Chapter Forty-Nine
To Sebastian’s chagrin, Freddy took his accustomed place at supper as if nothing untoward had occurred. He shook out his napkin and smiled beatifically at the three Alders and Harry Dempster, who had joined them for the meal.
Connie glowered at him from across the table. ‘Where’s Fanny?’ she asked.
‘Poor Fan is quite overwrought so I accompanied her back to the dower house. I must say, Lady Somerton has made it most agreeable. Quite homely,’ Freddy said.
Sebastian looked down the table at the man, wondering if Freddy now had designs on the dower house.
‘Lady Kendall called this morning, Sebastian. I received her as you were otherwise engaged,’ Connie said.
‘Thank you, Connie,’ Sebastian replied.
‘I like Lady Kendall,’ Connie continued, and he smiled at her gratefully. Her chatter brought some normality to the situation. ‘She is very keen to present me in London.’
Freddy set his soup spoon back in the bowl. ‘Oh, but you will have your own new sister-in-law to perform that function!’
‘I would rather have Lady Kendall,’ Connie flashed back.
Freddy did not push the point.
‘Matt, remind me in the morning to talk to Thompson,’ Sebastian said over his soup.
Matt looked up. ‘What about?’
‘I was down in the stables this afternoon and thought I’d do a bit of an inspection of the chaff room.’
‘Why?’ Matt asked unhelpfully and Sebastian regretted not taking his brother into his confidence.
‘I thought some of the oats were mouldy,’ he said.
‘My dear Somerton,’ Freddy put in, ‘the standard of the oats is hardly your concern.’
Sebastian shot the man a hard glance. ‘It is when mouldy oats can give a horse colic.’ He turned back to Matt. ‘I am damned if I didn’t find a saddle hidden in one of the chaff bins.’
‘A saddle? How extraordinary,’ Connie said. ‘Did you look at it?’
‘Of course I did. I wonder if we don’t have a thief in our midst. It was rather a nice saddle engraved with the Somerton coat of arms. I hadn’t seen it before.’
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Freddy’s knife hovered over his meat before he forked the slice of beef and asked in a casual tone, ‘What did you do with it?’
‘Thompson wasn’t around so I put it back where I found it. If one of the stable hands is stealing, I thought it best not to arouse suspicion. I’ll take it up with him tomorrow morning.’
Freddy folded his napkin and straightened in his chair. ‘Absolutely the right decision. Leave it ’til the morning. I thought a game of cards tonight, gentlemen?’
Sebastian shot him a sour look. ‘I’ve had enough of playing games with you, Lynch. I didn’t get much sleep last night so I shall retire.’
Matt yawned. ‘I’ll play a couple of hands with you, but I won’t be far off bed myself.’
Sebastian and Connie rose from the table, leaving Freddy and Matt with the remains of the bottle of wine.
Connie took his arm as they climbed the stairs. ‘I’ve hardly seen you all day, Bas. Are you all right?’
He smiled down at her.
‘I really am tired,’ he admitted.
At the top of the stairs she threw her arms around him. ‘I hate Freddy and I despise Fanny. I abhor what they have done to you.’
