A few more muttered sentences followed.
“No, I will not come to the door to speak to them. I have sat down for dinner and do not wish to disturb this bothersome leg. Go fetch them and show them in here. We have already been interrupted. Perhaps, while they are here, they can arrest my son for criminal insanity!”
Giles nodded and disappeared at once, while Jillian and the Bradfords remained frozen in suspended uproar. Less than a minute passed in waiting, but the tension only deepened in the silence. Lewis used the opportunity to walk around the table to stand by Jilly, grasping her hand firmly. Jilly could not discern whether he was offering support or needing it, or both. She returned the firmness of his grip in unspoken agreement that they were in this together.
And then the butler ushered the two policemen into the room.
The dynamic in the room was clearly not what they had expected. Perhaps they had assumed some surprise, even curiosity at their presence. But this space was awash with agitation. The constables looked at each other, uncertainty in their stance.
“Well, what is it?” demanded Lord Bradford. “I expect you have an excellent reason to disturb our dinner. Speak and be done with it, man! Don’t dilly-dally. The butter sauce is congealing upon my plate.”
One of the constables seemed to have the misfortune of being assigned the speaking role. He now pulled his cap from his head and scrunched it up in his hands, lowering his eyes to the floor.
“Your lordship,” he began with great trepidation, “we are sorry to tell you, but there has been an incident involving your son.”
“Do you mean Philip?” Lady Bradford asked, her voice tight, her body sprung with apprehension.
The constable turned briefly to his companion, who nodded. “Yes, milady, I believe that is the name we were given.”
“What has happened?” cried Miss Bradford. “Is Philip all right? Where is he?”
The constable bowed his head, unable to look her in the eye. The grip on his cap grew tighter. “Your ladyship,” he said in a voice solemn and low, “it pains me to say that Mr. Philip Bradford is dead.”
