Carling took a step forward, bowed to her, straightened, andsaid, “My lady, allow me.”
“I sense you two know each other,” the inspector noted.
“Indeed!”Carling cried.“I am Rutherford Carling!Eighthgeneration houseman, with the running of the Derryman House!”
“My guess is, you have something to say,” the inspectordrawled.
“I will allow no quarter to offend my lady with furthergrief and tragedy,” Carling proclaimed.
Whoa.
Carling had some pluck.
“Will you not?”the inspector asked.
“No,” Carling snapped.“I will not.”
And the man was not backing down.
He turned to Mom and his face gentled.
“I’m sorry, but it must be said,” he decreed softly.
“I’m afraid it must,” Mom muttered.
Carling looked at me.
“My lady,” he whispered.
“Carling,” I whispered back, having no clue what he wasabout to say.
He shifted his attention to the inspector.
“What you see on my younger lady’s face is not the firstmark my employer made on one of the females whoshouldhave had hisloving devotion and care.”
Mom’s fingers tightened around mine.
This was not good.
The real Lady Corliss…
And maybe even Maxine?
I stared at Carling, who was fit to be tied, and I knew.
I dropped my head.
Loren’s hand curled over my shoulder.
“But I can assure you, it is with horror that I share it wastheleastof his transgressions,” Carling continued.
What?
I lifted my head.
“No, I’m not speaking about the fact he was an unkindemployer, and often more than unkind, rather cruel, especially to the femalesin his employ, who are my charges, but I was powerless to help them.”
“Oh my gods,” I breathed.
