Part 17 (2/2)

Daphne was staring at him, frowning. ”Why couldn't you get the latch open? I don't understand.”

”Oh, I didn't tell you, did I? There was a piece of wood wedged behind the latch. That's how I burned my fingers, attempting to remove it. The shoe did it, of course, and I was able to get the stall door open and release Greensleeves.”

Daphne stood gaping at him. As his words sank in she understood everything. She felt a s.h.i.+ver of fear run through her, and her legs were suddenly weak. She sat down on a chair, shaking her head.

”What's wrong? What is it, Daphne?” Hugo asked, noticing at once the change in her demeanor.

”The latch was a bit loose, but no one ever put a piece of wood there to wedge it, Hugo. I was at the stable on Friday morning to see Greensleeves, and everything was normal.” She felt chilled to the bone when she focused on Richard Torbett. He had threatened to kill her mother and Dulcie. And he had tried last night to kill her horse. It was him. She knew it without a question of a doubt. But why? She had not told a soul about his attack on her, nor mentioned his name.

”Don't you feel well?” Hugo pressed worriedly, wondering what was wrong with her. She was pale, appeared to be upset.

Daphne took control of her swimming senses. I must be careful what I say, she cautioned herself. Tell no one. Trust no one. Only the Swanns. Only your parents.

After a moment, she said slowly, ”It was arson. I agree with the police. The bale of hay was torched. Whoever it was, they wanted to kill our horses and burn down the stables. Why they targeted Greensleeves I don't know. But they had trapped her in her stall ... obviously the other stalls were bound to ignite swiftly. There is somebody out there who has a grudge against our family.”

”I hate to think that, Daphne,” Hugo responded, concern written on his face. ”I'm afraid I just a.s.sumed the bit of wood had been wedged there as a safety measure, by one of the stable boys.”

”No!” she exclaimed. ”You know as well as I do that a horse rarely walks out of its stall, even when the door is wide open.”

He nodded, offered her his hand. ”Perhaps we'd better go, the fresh air will do you good. Also, you must tell your father of your suspicions.”

Taking his hand, Daphne stood staring into his face for a moment, and unexpectedly her eyes filled with tears. She said softly, ”Thank you for being so understanding, Hugo. I was a little shocked a moment ago, when I realized someone bears us ill will. They do, don't they?”

”Perhaps.”

Thirty-one.

Charlotte Swann walked slowly toward the lake at Cavendon. She had set off too early, but it was such a lovely day she had not been able to resist leaving her house in the village.

She lifted her head and looked up at the sky. It was amazing this afternoon. A clear bright blue, without a cloud, and br.i.m.m.i.n.g with sunlight. They had been lucky so far this summer. Rain had been infrequent, the weather glorious. Unusual for Yorks.h.i.+re.

She wondered, as she walked along, why Charles wanted to talk to her, and why he had chosen the gazebo at the edge of the lake as a meeting place. She could only imagine that what he had to discuss was extremely private; certainly n.o.body could hear them talking, unless they were in close vicinity, like under the gazebo floor. This thought brought a smile to her face.

She pushed her hands in the pockets of her pale green silk dress, and continued on at a steady pace, thinking about the clothes Cecily had been designing for Daphne to wear, once the pregnancy began to show. Cecily had been taken into her confidence recently.

She was astounded at Cecily's talent. The suits and dresses were brilliantly clever, and she had soon realized that this was all to do with their construction.

Because Cecily had explained this to her, had shown her various drawings, each of which applied to a single garment, Charlotte had quickly understood how Cecily literally engineered the clothes.

Charlotte had telephoned her cousin, Dorothy Swann, who lived in London, and worked in the fas.h.i.+on department of Fortnum and Mason, on Piccadilly.

Without revealing anything about designing clothes for a pregnant woman, Charlotte had told Dorothy about Cecily, and how amazingly creative and talented the girl was.

”I want to send her to live with you one day,” Charlotte had explained. ”This one's a winner, Dottie; she will go places. I can guarantee that Cecily Swann will be a designer of great fame one day. World famous, in fact.”

Dorothy had listened carefully to every word, and had agreed that once Cecily was old enough to leave Cavendon, she could live with her and her husband, Howard Pinkerton, in London. And she guaranteed a job for Cecily at Fortnum's. She trusted Charlotte's judgment implicitly.

I want her out of here, Charlotte now thought. This place is too beautiful, too comfortable, too easy, too perfect in so many ways. And dangerous. It was the Ingham men, of course. They were irresistible. And fatal.

Miles was only fourteen, but Charlotte had noticed more than ever before just how he looked at Cecily, especially over the past few weeks, since he had been home from Eton. They were rarely apart, and even though DeLacy was usually with them, Miles appeared joined at the hip to Ceci.

I've got to nip that in the bud. She can't be like me. I won't permit that, Charlotte reminded herself, then came to an abrupt stop.

Much to her amazement, Genevra, the gypsy girl, was suddenly in the middle of the path, gazing at her. Where had she sprung from so unexpectedly?

”Genevra! Goodness me! What are you doing here?”

The girl shrugged, smiled. ”h.e.l.lo, Mrs. Charlotte.”

”You know very well you're not supposed to come on this part of the estate,” Charlotte said in a soft but slightly reprimanding tone.

The Romany remained silent, but stretched out her hand, offered something to Charlotte. She said, ”A present.”

Fully aware that she could not offend the gypsy, Charlotte took the offered gift and examined it carefully. It appeared to be a piece of bone or ivory. Slender and smooth, it was carved with small crosses on either side of a tiny carved heart. There were small pieces of ribbon tied to it. One was scarlet, the other sky blue.

Charlotte frowned, looked at Genevra intently, and realized, suddenly, how important this offering was to the girl. She said warmly, ”Thank you so much, Genevra, I shall treasure it always. Did you make it?”

Genevra nodded. ”It's lucky. A charm. Don't lose.”

Charlotte put it in her pocket. ”I shall keep it safe. I must hurry now, I am late.”

”Bluebell woods no good.” Genevra shook her head. ”Trespa.s.sers prosecuted,” she muttered, lifted one hand, moving it, as if writing those words in the air. And then she whirled around and ran off, racing across to the meadows, heading for the Romany wagons far away on the hill.

Staring after her, Charlotte couldn't help wondering about those words. They sounded familiar, and then she instantly remembered. Years ago, the fifth earl had posters made warning exactly that, and they were attached to trees in the bluebell woods and around the estate. Did Genevra mean they should be put back on the trees?

And why had she said the bluebell woods were bad? Oh my G.o.d! Had Genevra seen the attack on Daphne in May? Charlotte shuddered at this awful thought, and walked faster, hurrying to the gazebo, not even stopping to see the swans, as she usually did.

She was the first to arrive. Once inside, she sat down on one of the chairs, catching her breath, and endeavoring to put thoughts of trespa.s.sers out of her head.

Within a few minutes, Charles Ingham stepped into the gazebo, touched her lightly on the shoulder, and sat down opposite her. ”h.e.l.lo. I hope I haven't kept you waiting, Charlotte.”

”No, you haven't, Charlie. I just got here.” She sat back in the chair. ”I suspect you wish to speak to me about something really important, very private, something that no one else must hear. Hence the choice of this famous beauty spot.”

”You know, you can sound quite pompous at times,” he said, obviously amused.

”And so can you,” she answered. ”I think we picked that up from each other when we were little. Anyway, here we are, so very private in the gazebo, with only the swans to eavesdrop. So, what is all this about?”

Leaning forward across the small bamboo table, Charles said in a serious tone, ”Before Hugo left, he came to see me. He told me that he had fallen in love with Daphne. To say that I was flabbergasted is the understatement of the year. In fact, I was speechless for a moment. Then he shocked me further, by saying he wanted my permission to court her, if she was not spoken for already. He explained he had serious intentions. He wants to marry her ... if I didn't have any objections to his courts.h.i.+p of her, that is.”

”And what did you say?”

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