wrong cousin so that willnae matter.”
“It is a shame we do not have a photograph of the boy. Maybe seeing what is at risk would move the man. But, I will do what you ask. Let us hope the danger finally gets through to the man.”
