Mr. Evans planted his hands on his lean hips. “The human body can’t take such cold temperatures for long. If we hadn’t been found, we would have died.”
“But that would have taken several hours.” Lady Mary bent to peer into the ice house. “If I hadn’t come out here, someone else would have, looking for you. I don’t think this was a serious attempt. It feels more like mischief-making.”
“Mischief implies childlike fun.” Katherine shoved her hands inside the jacket’s pockets. “There was nothing innocent about this at all.”
“Fine. Evil mischief then.” Lady Mary rested her hand on the ice house’s door. “There isn’t very much space in there, is there?”
Katherine swallowed. “If I may, no one needs to inform my father of what occurred. I am unharmed, and no one need worry him.”
“Or tell him you were alone in an enclosed space with Mr. Evans.” Lady Mary gave her a shrewd look.
Katherine could feel said man tensing next to her. “Quite so. My father doesn’t need another reason to marry me off, leastways for supposed impropriety.” She didn’t want Mr. Evans to feel that she would use the situation to try to trap him in marriage.
Her stomach twisted. Or to think that he could trap her. There were more than a few men who would delight in forcing her into marriage, laying their hands on her father’s money. She didn’tthinkMr. Evans was of that mold, but a hint of doubt gnawed at her still.
“Marriage as the solution for an unmarried man and woman being caught alone together is silly, regardless of whether or not impropriety occurred.” Lady Mary cocked her head. “Although it has been known to lead to a happy marriage or two.”
Katherine stared at her boots. She slipped out of Mr. Evans’s jacket, holding it out to him. She could pretend all she wanted that nothing untoward had happened when she and the attorney were trapped, but there were three other people who knew the truth.
A muscle ticced in Mr. Evans’s jaw. He tugged his jacket free from her hand and shrugged it on. “I would hate to be the source of a lifetime regret on Miss Smith’s part. I think we can all agree not to mention this incident.” He gave the footman a hard look.
The young man quickly nodded.
“Well?” Lady Mary jerked her head toward the ice house. “Did you find anything?”
Mr. Evans crossed his arms. “There is a bruise on Perrin’s face that raised sometime after his death, but I don’t think it tells us anything other than that his head hit the steps as he fell down them. I don’t believe he was involved in any physical altercation prior to his being poisoned, shoved down the stairs, and stabbed.”
Katherine narrowed her eyes. She hadn’tshovedhim down the stairs, and Mr. Evans knew it. It wasn’t her fault that her concern over appearances had insulted his male pride.
Lady Mary ducked her head to go inside.
“There’s no need for you to look at Perrin’s body,” Mr. Evans said. His brows lowered. “I accurately described his appearance.”
“I’m sure you did.” Lady Mary lifted one shoulder. “That does not mean I don’t want to see for myself. Please stay out here and make sure no one comes along to lockmein there.” And she disappeared down into the ice house.
“What is it with you women needing to see everything for yourself?” Mr. Evans glared at her, as though Lady Mary’s action was in any way her fault.
“Perhaps it is because we women have learned from experience that not everything a man says can be trusted.” Katherine pinched her lips together.
Lady Mary emerged from the hut. She rubbed her arms and loosed a long breath. “You were right. I see nothing that changes any of our theories.”
Mr. Evans shot the footman a glance. “Thank you for your assistance. We don’t want to delay you any longer.”
The young man didn’t seem all that eager to return to his duties, but with a dutiful nod, he cut across the field toward the stables.
When he was no longer in earshot, Mr. Evans said, “I don’t think it wise to let too many people know that we have theories about the murder. It might lead to more attacks against us like this one.”
Lady Mary blew out a breath. “Do you think the other guests haven’t taken notice of the questions we’ve asked?”
Evans opened his mouth to respond, but Lady Mary held up her hand. “However,” she said, “I will be more discreet in future.”
“Good.” Evans looked to the house. “Has the constable left?”
“Not yet.” Lady Mary flicked at a bit of dust on her sleeve. “He’s decided to search the house for a possible source of the poison.”
Katherine’s chest tightened. She had nothing to hide, but still, the idea of a stranger looking through her belongings didn’t sit right. “He had this idea all on his own?”
Lady Mary whacked at a loose stone with the end of her walking stick. “It might have been suggested to him. I believe his choice was made, however, when Marie mentioned that she’d heard a noise in the attics above her room two nights past in the middle of the night.”
