Murder on Charles Street - Leighann Dobbs Page 0,17
think? I suppose it’s always possible for someone to be wrong, but Katherine…”
Lyle shrugged one shoulder, offering her a comforting smile. “We won’t know who is correct until we investigate further. If we find nothing and you’d rather not tell her, I’ll tell her myself. You don’t have to be afraid of letting her down, Harriet. Right now, you’re the one holding her up.”
Harriet smiled back, tired. She was holding Katherine up, whether her employer realized it or not. It was gratifying for someone else to notice all the hard work she’d put into this house over the past month. She was weary to the bone. If all her energy went into holding Katherine up, who was going to support her?
You’ll get through this on your own.
Maybe, just this once, it would be best if Katherine was wrong about this being a murder. Either way, Lyle was right. Only time would tell.
Chapter Six
Katherine huddled beneath the fur next to Wayland as the carriage drew to a stop. Not because she craved his nearness, but because it was so sodding cold, and she didn’t care to exit the carriage until they stopped as close as possible to Lady Dalhousie’s door.
“I hope you’ll give me a moment alone with Lady Dalhousie when we arrive. I’d like to ask her about Dr. Gammon and see what she knows of him,” Katherine said.
Pru drew in an audible breath, on the precipice of sighing.
Lord Annandale clasped her hand, silencing her. “You will nae find any argument from me. The more ye talk to her, the less I do.”
Wayland chuckled. “That’s what you get for wagering against the skills of the women.”
Raising her eyebrow, Katherine turned her head to smirk at him. “Have you forgotten that you also participated in that wager?”
He shrugged. “My punishment lasted for one evening. Annandale is the fool who wagered the indefinite time between Twelfth Night and his wedding.”
Katherine and Pru exchanged a smile at that. During the course of their last investigation, there had been a wager between them to see who were the best detectives, the women or the men. Annandale was still paying for their loss.
“In my defense, I did nae think it would take so long.”
The carriage lurched forward another inch as Pru tilted her head up to look askance at her fiancé. “’Tis you who insists on a Scotland wedding. We must wait for the snow to melt or we’d never arrive!”
Lord Annandale lifted her hand and laid it against his chest, over his heart. “Och, lass. I’m still the luckiest man alive. Ye’re well worth the wait.”
Katherine bit back a smile and readjusted the fur on her lap, trying to give them a moment of privacy.
“Though if ye’re that eager to marry me, we can always bring the wedding date closer. Perhaps then I will nae have to deal with Lady Dalhousie at all!”
Pru laughed and shook her head.
The carriage stopped again. This time, it jostled on its springs as the driver descended. A moment later, Katherine caught the scrape of the steps lowered into place. She cast off the fur and sidled closer to the edge of the seat. It brought her flush against Wayland’s leg. Even in an expensive coach like Annandale’s, there wasn’t enough room for two large men like the lord and Wayland to fit comfortably. Although Katherine appreciated the offer to escort her to events, she did sometimes wish that Lord Annandale would leave Wayland to his own devices rather than constantly thrusting them together.
The carriage door opened to reveal the dark night and a wash of cold air that pierced her dress and pelisse. Wayland exited first, squeezing through the door and reaching his hand back to usher first Katherine, then Pru, out of the carriage. When they both stood on the walk in front of Lady Dalhousie’s Mayfair townhouse, Lord Annandale exited and tipped his hat to the driver. He escorted Pru up the walk to the lantern-lit door, which opened at his approach. Katherine followed on Wayland’s arm.
Inside, they relinquished their outerwear to a footman before greeting the hostess. Although she had a ballroom to be envied, Lady Dalhousie had set herself up in the unremarkable foyer, ready to greet and exchange a word with every man and woman to enter. No doubt she didn’t care for a lick of gossip to pass her by. Katherine positioned herself at the end of the line of her friends, waiting for the inevitable moment when her friends would excuse