Chapter Ten
Harred sat at his desk as he watched Fredrick pace back and forth in his study. They were waiting for the grooms to arrive so he could question them about the carriage. He doubted they would provide any new insight, but it was a place to start.
He understood why Fredrick was upset, and he didn’t blame him. Octavia could have been seriously hurt or worse, killed. That thought terrified him.
A knock came at the door and Fredrick stopped pacing.
“Enter,” Harred ordered.
The door opened and his two grooms stepped into the room. They both were of similar height but Steven was much more stout than James.
James held his cap in his hand as he said, “Mr. Mitchell said you wanted to speak to us, my lord.”
“I do,” Harred confirmed. “Will you close the door?”
As James went to do his bidding, Harred rose from his desk and came around the side. “Did you inspect the phaeton this morning?”
Steven bobbed his head. “I did, my lord.”
“Did you notice anything unusual about it?” Harred pressed.
“No, I did not,” Steven replied as he shifted in his stance. “Was there a problem with it?”
Fredrick huffed. “You could say that.”
Steven looked genuinely confused. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”
Harred decided it would be best if he just told Steven what happened. “The wheel came off while I was departing from Lord Chatsworth’s townhouse.”
“The wheel?” Steven repeated. “I don’t know how that could have happened. I ensured the bearings were fastened before we hitched the horses to the phaeton.”
“Then how can you explain the wheel coming off?” Harred asked.
Steven shrugged. “I can’t, my lord,” he replied. “The only thing I can think of is that someone loosened the bearings after you departed from here.”
That is what Harred had suspected but who would have done such a thing? Would William even know how to tamper with a carriage?
Fredrick spoke up. “Who has access to the reins for the teams?” he asked the grooms.
“All the grooms,” James replied. “They are secured by a hook on the wall when they aren’t in use. However, they are inspected when we harness the horses.”
Harred didn’t think they would get any further information out of the grooms. He didn’t have any reason to suspect they had something to do with the tampering of the carriage. “You will need to go collect the phaeton from Lord Chatsworth’s townhouse. It is being stored at his stables for the time being,” he shared.
“Very good, my lord,” Steven said. “Will there be anything else?”
Harred did have one more question, and it was delicate in nature. “Has my brother visited the stables lately?” he inquired.
James exchanged a look with Steven before saying, “Lord William did come down to the stables this morning, but it was to request his horse to be saddled. I thought nothing of it at the time, but he did linger around the carriages.”
“But it isn’t uncommon for Lord William to come to the stables,” Steven attempted. “He always brings his horse a treat before he rides him.”
Harred leaned back against the edge of his desk. “Thank you,” he said. “That will be all.”
After the grooms departed from the study, Fredrick walked over to the settee and sat down. “Should we go to White’s and look for your brother?”
“I doubt he is at White’s,” Harred replied. “He tends to prefer to go to more disreputable places, places that I don’t really care to visit.”
“Your brother is a scoundrel,” Fredrick said.
