“Her fever is still quite high, I’m afraid. But your physician promises to keep a close eye on her.”
“And he will. He is the best doctor around.”
She gave Collin a small smile. “I do appreciate your kindness, and Lord William’s, of course.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Collin patted her hand, and Adrian noticed she subtly pulled away. Her attention moved to him, and he wanted to shout with victory. Indeed, he had won the lovely maiden, not the brother with the title. This proved to Adrian that she was not the farthing-filching woman he had originally wanted to keep away from his family.
“Lord William was telling me about the accidents that have been happening to the two of you lately.” She looked back at Collin. “And he mentioned that you saw someone outside earlier today just as my sister and I arrived. I hope you’re not too uncomfortable sharing that with me.”
Collin’s face hardened as he threw Adrian a glare. “My brother should learn when to keep his mouth shut.”
“Oh, no, my lord.” She touched Collin’s arm until he looked at her, and then she withdrew. “I’m eager to help you figure out what has been happening around the manor.”
Shrugging, Collin leaned back in the settee. “I fear it’s worse than I suspected… as if someone is trying to make us go insane with worry.”
She tilted her head and narrowed her gaze. “Why would you think that?”
Collin exchanged glances with Adrian. “Because nothing makes sense.”
“What doesn’t make sense?” she asked.
Collin shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. Adrian knew it was because his brother didn’t want people to know what was happening for fear that they would become injured as well.
“Miss Hartwell,” Adrian said, moving to the chair next to her, “we believe someone is purposely trying to harm us.”
“Someone here in the manor?” Bridget’s eyebrows lifted. “But when I talked with your maid the day the wheel broke from my buggy, she said that the staff are all very devoted to you and the earl.”
“We believe so. After all, when the pot fell from the banister, only someone in the house could have done that.”
She shrugged. “Or a servant was paid to help the true villain.”
Adrian sucked in a quick breath and exchanged a surprised glance with his brother. When Adrian returned his attention to Bridget, he smiled. “I suppose that is a possibility. That deduction is utterly brilliant.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color. “I’m not sure about it being brilliant, but tell me, have there been any threatening notes to either of you?”
Adrian shook his head. He only suspected his brother gave the same response, because Adrian couldn’t look at anything else in the room right now. Bridget Hartwell’s beauty and intellect literally took his breath away.
“Why do you ask, my dear?”
“I recall when the last people who lived here had to move. It was done so quickly and in the middle of the night.”
“Why is that, I wonder?” Collin asked, leaning closer to her on the settee.
She briefly glanced at the man next to her before returning her attention to Adrian. “Their unwed daughter was in the family way, and they didn’t want to create a scandal.”
Adrian hitched a breath, shocked that Bridget would know about that delicate rumor, especially when he remembered that she had scolded her sisters for gossiping. But the tale intrigued him, nonetheless.
“However,” Bridget continued, “the scandal broadens. You see, the unwed girl’s older brother was a gambler, and before they moved, my father learned of some men who had come to the manor and met with Lord Caldwell, and, well… the ruffians scuffed him up pretty badly.” She paused briefly. “It makes me wonder if these men don’t know that the Caldwell family have moved, and they are creating these accidents for the sole purpose of trying to exact revenge on Lord Caldwell, who reportedly gambled away his inheritance.”
Adrian realized their father must have known about the scandal. Why else would he had purchased the manor so cheaply?
“That makes sense.” Collin nodded. “After all, Adrian and I have not upset anyone in our lives—that we know about, anyway—especially since moving here. I cannot see anyone wanting to harm or kill us. I believe it’s worth bringing the constable in on this to have him check out a few leads.”
“Indeed,” Bridget said. “I think the constable would recall the incident when those men were fighting with Lord Caldwell.”
Collin jumped to his feet, appearing eager to summon the man of the law, but then he looked to the window and frowned.
