The man nodded. “Yes, my lord.”
“Jane’s brother?”
The young man nodded again.
“Well, she is being reinstated, but I’ll ask you to keep that to yourself until I have spoken with Mrs. Luke,” Toby said, wondering if he were making things worse or better in his household. He hoped for the latter. Would he have to dismiss Mrs. Luke? The thought actually made his head hurt.
Stephen smiled. “Thank you, my lord, and I will say nothing, but Jane will be pleased.”
“You’re welcome.”
Toby got inside his carriage then before he made any more rash decisions that involved his staff and animals, and told himself for the rest of the night he would once again be the cold, formidable Lord Corbyn, and then he thought of Liberty and sighed.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It wasn’t farto the Duke of Talbot’s house. Sitting back, he allowed thoughts to come and go. He had been going through the motions of existing for too long. Appeared to be happy and live his life as he chose, but in fact, it was the opposite. He’d been hiding in plain sight. Now he had a child, a dog, and hopefully not a cat. Him, the eternal bachelor; the thought was a sobering one.
He’d written to his mother yesterday, outlining all that had happened. No doubt that would send her into a frenzy, and she’d appear in Bidham when he arrived there soon.
Liberty slid into his head then. She deserved the truth from him, but Toby knew that in telling her he would have to speak of his days at Blackwood House. He hated talking of that time. It made him vulnerable, and he’d fought hard to never again be that. But perhaps to heal he must? What did he want from Liberty Talbot? He didn’t have an answer, but he knew it was something.
Looking out the window he noted they were passing the street where she had recklessly spoken to that man in the warehouse, after both she and Helen had seen her brother delivering something there.
He tapped on the roof, and the carriage began to slow. Toby intended to take a quick look around, just to be sure nothing was out of place. Unlike his last visit, the property should be empty at this hour—or so he hoped.
“Is something amiss, my lord?” Rory asked after he’dstepped down.
“I just need to check on something. I will be only a few minutes if you will wait here, please.”
Entering the lane, he looked about him, which wasn’t easy as no streetlamps lit the area. But his eyes adjusted, and Toby made his way to the building at the end. He walked along the first side to the window, but could see nothing inside, so he continued around the warehouse.
Nearing the rear of the building, he saw light coming from a partially open door. Stopping beside it, Toby listened.
“We’ve had people here asking questions.”
“Doesn’t mean they know anything.”
“Doesn’t mean they don’t.”
“The women came, and they’re from the village, his lordship said. Then there’s the nobleman poking around. Plus, we know a man was questioning the villagers. So far, they’re too scared to speak, but that may change.”
“His lordship says to keep things as they are. They won’t speak, not after what we did. They’re scared.”
“This next shipment is big… the biggest. He wants everything to run smooth, so don’t get the wobbles now.”
“I’m not. It’s them nosing around that worry me.”
“He’ll take care of that. He’s a right mean one when he needs to be.”
Toby studied the building, looking for a way inside. Those words had left him cold with fury. Were the women they’d spoken of Liberty and Helen? Had they murdered Sally Ackers to keep the Bidham locals quiet? Who was this nobleman they spoke of? He needed answers to those questions, and he needed them now.
“What the bloody hell do you want!”
Toby turned at the words, but not quick enough and something came down hard on the back of his head. He staggered, but did not go down. The sound of running feet told him that whoever was insidethat warehouse would be outside in seconds. Toby would be outnumbered.
He lashed out with his fist and connected. The recipient went down, and he ran back toward the carriage. The thud of feet told him they were following, but he could see Rory now.
“Is all well, my lord?”
