“Did he eventually remember? Anything?” Brock asked her.
With Kimpton’s offer, she was at once forthcoming. Her thin lips pursed. “Bits and pieces.” She shrugged her frail shoulders. “Then all of sudden Hiram was dead.”
The hair at the base of Brock’s neck raised. He surveyed the shabby parlor. “The doctor’s death was sudden?”
Her belligerence turned palpable. “Another gent stopped by, started asking questions, hauled the man away. Next thing I know, Evelyn’s disappeared and here I am. Alone.”
Kimpton’s brows raised. “Any idea who the other man was?”
“Don’t know. Pretty high in the instep. Arrogant arse, he was.”
Brock met Kimpton’s eyes.Maudsley?“How long ago was this, ma’am?” Brock asked.
“Within the last three or four months, I imagine,” she said, knocking Maudsley from the picture. “Hiram was kilt comin’ back from Chelmsworth. Thrown from his horse. Strangest thing, it was. The moon that night was bright as day. And Hiram knew the road well.”
Brock drummed his fingers on his knee. “You’ve no idea where Miss Evelyn went?”
“Fancied herself in love with that patient o’ hers. I told her she was doomed. He was blue-blooded through and through.” She dug a scraggily lace kerchief from her pocket.
“Can you give us any idea of her direction?” Brock asked gently.
She dabbed her eyes and shook her head. “None.”
Kimpton rose and pulled a handful of coins from his purse. “Thank you for your assistance, madam.”
Astonishment filled her expression as Kimpton pressed them in her hands. She quickly slipped them into her apron pocket as if she was afraid he might take them back, and led them to the door. She turned the handle and stopped. Her rheumy gaze teared up, meeting theirs. “If’n you find Evie,” she said. “Tell her… tell her I miss her.”
The ride to Chelmsworth was quiet and long—and dark, their path literally lit by a half moon. The never-ending day was taking its toll. Brock followed Kimpton to the first inn they ran across. Brock spoke first. “What now?”
“We’ll call it a night, and in the morning, we’ll make our enquiries in the local medical community. Surely there are others who knew of the Holkses. It might give us some ideas.”
By unspoken agreement, they left their horses with the stable boy and headed inside. After downing a dinner of rewarmed beefy stew, stale bread, and strong ale, Brock asked, “What have you told Lady Kimpton of your search for her brother?”
Kimpton leaned back, smiling slightly. “I want no misunderstandings this time around. She’s aware of my search. But as I’ve nothing to report and she’s limited her questions. I think she’s afraid of what I’ll learn. After that scare regarding Harlowe’s valet, I can scarcely blame her.”
It was a ghastly sight they’d stumbled upon. Harlowe’s quarters had been pillaged beyond repair: slashed canvases, broken crockery, paint everywhere. Not to mention the stench of the valet’s dead body. “Yes. Did Lady Kimpton happen to mention Ginny’s—er, Lady Maudsley’s—new endeavor?” Ignoring Kimpton’s smirk, Brock waited.
“No.”
“She wishes to instruct her daughters in the art of… safeguarding… themselves.” The expression covering his friend’s face should have been laughable. “She’s accepted my offer of help in the matter.”
“What do you know of teaching young girls to defend themselves?”
He scowled. “As much as you, I suppose.”
“Ah. Nothing, then.” Kimpton polished off the last of his ale. “Young women learning self-defense will not sit well with the beau monde.”
“I believe I mentioned that.”
Six
I
’m so glad we are riding to Colchester together,” Lorelei said. “Long drives can be so tedious. I expect Thorne will meet us there once we arrive.”
Ginny removed her gloves and flexed her fingers, being careful of the catch in her wrist. It seemed more testy of late. “You know very well if you hadn’t insisted that Miss Lambert and the girls stay at your household, I would not be here now.” She glanced out at the passing landscape, still wishing she’d remained home.
“Well, they’ll help in keeping little Nathaniel entertained.” Her voice dropped. “It’s disappointing I couldn’t convince Corinne into coming along. I can’t seem to rouse that young woman into anything. I fear if it was not for Nathan—”
