“Oh, no rush, but it is about the carriage that I wanted to ask a favour, since you will be returning to Hartlepool—”
“Hartlepool!” Michael said, startled. “What makes you think we are bound for Hartlepool?”
“Is that not where you live?”
“No. Mrs Edgerton’s house is in Bedfordshire, although we spend much of our time in London, too.”
“How strange!” Kent said. “All this time we thought you came from Hartlepool and now find out it is no such thing. I wonder how such a story got about?”
Luce chuckled. “It was Michael’s most famous case. The Hartlepool hat-pin murder.”
“Ah! That would account for it. But if you are bound for the south, that would work even better, since you will pass through Helmsley. It is Miss Wilkes, you see. She wishes to return to Scarborough, and we thought, since you are to be on the road yourselves, that you could convey her to the stage coach stop. Mr Willerton-Forbes’ carriage is also bound that way, but we do not like to call upon a single gentleman.”
“Where is she?” Luce said, a martial look in her eye. “Let me talk to her.”
They found Miss Wilkes sitting forlornly in the great hall, a single small box at her feet, dressed in travelling clothes. Her face was white and tear-streaked.
“My dear Miss Wilkes,” Luce said, sitting down and taking both her hands in hers, “you cannot go back to that dreadful place. You cannot wish it, I am persuaded.”
“Where else can I go?” she whispered.
“Home to your father?” Luce suggested. “We doubted you for a while, but you truly are Rosamunde Wilkes, are you not? So go home and beg his forgiveness.”
She shook her head violently. “No, no, no! He made it very clear that he never wanted to see me again. He said it would beas if I were dead. He crossed out my name in the family Bible and had me painted out of the family portrait. No, there is no place for me there.”
“Your sisters? Brothers? Your aunt?”
She shook her head again. “A woman once fallen is lost, Mrs Edgerton. She can never be respectable again.”
“Nonsense,” Luce said briskly. “What about Eustace? Perhaps he has left you something in his will.”
“I doubt it,” she said. “He promised to pay me well after this was over. You are very kind to concern yourself with me, but my best hope is to find a wealthy man to offer me protection.”
“No, your best hope is to come home with us. I can find you work at Rudgewood House, my home in Bedfordshire, until you find a husband, which with your looks should not take long.”
“What sort of work?”
“As my companion. Michael is away so much that I shall need company. I move in the very best circles — my cousin is an earl — so you will be able to meet some very eligible gentlemen. There, that is settled. We have only to finish our packing and then we will be on our way.”
Michael followed her back up the stairs to their room, and quietly closed the door. “Companion, Luce?”
She would not quite meet his eyes. “Yes. Why not? She is a baronet’s daughter and has obviously had an unexceptionable upbringing until her fall from grace.”
“I have no objection to Miss Wilkes. I merely wonder why you need a companion. I am not sure she will be an asset to our investigations.”
“Oh… well… I shall not be travelling about with you so much in the future.” She bent over her box, fussing with the contents, her head down.
“Tired of me, Luce?” he said quietly, fear clutching at his insides.
“Never! You know that. I would always rather be with you than not, but… I will not be able to for much longer.”
“Are you ill? Please do not be ill! You must not leave me, Luce!”
“No, no!” She looked up then with a mischievous smile. “Nothing like that. It is just that… something unexpected has happened.”
“And?”
“I am with child.”
