“I do have another request of you,” Alex said.“I need you to ride to Burnham and summon the magistrate.Have him bring along two constables.”
“Yes, of course.I should have thought to suggest it when you sent Ernfield off.He could have attended to both.”
Alex gave Mrs.Granger over to the two maids who were built like bulls and could easily manage the unconscious woman, ordered them to remain in the room to guard her and not leave her side until further notice, and then steered his estate manager out of the room.
He was not surprised when Tulip scampered after him as he marched down the hall to his study with Mr.Carver.
“I want you to be very careful and avoid being seen by Ernfield while in Burnham,” he instructed his estate manager as soon as the three of them were ensconced in his study.
Tulip gasped.
She theneeped, obviously bursting to ask questions.
But she knew better than to interfere.
Mr.Carver also appeared puzzled.“Your Grace, may I ask why?”
Alex sighed.“I want the magistrate and his constables to be present before I say more.Do not tell anyone where you are going.No one, Mr.Carver.This is vitally important.You are the only one I can trust to accomplish this task.”
Mr.Carver eyed him warily.“This is about more than Mrs.Granger’s near drowning, isn’t it?Your Grace, I beg you to be honest with me.Do you think I am the guilty party?Is this why you are sending me off on this task?Hoping to keep me out of the way while you set your trap for me?”
Alex gave a curt, bitter laugh.“You?No.You are the only one I can trust without doubt or hesitation.You have Tulip to thank for that.Her faith in you is unwavering.We know you were not involved in any of the deaths connected to Thornwycke Hall.More important, upon your return, I will ask you to guard Tulip while I am busy interrogating the staff.”
“Of course,” he said with affection while staring at Tulip.
She smiled back at Mr.Carver but frowned lightly at Alex.“Should I not remain besideyouwhile you question our staff?Have I not been immensely helpful so far?”
“Yes, you have,” he said, tossing her a wry smile in return.“But you are my wife and I will not have you anywhere near a murderer as I unmask him.”
“Can you not simply tell us who it is?Why keep it a mystery?”She was obviously frustrated that he was not providing her more information.
He regarded her soberly.“Accusing someone of multiple murders is no light matter, Tulip.I need to be certain before I charge the man who will face certain hanging upon his conviction.Also, I must rule out any accomplices.It is important to have all my facts straight before presenting the evidence to the magistrate.”
He gave her a surprisingly tender kiss on the cheek.“Let me go about my business without interference.I am trained for this, not only for putting all the clues together, but keeping others out of harm’s way– and that meansyouin particular, my lovely but snoopy Farthingale.I need you to remain safe while I gather the evidence necessary to convict this villain.”
“Snoopy!Do not think giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek absolves you of this insult.”But Alex saw she was not really angry with him, for she was laughing softly as she spoke.
Mr.Carver grinned, but quickly turned serious.“Let me change into dry clothes and I’ll be off.”
Alex took Tulip’s hand as they watched him leave.“I need to change out of these wet clothes, too.Come upstairs and help me.”
“I don’t think you need my help so much as want to keep me in your sight,” she muttered as they walked upstairs.
“And why not?Aren’t you the most beautiful vision a man can behold?And am I not the luckiest man to wake up to your smile every morning?”
“You do not have to flatter me because you are about to shut me out of your investigation.But you really ought to confide in me.”
“I will, Tulip.Just give me a moment to gather my thoughts.”
But she knew he already had his ideas in place and it was time for him to share his knowledge with her.
“Who do you think is the killer?”she asked as soon as they entered their bedchamber.“I suppose this incident now rules out Mrs.Granger.I told you she seemed innocent to me.Do you really believe it was not Mr.Carver, or were you sending him off as you did Ernfield because you believe it is him?Or perhaps you think those two colluded?Him and Ernfield working together?I will never believe it of–”
“I trust Carver.Everything I told him was true.And I fully intend to have him guard you upon his return.”
Tulip let out a breath.“I’m glad you have faith in him.He’s the soul of kindness.Nor could it be Uncle William, even though Mrs.Granger seemed to be scared of him.He is a good and loving man, and I will never,everbelieve he could do anything evil, no matter what Ernfield told her.Besides, Uncle William has a busy mercantile to run and everyone would notice if he were gone even for a few minutes much less the hour or two it would have taken him to come here, set up an elaborate murder of a duke, and get back.And someone would have noticed if he returned to his mercantile all wet just now.”
“The tide had not come in yet, so he would have got out of the marshes with only his boots wet.But he is off my suspect list, as well.He was not the one to harm Mrs.Granger this morning.”
