Kent said nothing, allowing Mrs Cathcart and her daughters to describe the many perfections of the supposed Mr Harold Parish, and how plausible he had been, and how no one could have guessed there was anything amiss. When the ladies had withdrawn, and Kent was alone with Mr Alan Cathcart and his three sons, he could speak more forthrightly.
“It may be that this man is just what he appears to be, and that all is well with Miss Parish, but I cannot be easy in my mind until I have seen them both. I intend, therefore, to go to York and find them, if they are indeed to be found there. If they are not, then I shall have to look further afield.
Cathcart raised his eyebrows. “I am by no means convinced that this man is a fraud, but I am decidedly of the opinion that if there is to be any intervention, it should come from her relations.”
“You think I take too much upon myself, is that it?” Kent said hotly, too irate to be diplomatic. “I should simply stand aside and do nothing, becauseyou, sir, have decided that there is nothing to worry about?”
“I say only that it is for her relations to protect her, if protection is needed.”
Before Kent could answer, James Cathcart said, “But you have done nothing to protect her, Father. You have made no checks on this man. You simply accepted his own assertion that he is Harold Parish.”
Cathcart reddened. “As Katherine herself did, if you recall. What, then, would you have had me do, James?”
“If nothing else, you could have asked him for his naval discharge papers, or information about his pension. You could have written to the Admiralty to enquire about him. Perhaps you could have insisted he go to Branton to be formally identified. Instead, you have allowed Cousin Kate to go off alone with this man, who is a complete stranger, not just to us but to her, too. Atherton is right,someoneneeds to look into this man, and it should be for us to undertake the task.”
His father sighed. “You think me neglectful, James, but some of this I have already done. I did not think of discharge papers, but I enquired as to his pension and other income, and his answers were satisfactory. I have written to the Admiralty, but have not yet had a reply. As for sending him to Branton, that might have been sensible but since Katherine was happy to accept him as her brother I did not wish to offend her by disbelieving him. I told her in the strongest terms to write to us as soon as she arrives in York. Perhaps I have been remiss, but I am not entirely heedless of her welfare and if it will satisfy you I shall certainly go chasing around the countryside to find her at the earliest opportunity.”
“It does not satisfy me, no,” James said. “You may wait here for any letters that arrive. I shall go to York myself. As Kate’s cousin, I have the right, I believe. May I have the carriage?”
“Well… your mother needs it tomorrow, but perhaps the day after—”
“Never mind. I shall ride, then.”
“You may join me in my carriage,” Kent said. “It is hardly riding weather, and I have room for both you and your man.”
“You still mean to go to York?” James said sharply.
“Certainly I do. Did I not say so?”
“Father is right. It is for her relations to protect Kate.”
Kent’s anxiety was such that he had no intention of ceding the point. He would go to York to find Katy with or without her relations’ approval. But he had no wish to antagonise them, so he said mildly, “One does not need to be a relation to feel concern for a young lady taken to a strange town by an unknown man. Any gentleman would do as much. With two of us, we shall be able to discover them more quickly.”
“If they are in York at all,” James said.
“Wherever they have gone, I intend to discover them,” Kent said grimly.
***
Beforeanythingcouldbedone about Miss Peach’s notebook, Michael received a brief note from Eustace Atherton.
‘Miss Rosamunde Wilkes, my future wife, is presently staying at Corland Castle. You may speak to her whenever convenient. E. Atherton’
“Future wife?” Sandy said. “Aye, he’d better wed the lassie, since he’s already bedded her.”
“And she will no doubt confirm everything he says,” Michael said gloomily. “If only we could find one discrepancy in all these stories!”
“He’s not likely to have murdered Nicholson, though, is he?” Sandy said. “Not when his entire household swears he never stirred from his bed, so it hardly matters.”
“It always matters when people lie to us,” Michael said tersely. “Perhaps the whole lot of them are lying. Hecouldhave murdered Nicholson, and that is what we must always bear in mind, but until we have a reason, we cannot narrow down our list of the scores of people whocouldhave done it to the one who actually wielded that axe.”
When Michael arrived at Corland, the butler told him that Mr Eustace wished to speak to him in the gallery. Fearing some stratagem, Michael could not help laughing when he reached the gallery, for there was Mr Eustace, stripped to his shirtsleeves, testing out a very elegant sabre.
“Ah, there you are, Edgerton,” he called out cheerfully. “A new acquisition. What do you think?”
“Beautiful,” Michael said, in genuine appreciation. “Prussian?”
“I would say so. Lovely falchion blade. Try it. I have a Spanish broadsword for you to look at, too.”
