her uniform to hide the pistol she always carried.
Tomorrow she would question the marquis and try to find out all she could about this villain who wanted him and his son dead. He hadn’t mentioned anything about the lives of his brothers being in jeopardy or those of any nieces and nephews. The report she’d read had mentioned that the marquis, Gavin Carstairs by name, was the heir. His brother Gareth was the spare. And there was another surviving brother called Adam who was a vicar in a village in the Cotswolds by the name of Wellesford. There had been two other brothers who’d died during the Napoleonic War.
To her, it seemed that Lord Falkirk’s brothers would be the first ones under suspicion, especially Gareth who had children of his own and would be next in line if something happened to the marquis and Rafe. Yet, the report seemed to indicate the brothers had been ruled out.
Perhaps this was a scheme of revenge against their father, the Duke of Inverness. But the report mentioned no attempt on his life nor had it mentioned he’d received any threats. It appeared the only ones under threat were the marquis and his son. “So, not a matter of inheritance,” she muttered to herself.
He had been married and was now a widower. The report also stated Rafe was his legitimate offspring. Could this revenge plot have to do with his wife? This was one aspect missing in the report.
Of course, it had been hastily prepared and no doubt overlooked many important facts. Still, she found it troubling that there was not a single detail about their marriage. She did not know whether theirs had been a happy one. “It must have been,” she muttered while undressing. “Sweet mercy. Who would not be happy with such a man?”
She placed her uniform and boots within easy reach of her bed as she continued her musing. Perhaps this nasty business was about a venture gone bad that had ruined one of his partners and caused the man to lose his wealth and family.
She wasn’t certain how to raise the topic of potential villains, for men the stature of the marquis did not confide in housemaids. But she sensed he’d been watching her and was coming to think highly of her.
She hoped so.
Would it be enough to bring him around to answering her questions?
She had to press him now, for she doubted there would be much time to gain his confidence before the villain struck again.
She drifted off to sleep, those thoughts still whirling in her mind, and awoke several times during the night to peer out the window. All seemed quiet. Unfortunately, the house was too big to hear what was going on downstairs or in the other wing.
Shortly before cock’s crow, she washed and dressed, and made her way to the servants’ stairs leading to the large guest chamber.
She climbed this narrow staircase and knocked softly when she reached the panel that opened into his room. “My lord, may I come in?”
“Aye, lass,” he said in a whisper, opening the panel. “Thank ye. Rafe is still asleep. He was calmer last night than he’s been in a while. Ye put him at ease and he’s taken quite a liking to ye. He dinna stop talking about ye. Chattered like a magpie, the lad did.”
She smiled, and made the mistake of looking at him, for her gaze was now riveted to his handsome face and she could not look away. “I’ve developed a fondness for him, too.”
He motioned for her to enter. “Ye have a good way with children. Do ye have any of yer own? Ye hardly look old enough.”
“No children. No husband. No siblings.” She saw the sliver of an opening in the conversation and took it boldly. “Obviously, you’re married. Perhaps Rafe is missing his mother and I remind him of her.”
The warmth in his eyes fled, leaving ice in his gaze. “Ye’re nothing like her, lass.”
He turned away to collect his jacket and don his boots.
“My lord, I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect. Of course, I am nothing like that fine lady. Nor would I ever dishonor her–”
“Leave it alone, Taffy. Dinna speak about her to my son, either.”
She took a deep breath, not yet ready to let the matter drop. “I won’t. But it would be helpful to give me a hint of the topics I may or may not raise with the lad. He is scared.”
“I am acutely aware of that