“But how can you find out? If she hasn’t said anything to you…” Nic threw up his hands and began to pace. “Does she not love you more than her maid?”
“I want to think that,” Tristan said in quiet tones as he stared blankly at the floor. “And I want to trust her. If I lose that trust, I cannot fully give her mine. And love without trust is no love at all.”
Hawthorne stopped in front of Tristan. “What will you do now?”
“I don’t know. I was actually going to join her at the cottage in a few days without anyone knowing I was there. But now…” He sighed heavily. “I will leave today. I cannot go on any longer without knowing the truth.”
Nic gave Tristan a quizzical glare. “Are you addled? Why would you go now? What if Miss Tabitha makes you her next victim? And what if the magistrate finds you with Diana? He would certainly believe you two are in this together.”
“Not if you go with me.” Tristan nodded as confidence built inside him. “You must go with me, mainly so nobody gets suspicious. I need to talk to Diana in person, or at least hear it for myself that Tabitha is the killer. We need hard evidence to present to the magistrate to clear my name from their suspects’ list.”
Pausing, he scratched his chin as thoughts rushed through his mind. Silence filled through the room for the next several minutes while memories flitted through Tristan’s head. All that he and Diana had been through, why did it have to end up like this? Why couldn’t love win out for once in his life?
“I fear the only thing for me to do is go to see her today,” Tristan said in defeat. “Even if it means discovering something I don’t wish to hear.”
Nic came closer and clasped his hand on Tristan’s shoulder. “Give me time to return home and change before we’re off.”
“Yes, but hurry. I’m exhausted with all this worry. I want the truth out in the open once and for all.”
Nodding, Nic turned and hurried out of the room. As Tristan watched Hawthorne leave, he prayed their plan would come about, and the real killer discovered. Tristan didn’t know what he was going to say to Diana or how he was going to act, but one thing was certain—he couldn’t trust her until she opened up to him about Tabitha. Until that happened, he couldn’t fully give her his heart, either.
*
Diana stared outthe window at the passing landscape, not really paying attention to the land she knew was so beautiful. Due to the pain in her heart, it was impossible to gaze upon such loveliness and smile.
The carriage wheel hit a rut and jerked her on the seat. She scooted back and made herself comfortable again. Yet deep in her heart the rut of despair could not be filled.
Pain squeezed her chest as she recalled the exchange she’d overheard between Mr. Coggins and Martha early this morning as the two servants loaded the carriage for Diana’s departure.
After all these years of wondering why Ludlow’s servants hated her, she finally discovered the truth.
Blinking back the tears stinging her eyes, their voices echoed in her ears—like a terrifying screech that would always be branded in her memory. They hated Diana because she had never given Ludlow a child. Apparently, Ludlow’s father had a temper when he first married, but after Ludlow was born, the temper disappeared. The servants who knew Ludlow’s family were in hopes that this would happen with Ludlow, but when Diana couldn’t conceive, they blamed her. And ultimately, they blamed her for his death as well.
When she had realized she could not have a baby, a ray of satisfaction had glimmered in her heart. She didn’t love Ludlow, and hadn’t wanted his child. She didn’t want a child to have to experience some of the beatings she had done during their years of marriage. Unfortunately, his judgmental servants couldn’t see it that way.
Diana took a deep breath and slowly released it, hoping to calm her spirits. With any luck, Mr. Lusk would arrive at the manor while she was staying at the cottage. Then she would never have to return to the nightmare she’d endured for far too long.
Shouts from Mr. Coggins and the slowing of the carriage alerted her to her surroundings once again.Home at last.This cottage held such wonderful, tender memories of the times she spent with her grandmother. And now… Diana sighed and smiled. Now new memories would be made—happy and unforgettable.
When the carriage stopped, she opened the door and climbed down. Tabitha rushed out of the house and began issuing instructions to Mr. Coggins. Diana tried to ignore the suspicious glares from her disgruntled servant as he carried her trunks inside the house.
“Good day, Tabitha. I trust all is well with the place?”
Tabitha smiled brightly and nodded. “Everything is in order, my lady.”
“Splendid.”
Tabitha moved closer and touched Diana’s arm. “When will Lord Tristan be arriving?” she whispered.
“Our plans were for him to arrive in three days.”
“Sally and I have been cleaning a room and getting it ready for his stay.”
“How is Sally faring?”
“She gets better and better every day. You can hardly see the bruises on her face.”
Diana smiled and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I thank you for everything. I do believe my life is going to change for the better now.”
