‘Algie?’ asked Thea.
‘Yes, Algie,’ said Martha. ‘We spent a long time at sea together and I can vouch for the fact that he is a good man. You saidyourself that everyone has different circumstances and should be given a chance. He is a wonder but struggles a little in society.’
‘Hhmph,’ said Thea, still smarting a little from his rebuke. ‘As you respect him, I will give him the time. And he could be useful; I do want to keep an eye on Knatchbull.’
‘Sensible,’ said Martha. ‘If he went to all that effort to limit your endeavours by keeping us distanced, I doubt he is delighted we are back in touch. And that we now have Algie involved also.’
Thea nodded. ‘He is always so dismissive of me and yet there is clearly something deeper. It seems suspicious that George is suddenly interested in gifting him plants.’
‘There must be something that Knatchbull has on him,’ said Martha.
‘And George will protect himself at all costs,’ said Thea. ‘A couple of comments recently have led me to believe that some of Frankie’s methods are already being employed at Upper Plumbthorne. I can only presume he has found someone else to share our secrets and to benefit from the knowledge of you, me and Frankie, rather than disrupting it.’
‘I see,’ said Martha thoughtfully. ‘But this information is limited to plants, currently?’
‘Currently,’ said Thea. ‘But based on what happened to James we shouldn’t take any chances. Whoever is passing him secrets is putting themselves at risk, more than anything.’
‘True,’ said Martha.
‘You don’t think it could be Crumpacker?’ asked Thea.
‘I wouldn’t have thought so,’ said Martha. ‘He would find it too hard not to tell me and he can’t have known anything about your growing here before you arrived. I certainly haven’t told him anything.’
‘Hmm,’ said Thea. ‘It must be someone who has access to the glasshouses and knows a little of what they’re talking about, at least.’
‘Then we can only wait and be careful,’ said Martha.
Thea wasn’t sure that she trusted Crumpacker, but Martha did, and so she would try to do the same.
Martha gave her a lopsided smile. ‘At least he can’t steal yourProteagrowing secrets. That seems to be beyond the capabilities of anyone.’
‘Indeed, it does.’ Thea sat back. ‘I am sure Frankie is trying everything possible. But I am relieved to hear that Knatchbull – or at least his gardener – is just as flummoxed.’
Martha reached across and placed a hand on Thea’s knee. ‘Maybe the best things are worth waiting for?’ said Martha in those honeyed tones that Thea had so missed.
‘Hhmph,’ she said again as Martha leaned in to kiss her. Their lips were so close to touching and Thea could smell that delicious sent which was so perfectly Martha when–
Knock knock.
Thea sprung back. ‘For goodness…’ she muttered. ‘Come,’ she said more loudly, and saw Martha raise her eyebrows as Joan’s head appeared around the door.
‘Apologies, Your Grace, I didn’t mean to interrupt.’ And she didn’t, thought Thea. Last week they hadn’t awoken early enough, and Joan had entered the bedroom in the morning to find the two of them still asleep together. They had done the British thing of not mentioning it at the time, or since.
‘Not at all,’ she said as calmly as she could. ‘Dress for tonight?’
Joan nodded. ‘I only came to see if you wanted me to press the purple silk or the terracotta?’
Thea pretended to think like she cared. ‘I will let you choose, I think Joan, thank you.’
Joan bobbed her thanks. ‘The purple then. And the stomacher with the birds?’
‘An excellent choice,’ said Thea. She rarely had to think about what she wanted to wear with Joan around and was grateful for it.
‘She is serving you well,’ said Martha as Joan disappeared around the door. ‘Hang on to her.’
Thea nodded. ‘I plan to. She seems happy, I think, just a little melancholy at times. But I pay her well and she will never have time off.’
‘Does she have anywhere to go?’
