“Then why not marry her again, instead of one of these improbable women?”
The earl sighed. “It is what she wants. She thinks I should have more sons… legitimate sons, which she cannot give me, and I always do whatever she wants, because I love her dearly. But I do miss her. I miss her dreadfully.”
“We all miss her,” Kent said sadly.
19: A Letter Is Received
Michaelwatchedhiswifepack with her usual efficiency.
“You will take the greatest care? If the weather should turn—”
“Stop worrying. It is only fifty miles to Harrogate.”
“Remember to stop at the Three Tuns in Thirsk.”
“I know.”
“And after that—”
“Stop it, Michael. Sandy will look after me, and we shall be back tomorrow, all being well, and if not, then certainly the day after. Miss Elspeth Peach will not wish to delay her sister’s funeral, I am sure.”
“Poor lady! What sad news you will be bringing her! You will be sure to ask for any letters.”
“I will remember. There! I am ready. Oh Michael, do not look so anxious. Just because Peachy fell afoul of a ruffian on her travels does not mean that I will. On the turnpike roads, with two postilions, not to mention Sandy and his pistols, I shall be quite safe. It is far more likely someone will take a shot at you, you know.”
His face lightened. “And I shall be ready for it, if it should happen. But you—”
“Michael, hush.” She stopped him talking in the simplest way possible. When they surfaced a little while later, she sighed and said, “I live with worrying about you every moment that you are not by my side, and sometimes even then. It is time you had a little taste of what that feels like.”
“Yet you have never asked me to give it all up. I would do it, Luce. I would give up all this scrambling around after murderers if you wished it. If it would make you happy.”
“I know you would, but I cannot imagine how irascible you would be if you were confined to live the life of a country gentleman. You would drive me to Bedlam within weeks. It is in your nature to take risks and sniff out villains, so that is what you must do. All I ask is to be allowed to share your life until you fall off a roof or are run through with a sword. Now, husband, are you going to carry my bag for me, or must I do it myself? My carriage is waiting.”
Chuckling, Michael hefted the bag onto one shoulder, then stopped, frowning. “That bag in the barn… it seemed far too dilapidated for someone as good with a needle as Miss Peach. It was torn in several places. Surely she would have mended it?”
“I expect she wanted people to think she was a very ramshackle person. It was part of her disguise, no doubt. Carriage, Michael.”
He laughed. “I beg your pardon. It is so hard to stop thinking about these little details.”
“I know, but think about them after I am gone, if you please. I want to reach Harrogate tonight, not next week.”
They made their way down to the inn yard, and he saw the bag, his wife and the blond Scotsman, Sandy, safely into the carriage and away down the road. He was about to turn back up the stairs when he heard his name spoken.
“Aye, ’tis the captain over there.” One of the ostlers was speaking to a woman of middle years and drab appearance. She nodded and set purposefully across the yard towards Michael.
“You wished to speak to me, madam?”
“Aye, I do, if you’re the man who found that poor woman’s body yesterday.”
“I did not find her myself. That was Mr Eustace Atherton, but he alerted me because she was an associate of mine and I had been looking for her.”
She nodded. “Aye, I remember Mr Eustace. Came askin’ after the lady, he did. Askin’ everyone he was. But he ain’t here, so I’ll say what I’ve come to say to you, if it’s all the same to you. What I’d like to know is this — where’s my mule?”
“Your mule, madam?”
“Aye. Went off with it, she did, a few weeks back, and that were fine, cos she paid on the nose for him for a full month, and then come back and paid for a second month. But if she’s dead, she’ll not need him no more, so I’ll have him back, if you don’t mind.”
“A mule!” Michael said, appalled. “Then she need not have stayed near Pickering. She could have been anywhere!”
