“Very well, sir.”
“I think it best I go in alone, Detective Fletcher. You return to your carriage before it leaves.”
“I’m coming in, Miss Nightingale.” He nodded to Bentley, and his horses clopped away.
“There really is no need, and my brothers can be a trifle—”
“Protective? Overbearing?”
“Yes, all of that.” She waved a hand about.
“But I thought you said they would not mind if you came with me?”
“Yes, well, perhaps I was stretching the truth slightly, but I can handle them. I’ll look at my uncle’s books and let you know if I see anything. Good day.”
Nervous, Gray thought. She was suddenly extremely nervous. His eyes went to the still closed door behind her, then back to Ellen.
“I am not frightened of your brothers, Miss Nightingale, and I would like to see if you can draw the mark you saw while it is fresh in your memory. I can then take it back with me and examine it to see if it connects to other cases. Lead the way.” For some reason, he felt the need to accompany her inside. Was it a protective need? Possibly. Gray did not investigate the emotion too closely.
Before she could utter a word, the door opened behind her, and her eldest brother stood there looking like he was ready to rip Gray limb from limb.
“I think you should leave,” she hissed.
“No.”
“Ellen!” Leopold Nightingale barked.
“Inside please, Leo. There is no need for all our neighbors to hear you barking at your sister on the doorstep,” someone said from behind the angry lord. This voice Gray didn’t recognize.
“Good day to you, my lord.”
They all turned as one to look over their shoulders, and there stood a lady swishing her skirts from side to side while she smiled at Leo.
“Who is that?” Gray moved closer to Ellen.
“Tabitha Varney. She’s in love with Leo, well anyone really. But he’s her favorite,” Ellen said. “We’ve tried to explain to her she has poor taste,” Ellen said but louder this time so her brother could hear.
“Good day to you, Miss Varney.” Leo smiled, and it was genuine, which was some feat, considering he’d been scowling not two seconds ago.
“Right. Now inside all of you,” the voice behind Leo said.
Leo stepped back at those words. Ellen climbed the stairs with Gray.
“For pity’s sake, Leo, why were you roaring at me like that?” Ellen said as she entered the house.
Gray followed.
“Hello, you must be Detective Fletcher. I am Ivy Nightingale, Bram’s wife.”
She was small, with brown hair and eyes a color he’d never seen before. They were pewter and ringed with black.
“You were expressly forbidden after the last time you took it in your head to leave the house alone, notifying no one—”
“I told Bud!”
Ellen and her brother were now yelling at each other loudly in the front entrance, and it did not seem to bother Mrs. Nightingale.
“Leo, Alex, and Bram were worried about Ellen. Leo shows it by roaring,” she added for Gray’s benefit. “We don’t like her to leave the house without one of us, but she continues to do so. Stating that she no longer has a reputation to worry about, therefore she can do as she chooses.”
