“I don’t know.I can’t see Jenson lying in wait for Edward.I think he would have faced him in broad daylight and thumped him weeks ago when he abandoned Anne or took up with Peggy.There may even be other women we haven’t heard of.”
“Peggy threw him over,” April said thoughtfully, “for trifling with Becky.But she’s not exactly broken-hearted, is she?A girl that pretty will always have other options.Other ambitions.”
Piers cast her a quick look.“Meaning gentlemanly options?”
“Why not?Dr.Fosterson definitely noticed her.He may not have touched, but he might have felt driven to defend her.”
“What, by lying in wait for Edward and clubbing him to the point of death?He’s a physician!”
April had known Piers wouldn’t like the idea, but it still hurt that he was quite so dismissive.At the same time, she liked that he defended his friends.Only where was the logic and dispassion he had always brought to their mysteries before?
“He was up and dressed when we brought Edward home,” she reminded him.
“So was Becky.Who is a strong young woman with a recent motive.”
“And Mallory Keith, by his own admission.Do you suppose Edward insulted Meg?”
Piers shook his head impatiently.“The lying in wait, the attack in the dark, they’re all wrong.I’m not saying either Fosterson or Keith are incapable of temper, or even violence in the right circumstances, but in this situation, I genuinely can’t see it.”
“What about Dr.Hale?”she asked, since she had begun.
“Because Claudia looked at Edward?No, the same applies.Even if it didn’t, there was no real time for any of these minor resentments or attachments to become important.One foolish glance, a pretty face, an insolent word—none of them are enough to inspire such an attack.”A frown had pulled down his brow.“The cause must be an older grudge.The culprithasto be someone who lives here.”
“Who?”
“Whose nose did Edward put out of joint by turning Peggy’s head?”
“The head gardener’s son,” April said.“We should speak to him today.”
They had walked their horses onto the main drive to Temper House, and from there they could see the others gathered on the lawn.
“After pall-mall,” said Piers.
***
BERT GODLEY THE UNDERGARDENERat Temper House and son of the head gardener, leaned on his spade and wiped the sweat from his forehead.He was digging over a new flower bed as his father had bade him, and from there he could see the house tenants playing pall-mall on the lawn.No doubt they were churning it up.
There was real warmth in the sun that afternoon.Which probably explained why Harold Jenson had carted out a table and chairs to the little terrace at the side of the house.There was a lovely little sun trap there.Now the maids were fussing about with cushions, cloths, cutlery, and crockery.
It hurt Bert every time he saw Peggy.He hadn’t been able to believe his luck when she had smiled upon him.Of course, being in service, she wasn’t meant to have followers, so they’d had to be discreet.But it had been an open secret and for several months Bert had been blissfully happy, longing only for the day when they could be married.He had been saving his pay, meagre as it was, to try and turn the outhouse by his parents’ cottage into a proper little dwelling that would at least be a start...
And then Edward had come, and his beautiful Peggy had been dazzled—much, Bert thought bitterly, as he himself had been.Still was...He watched her quick, graceful movements as she flitted about the table, distributing this and that, and ached with longing and bitterness.
Nearly all the servants were out here.The kitchen would be quiet right now, with Mrs.Riley too busy to notice him...
On impulse, Bert dropped his spade and ran down to the back door.He was right.Mrs.Riley didn’t look up from the oven, from which she was extracting a tray that gave off mouth-watering cake smells.
Bert knew where the bastard was.He walked quite casually across the kitchen to the housekeeper’s sitting room and sauntered in.Beyond it was Mrs.Ballam’s bedchamber, where they’d ensconced Edward in comfort.The door was open.Bert walked in, flexing his fingers.
Edward, his handsome head bandaged, lay on his back in the bed, his head slightly to one side, his eyes closed.Bert drew nearer, gazing down with loathing at the man who had wrecked his dreams and taken his Peggy from him.Rumour varied as to whether Peggy had dismissed Edward, or the footman had abandoned her.Bert didn’t much care.Either way, Peggy would never look at Bert the same way again.He had known that on Saturday night and he knew it now.
Bastard.
Flexing his fingers again, Bert leaned over the bed.
***
LAST MONTH AT HAYBURYCourt, Piers had tried to teach April pall-mall.Although she had seemed amused, it hadn’t really held her interest.He guessed she didn’t really see the point.Games were a novelty she didn’t quite grasp.Alone since the age of seven at the most, and intent on survival, she’d had no time for playing.And while she was happy enough to pass a few minutes in laughter at a new experience, she had no real competitive spirit.
