“I am not sure. She is getting on and she sometimes forgets where she is. I am sure her companion will advise me on whether or not she is well enough to go.”
“I had not realized she was so frail. You must worry about her.”
“I do. She is my last living relative. When she is gone, I will be the last.”
*
When Lisbeth arrivedback at Blackhurst House she was met at the door of the carriage by a very dour Rollands with an umbrella. Once inside, he took her coat. Oliver saw that something was amiss.
“Do you want me to stay?”
She looked at Rollands, who gave her a subtle sign which told her this was not something she most likely wanted to share withBellamy. She shook her head. “No. I’m very tired and we have a big day tomorrow.”
He kissed her hand. “Are you sure?”
“Of course. I will see you tomorrow.”
She missed his warm presence as soon as he left, but tried to focus on the matter at hand.
“What has happened here? You all look like we ran out of jam,” she said as she followed Rollands into the parlor. Mrs. Rollands was standing in the parlor wringing her hands and looking very anxious.
“Whatever can be wrong?” Lisbeth asked in concern as she came up to her housekeeper.
“Hahmm. It appears that Mrs. Rollands has something she needs to tell you, your ladyship.”
She looked from one to the other. “Really? Should I sit down for this?”
Mrs. Rollands nodded. Lisbeth felt even more apprehensive now. She sat.
“It is just that I wasn’t sure what they were when I first saw them,” Mrs. Rollands said, still wringing her hands.
“You have me all at a quandary. Please just tell me what you found,” Lisbeth asked, wondering what on earth she could have found.
“A book.”
Lisbeth blinked. “A book?”
“Well, two actually,” Mrs. Rollands replied looking paler by the minute.
“And where did you find these books, Mrs. Rollands?”
“In the master’s study. When I were cleaning up after, well, after you two made such a mess in there. I couldn’t leave it like that you understand.”
“I understand and I am sorry about that, Mrs. Rollands, but my husband had many books in his study.”
“Not like these two,” Rollands supplied.
That got her attention. “Can I see them, please?”
Mrs. Rollands turned and picked up two books. She offered them up like a sacrifice to her mistress. “I’m so sorry, your ladyship, but I didn’t want to bother you unless I knew for sure if they were something worth bothering you about. When I showed Mr. Rollands, he was angry at me for keeping them to myself.”
“She showed me just this evening, my lady. I am sure they are a ledger and a journal.”
“Not just any ledger, I’m guessing, Rollands?” Lisbeth asked as she took the longer book from the housekeeper. She hoped they could not see how her hands were shaking.
“No, my lady. I believe it isthe ledgerfrom the last speculation. The names on the list are very familiar to me. Many are on the list we compiled.”
The book from the speculation?Lisbeth felt the blood drain from her face. This was the evidence she had been looking for but now she had it in her hand, she felt reluctant to open it. The ledger would help ascertain who put in what amount of money, but not that she had nothing to do with it. What would everyone think if she were just to announce this evidence had only come to light right now? Would it in fact make it worse for her? She studied the book on her lap for a moment. “You are right. Many of these names are on my list.”
