A groom held the reins to Henry’s horse. “We sent your trunk ahead this morning, sir.”
“Thank you.” Henry took the reins. He waited for the groom to leave before turning to me. “I am only thirty miles away, but a half a day’s ride. If you or Perrin’s sons need any assistance with the disposition of the estate, let me know.”
“I’m sure they will be contacting you.” I raised my hand, shading my eyes from the sun. “So is that it then? You’re giving up?”
He raised one eyebrow. “The magistrate has taken over the case. Hopefully, his physician will be able to narrow down the poison, giving him a better idea of who murdered Perrin. It isn’tgiving upto leave the matter with the proper authorities.”
I wholeheartedly disagreed with that sentiment, but at the moment, that wasn’t the point. “I meant are you giving up your intentions regarding Katherine? I had thought you were made of sterner stuff than that.”
He blinked. “You knew that Katherine, Miss Smith, and I were….”
“Courting?” I snorted. “If you were trying to be subtle about it, I regret to inform you that you didn’t succeed.”
He turned the brim of his hat about in his hands. “And you aren’t shocked that an attorney would be fool enough to try to pursue an heiress?”
“At my age, there is very little that can shock me.” I thought of the attorney’s calm and kind demeanor when he’d given me Perrin’s letters. Apparently very little shocked Henry, either. “Your match would definitely make the gossip circles. Katherine might lose the company of some who had pretended to be her friends. But if your intentions are noble, there is nothing immoral about your pursuit. Who cares about wagging tongues?If, that is, you haven’t given up.” Katherine deserved better than a man who turned tail at the first trial.
His lips curved. He truly was a handsome man when he smiled. “I have not given up.” He slapped his hat on his head, making his horse skitter to the side. Henry placed a calming hand on the animal’s neck. “The Smiths and I are meeting for dinner tonight. Katherine and I have much to discuss.”
“An apology for whatever you did that raised her feathers wouldn’t go amiss.”
A muscle ticced in his jaw. “She misconstrued a situation.”
A laugh burbled out of me. How much he had to learn. “I wish you luck.”
Henry nodded and mounted his horse. “I will send you an invitation to the wedding when it is announced.”
“You’re that certain of success?”
“I am a skilled negotiator.” The horse pranced backwards, kicking up dust. “Besides, there are also practical concerns for why we must marry. She will see reason.”
I waved him off, then turned back to the house. Henry’s optimism had buoyed my spirits for a couple of minutes, but the reality of the situation quickly deflated them.
The servants should be directed to put black crepe in the windows before Perrin’s sons arrived. I would let Perrin’s boys go through his personal belongings, but I needed to determine if any bills needed paying. What purchases needed to be made to keep the estate running.
I had a moment of envy for my brother-in-law. Dying was easy; it was the cleaning up after that was hard.
My chest tightened. That was a detestable thought. What were a few hardships to the joy of waking up to a new day?
I grabbed my skirts and raised them an inch as I climbed the stairs back to the house. My steps dragged, each foot seeming a mile. I didn’t want to face the fact.
Perrin was dead. Murdered. And whoever had killed him had returned home to his or her warm bed.
I had failed.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Lady Mary
Ididn’t letmy foul spirits keep me from working. The house needed a good cleaning and airing out after all the guests had left. The windows were finally being replaced in Perrin’s study, and as the workmen attended to that matter, I went through his desk and collected the few bills that had accumulated.
I consulted with the butler on the immediate needs of the house, sent a note to the parish clergyman that as soon as Perrin’s body was released, it would need a burial, followed by a service when his sons returned home. It was mid-afternoon before I had a moment to myself.
I sat in my chair in the library. It was a grand chair and would look quite well in my parlor. I wondered if the boys would be willing to part with it.
Instead of laying down at my feet as he had done all day whenever I’d paused, Southey paced back and forth, occasionally nipping at my skirts.
“For once, you might have the right idea,” I told him. I was rather peckish, as well. A nip down to the kitchens wouldn’t go amiss. Neither would another attempt at convincing Cook Clem to come work for me. I’d sensed he’d been warming to the prospect. I wanted at least one good thing to come from my trip to Perrin Manor.
