She closed her teeth with a snap.
“She is my cousin’s child. He and his wife recently passed away, and I am now her guardian and the owner of Barnaby.”
She wanted to ask how he, a man who appeared to care for little but himself, could care for a child, but she didn’t. The kind boy she’d once known was hopefully still inside him. Plus, she’d seen him holding the little girl gently. Those weren’t the actions of a callous man, surely?
“Now about Bidham,” he continued. “I think it is definitely smuggling that is taking place there. But I also believe the village is under threat. I sent a man to investigate. No one would talk to him. But the magistrate, who was called in to deal with Sally’s death, said it was murder and that, to his mind, there is something odd going on in Bidham.”
She felt the pain lance through her at the thought of Sally’s death.
“I’m sorry her death upsets you, Liberty.”
“That is neither here nor there,” she said, watching Edward and Florence walk away with Barnaby. “But I need to tell you something, my lord.”
“As I am standing before you, now is as good a time as any,” Tobias said.
She glared at him. “We don’t like each other, and I’m fine with that. So once this is done, we will carry on with our mutual animosity.”
“I believe I told you I don’t dislike you—”
“Stop,” she hissed. “No one speaks to me the way you did. Ignores me the way you have, and can say they don’t dislike me.” She then inhaled through her nose. “It matters not anyway. What I wanted to say is that Edward and I just saw Cecil Todd driving a cart similar to the one Helen’s brother was driving, and he stopped at the same place.He and two other men I’d seen before then unloaded the barrels.”
“Tell me you didn’t go back to the warehouse and ask more questions.”
“Not that it is any concern of yours what I do, but I did not.”
“At least in this you are showing sense.” His dark eyes were narrowed now.
“I continually show sense, unlike you,” she snapped back.
“No good can come of continuing this conversation, so I will ask you where exactly is this warehouse location?” Tobias said.
He was right, no good could come of them arguing. Their only focus should be Bidham. The problem was Liberty felt irrational around this man. Before she could speak again, her brother and the child returned.
“She put honey in yours because I told the lady serving that you had a sour disposition, Liberty,” Edward said. “Florence also got some in hers, but that was just to make her sweeter.”
The little girl had a small smile on her face as she looked at Edward.
“I’m not entirely sure why I love you,” Liberty muttered taking the mug.
Edward handed Toby his.
“Tell him where that place was Cecil drove the cart to this morning, Edward. I think Mr. Hasslebach wants to begin, and as I want this over before mother hears about it, I will see if I can beat him quickly.”
“Liberty,” Toby said.
“What?” She looked at his left ear.
“Have you noticed since you started playing that the crowd has grown and changed?”
She looked at the people now two deep around them and saw the women.
“You are championing these women; don’t forget that,” he said.
“I expect you to win, Sister, and when you do, I will heckle themen in the crowd,” Edward said loudly. “I believe in you, Liberty. Plus, Florence told me she wants you to win. Apparently, her mother was excellent at chess.”
“Was she?” Tobias asked, looking down at his ward. She replied with a nod.
“Thank you for your belief in me, Edward.” She then bent to talk to Florence. “And thank you for your support too.” The little girl patted her cheek.
