Page 91 of The Moonstone Pirate
“I will.”
“Promise me, Draco. I will never forgive you if you ride off after Parrot and the constables. They will catch the culprit without your assistance.”
He chuckled. “I am not going to ride off after Parrot. But I must do a little investigating of my own. Someone in the village must have seen something.”
“Attend to it tomorrow. You are in no condition to be running around today.”
“I’m not going to run around, just walk along the high street and ask the shopkeepers if they saw anything.”
“If you are up and walking about, then you are not resting as the doctor ordered.” She sighed. “Tell me what to do, and I’ll help you.”
“Not a chance. I’m taking you straight back to Westgate Hall, where you are to stay until I tell you otherwise. And don’t call me an ogre. You know I am only trying to keep you safe. Was today’s incident not frightening enough for you? I’ll share with you whatever I find out.”
“All right,” she replied after a long moment, no doubt because she did not want to argue with him while he was injured. “Do you have any idea who did this?”
“Not a clue.” After seeing them safely to the Burness residence, he planned to return to Moonstone Landing and question the Kestrel Inn’s stable master, Matchett. The assailant’s horse was of the finest bloodstock. No ordinary knave could ever afford such a beast.
No one knew those beasts better than Matchett. The man talked too much, but few could dispute his impressive knowledge of horseflesh. If that horse had ever been stabled here, Matchett would remember it and hopefully be able to identify its owner.
Imogen must have had a similar thought. “We ought to question Mr. Matchett. We can do so when we pick up your rig.”
Draco laughed. “Yes, Imogen. He’s the first one I will question once I see you safely home.”
“Would it not be more efficient if we asked him now?”
“Yes, but Deandra needs to be put to bed as soon as possible. She’s in no fit state for us to be stopping anywhere.”
“I suppose,” she muttered. “Do you think the horse belonged to one of Lord Driscoll’s friends?”
“Possibly. Imogen, let’s talk about it later, all right? Deandra is going to cry again.”
“Oh…yes. I’m sorry. I did not think.”
Deandra was not stirring, no doubt because she had been given something to calm her. To Draco’s eye, she looked exhausted, a bit disoriented, and sorely in need of a good night’s rest. She was unaware of rebel plots and Crown assignments, and Draco wanted to keep it that way. Seeing him with a mere flesh wound that required nothing more than a few stitches had undone his young cousin. She was in no fit state to be told anything, or listen in on anything…not now or ever.
Elmer hurried in with shirt in hand. Major Brennan strode in shortly after the boy. He went immediately to Imogen’s side to make certain she was all right. “I’m fine, Fionn. Truly. So is Deandra, but she worked herself into a state, so Dr. Hewitt administered a dose of laudanum. Lord Woodley required a dozen stitches. He’s the one who was hurt and ought to be taking the laudanum, but he has refused.”
“Yes, Dr. Hewitt told me,” the major said, shaking his head at Draco.
Imogen rose from Deandra’s bedside. “I’ll wake Deandra and take her for a walk in the garden while you speak to Lord Woodley. Let him tell you exactly what happened. The doctor ordered him to rest, but he wants to investigate. I think it is something best left to you while he recuperates, don’t you agree?”
Draco growled. He did not want her interfering.
“Don’t wake Deandra yet,” he said. “Major Brennan, you and I ought to take that walk in the garden.”
“As you wish. Are you sure you are—”
“I am fine,” Draco insisted.
“He always says that,” Imogen muttered.
Draco left the ladies in the private room with the able Elmer to look after them while he strolled in the hospital’s garden with Brennan. He quickly told him about the incident in the tea room. “I would beg that favor and ask you to take the ladies home,” he said, “but I fear my cousin will not calm down unless I attend to the task myself. Imogen was remarkably helpful,” he admitted. “But Deandra completely fell to pieces.”
The major nodded. “She is young and no doubt has led a sheltered existence. Your uncle is a very mild-mannered man.”
“Gentlest man I’ve ever met, and completely absent-minded,” Draco replied with a wry smile. “Completely useless in such situations, too.”
The major paused to look out over the harbor. “Well, we cannot all be heroes. Imogen surprised you, didn’t she?”
