A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem - Manda Collins Page 0,97
a wife or not.”
“What reason did she give for calling here at the vicarage?” Eversham repeated.
“She said she’d already been up at the Hall and you were away, so she thought she’d make some inquiries here about the poet Sebastian Philbrick. She said she was an admirer of his work. In particular, she wished to know what became of his betrothed after his death.”
Eversham frowned. Why was she interested in Jane Hubbard?
“And what did you tell her?” Val asked, exchanging a look with Eversham.
“Of course, I told her about the connection to the Greens,” Tallant said.
“Because Green’s father was Philbrick’s valet, you mean?” Valentine asked.
“Well, that, and the fact that Peter Green, Philbrick’s valet, married Philbrick’s fiancée after the poor poet died in Italy.”
What?
“I’m sorry, Mr. Tallant.” Eversham tried to remain calm in the face of such a revelation. “Are you saying that Josiah Green’s mother was the former Miss Jane Hubbard?”
“Yes.” Tallant looked puzzled. “I thought it was common knowledge, but you’re the second visit I’ve had today asking after Sebastian Philbrick’s betrothal. It was hardly a secret. A bit of a scandal when it happened, since she married Philbrick’s valet, but I suppose that’s the way love happens sometimes. Of course, as you must know, she’s been dead for many years now. The pleurisy, I believe.”
It was a surprise to learn that there was one more connection between Green and Philbrick, Eversham thought, but he couldn’t see how it pertained to the investigation at hand.
Indeed, the entire visit to the vicarage had yielded no useful information.
He felt a chill run through him.
“How long has it been since Miss Hale was here?” he asked the vicar.
“A few hours.” Tallant frowned. “Is there something wrong?”
“Not at all,” Eversham said, but his haste belied his words. “You’ve been most helpful.”
He was almost to the door when he remembered. Retracing his steps, he found Tallant still standing where they’d left him. “Was there a young man with Miss Hale? Or did she mention a brother?”
“No.” The man shook his head. “She said nothing about family aside from her husband—that is, you.”
Thanking the vicar again, he strode from the vicarage with Valentine hot on his heels.
“What’s going on?” Valentine asked once they were out of earshot of the house. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Because I think she purposely led us here on a fool’s errand,” Eversham bit out. “And we bloody followed without hesitation.”
“But why?” Val asked.
“I don’t know.” Eversham had some idea, but he dare not put his fears into words just yet. “But we must get back to the Hall at once.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
As it turned out, Caro wasn’t surprised by Kate’s revelation about the identity of Eversham’s supposed wife.
“I wasn’t as convinced as Valentine,” she said once Kate had settled in with the hoped-for cup of tea.
Much as she hated to admit it, she was flagging a bit after the long day, and was grateful to relax for a moment.
Still, she was itching with curiosity as to why her friend had been so trusting of Eversham. “What made you doubt it?”
“For one thing, I’ve seen the way the man looks at you.” Caro grinned.
“That’s hardly proof of anything.” Kate had known any number of married men who looked adoringly at women who were not their wives.
“I also have come to understand something about the man,” her friend continued. “And to be frank, I don’t think he has the patience to juggle more than one woman at a time.”
“I’m certainly glad to hear it.” It was difficult for Kate to imagine Eversham doing such a thing either, but she was interested to hear Caro’s reasoning. “Do go on.”
The other woman settled back in her chair, causing a slumbering Ludwig, who was draped across her lap, to let out a low yowl of frustration before he settled down again.
“I mean that it takes a certain degree of concentration to get one’s stories straight when one is trying to be deceptive,” Caro continued. “It’s plain as the nose on your face that he devotes almost all of his concentration to his work. There is some left over for thinking about you, of course. Though that has only happened recently. And since both of you are currently working on solving this case, then he can think of both at once when you’re together.”
Kate wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or concerned. “Should I be offended that he seems to be thinking of me at the same time as a grisly string of murders?”