Sir Felix flew off his horse. “Halt, Miss Tabitha,” he yelled as he hurried toward her.
She wouldn’t give up without a fight, and a good run. The chubby man was definitely not fit to run as fast as she was.
Tabitha turned and sprinted across the lawn as fast as she could. Terror pumped through her legs and helped with her flight. She came closer to the corner of the house, and just as she darted around the bush, two strong arms reached out and grabbed her.
“Sir Felix, I got her.”
Groaning, she struggled against his hold. Tears burned her eyes. She couldn’t understand how she had forgotten about the third man—the one who’d come with the magistrate.
He pulled her toward the front of the house where Sir Felix met her. His scowl was fierce.
“Miss Tabitha, I have come—”
“What is the meaning of this?” Diana demanded as she flew down the front stairs, Lady Dashwood close on her heels. Diana rushed to Tabitha and tried to pry her wrist from the magistrate’s grip. “Release her at once, Sir Felix,” she demanded.
“I fear, Lady Hollingsworth,” he said, lifting his chin arrogantly, “that I cannot release her. I have come to arrest her for the murders of your husband and Lord Elliot.”
“No!” Tabitha yanked her hands, but the other man’s grip was too strong. “I didn’t kill them.”
“We have witnesses that say otherwise.” Sir Felix arched a bushy eyebrow.
“They are wrong!” Diana folded her arms over her chest. “My maid did not kill those men, I assure you.”
“Forgive me, my lady,” he replied smugly, “but yourassuranceholds no strength this time. Now, if you will step aside so I can do my duty, I promise not to arrest you as well.”
Lady Dashwood huffed. “This is highly irregular, my lord.”
The portly man threw a glare at the other lady. “And I suggest, Lady Dashwood, that you stay out of my business as well.”
The portly man and his partner tugged Tabitha to the coach. Horror like she’d never imagined clawed its way from her stomach to her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs. She turned pleading eyes to Diana. “I didn’t do it.” Her voice broke.
“I know you didn’t.” Diana cried and clutched her hands to her chest.
“Not to worry, dear Tabitha,” Claudia assured, “I will hire a lawyer and have you released.”
Helplessly, Tabitha was shoved into the windowless coach as a chain secured the door. There was no escaping now. If Diana couldn’t find a way to release her, Tabitha would surely die in prison.
Chapter Thirty-One
Laughter chimed aroundthe room as the Worthington brothers and their wives sat at the dowager’s large dining table for a family dinner. Tristan tried to smile, but it was so hard when his mind was occupied on trying to figure out this mystery of who killed the two lords. What made him that much more upset was not coming up with any leads. Tabitha wasn’t a suspect on his list any longer, but Sally was. Now he wondered how he could find out what really happened that night after Elliot had beaten her.
Tristan glanced around the table, trying to act as if he were involved with the conversation. The oldest Worthington brother, Trevor, sat near his wife Louisa, their eyes sparked with love when they gazed at each other. Louisa was midway through her pregnancy, and simply glowing. Trevor and Louisa had a rough patch at the beginning of their relationship, but now Tristan could see they were destined to be together, forever.
The youngest brother, Trey was just as happy with his wife, Judith. The two of them were either holding hands or Trey’s arm was around his wife’s waist. Sometimes they were this way in public, which made all the matrons’ tongues wag with gossip. Tristan wasn’t around when Trey and Judith were courting, but apparently it was quite the scandal.
Earlier tonight, Trey had announced Judith was pregnant. Tristan’s mother was as ecstatic as any woman could be as she clapped cheerfully as tears of joy swam in her eyes. Tristan prayed that one day he and Diana would have children, yet for some reason fate had not been smiling on either one of them lately.
Tristan frowned. Maybe fate was never going to be a ray of sunshine in his life. Mentally, he shook the thought from his head. He must stay positive. Diana was destined to be his wife. And Tristan would do all he could to see it happen.
“What is going on with the murder investigation, Tristan? Do you know?”
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Trevor who’d asked the question. All eyes around the table were now on Tristan, so he tried to replace his forlorn expression with a cheery disposition, although he knew he failed miserably.
“The last I have heard, the magistrate has no leads to the killer, I’m afraid.”
“Does he still suspect you?” the dowager asked softly.
“Yes Mother, but I’m doing my best to try and change his mind. We all know I didn’t do it, but for some reason, the magistrate now has it in his head that Lady Hollingsworth and I were working together to rid the world of her husband and my cousin.” He shrugged. “What a wild imagination that man has.”
