“I’m sorry.” Regina’s voice pulled Nicole from her distressed thoughts. “I shouldn’t have pried.”
“No. No. It’s all right.” Nicole sighed and rubbed her forehead where a headache was forming. “It’s a long, complicated story. I’ll tell you about it… one day.” One day when it was no longer painful. Would that day ever come?
“Of course,” Regina said with a sympathetic smile. “In the meantime, back to our case. What did you think about what Lady Arabelle said?” They’d spoken to the grieving young woman directly after the memorial service.
Nicole and Regina continued their stroll down the long portrait gallery.
Nicole lifted one shoulder. “She certainly had some interesting things to say.”
Regina nodded sagely. “Like she was the one who asked John to invite Mr. Cartwright, at Molly’s request.”
“Seems our Miss Lester had her sights set on the next Colchester heir,” Nicole replied, lifting both brows.
“What did you think of what Miss Lester said?” Regina asked.
“I thought it was terribly interesting that John apparently had seemed to court her before he courted Arabelle.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Regina stopped in front of a large portrait of the former duke. “Who do you think we should speak with next?”
Nicole arched a brow. “Mrs. Lester.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
***
Not an hour later, the two ladies were sitting in the blue drawing room alone with Mrs. Lester. The woman was as large as her daughter was slight, and she talked incessantly.
“Why, I didn’t know what to do with myself that night,” Tabitha Lester said, pulling a dark handkerchief from her sleeve and dotting her sweating forehead with it. “The moment Lord Coleford fell to the floor, I realized it was ever so serious.”
“Did you see anything unusual that night?” Regina asked.
“No. No,” Mrs. Lester declared. “Only Lord Hillenbrand insisting we all drink his wine. He made certain he poured it too. Waited until the footman left. Did Molly tell you that?” The woman plunked her hands on her wide hips and shook her head, righteously indignant.
“Yes, Molly mentioned it,” Nicole replied, sharing a glance with Regina.
“Did you and Molly expect a proposal from Lord Coleford?” Regina asked. “Before he proposed to Lady Arabelle, I mean?”
Mrs. Lester’s features hardened. “Lord Coleford never offered for my Molly.” Her voice dripped with indignation.
“Yes, but did you expect him to?” Nicole prodded, studying the woman’s face.
“No,” Mrs. Lester snapped, turning away as if in disgust. “In fact, Arabelle told Molly later that he’d only asked Molly to dance in order to ask her about Arabelle.”
“That doesn’t sound particularly kind of Arabelle,” Regina pointed out.
“No matter.” Mrs. Lester stuck her nose in the air. “Mr. Cartwright has been paying Molly a great deal of attention. We expect an offer from him any day now. If only this unfortunate event with Lord Coleford hadn’t happened, no doubt he would have proposed already.” She gave both women a smug look as if they should be impressed with her for that news.
“Is Mr. Cartwright officially courting Molly then?” Nicole asked with wide eyes. This was the first she’d heard of a potential match between the two.
“Perhaps notofficially,” Mrs. Lester said, drawing up her shoulders. “But he’s clearly smitten.” She kept her nose stuck in the air while tucking her handkerchief back into her sleeve.
Nicole and Regina exchanged another glance.
“Will Molly accept if he proposes?” Regina asked, leaning toward Mrs. Lester.
Mrs. Lester gave them a look that indicated she thought them both quite dull. “Of course she will. She’d be a fool not to. Mr. Cartwright is the duke’s heir, you know.”
Nicole stood abruptly to put an end to the conversation. She’d had her fill of Mrs. Lester and her pretentiousness. “Thank you, Mrs. Lester. You’ve been quite helpful.”
