Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
“Fiddlesticks!” she hissed in frustration. With a sigh, she gave up for the moment and focused on getting some nourishment by eating her food.
“Did you know the man who gave you the note?” Arthur demanded, looming over the boy who had brought the letter to Avebury.
* * *
He shook his head. “No. He was wearing a hat pulled low and a dark coat. He kept to the shadows.”
* * *
“What did he sound like?”
* * *
“His voice was very low.”
* * *
“Did he come up to you specifically? Did he know you by name?”
* * *
The boy shook his head. “He didn’t know me. He called me boy. I was shining shoes when he hissed at me and told me to deliver the note. Gave me a guinea.”
* * *
“Oh, so he’s a generous man…or full of juice?”
* * *
“He looked like a gentleman,” the boy said with certainty. Arthur knew that could mean anyone who was fairly flush in the pockets.
* * *
“Was it a local man? Have you seen him before?”
* * *
“No.”
* * *
Arthur frowned. Although he’d gleaned a lot of information from the boy, a lot of it was inconclusive. He still had nothing really to go on in order to find this man and get his woman back. However, it was full dark out and he had not seen his mother since he’d left her in the afternoon to go to the Ravens’ home.
* * *
He turned to Frederick, who was with him. “This is not helping. I’d do better to go home and wait for them to contact me again. In addition to that, I just brought my mother to live with me, I must go and see that she is settled.”
* * *
Frederick surveilled him with narrowed eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up already.”
* * *
“Not at all. I shall meet you at the tavern later so we may question the patrons. But I need to go home and check on things there now. We had a fire as well.”
* * *
Frederick nodded. “Very well. I shall go with you. You can deal with your mother’s issues and I shall see about the fire.”
* * *
“There’s no need for you-”
* * *
“I do assure you, I don’t mind. The sooner you finish with your duties, the sooner you can help me find my sister.”
* * *
Arthur said no more about it. In truth, he was glad for the help because there was so much to do. They rode home to find the servants hovering around, looking as if they had no idea how to proceed.
* * *
He summoned his housekeeper while Frederick went to have a look at the remains of the dower house. Although most of the outside was made of stone, there was sufficient wood on the inside to have caused serious damage. “Where’s my mother? Has she eaten?”
* * *
“Her nursemaid came to fetch some water to bathe her and later a tray of sandwiches. But no, she has not eaten.”
* * *
“Why not?”
* * *
She looked flustered. “Well…I wasn’t sure what to cook or even if she would want to eat.”
* * *
The urge to shout at her was strong but Arthur knew it wasn’t her fault. He had issued no instructions for the care of his mother. It was no surprise his staff was confused.
* * *
“Well, I shall require you to lay out a meal for her, something simple but filling. Also, make sure the fires are lit in the chambers she’s using. She’s in the guest wing for now, is she not?”
* * *
“Yes,” she said forlornly, “Now that all our hard work has gone to waste.”
* * *
“Hard work? Oh, you mean the decorating?”
* * *
“Yes Your Grace.” She gave him a strange look as if she expected better from him.
* * *
“Yes, well, what’s done is done. Go on and prepare something from my mother.”
* * *
He nodded in dismissal and she left the room.
* * *
Now to examine the damage.
* * *
With a deep breath, he lit a torch and went outside to join Frederick. One look at the burnt-out husk that had been his house and he came to the realization that someone had really meant to cause him harm and if he did not find her, they would take their ire out on Janice.
* * *
Hold on. I’m coming to get you.
CHAPTER 35
Arthur returned to the house to see his mother before they left for the tavern. Sarah reported that she was already abed.
* * *
“You may go and say goodnight to her if you wish. She is still awake.”
* * *
“How has she settled in? Is she at all agitated?” he asked anxiously.
* * *
“Surprisingly no. I understand from Mrs. Butters that you recently redecorated. She probably does not recognize anything.”