Page 33 of Every Duke Has His Thorn
“The first clue refers to the library?” she asked a few moments later as a tea tray arrived.
“Oh yes! Well done.” Miss Davies grinned. “You got it rather quickly.”
He didn’t say a word.
His aunt kept her eyes on the poem as she said, “Please pour, Miss Davies.”
“I would be happy to.” The young woman poured tea into one of the porcelain cups. “One sugar, Your Grace?”
“Yes, thank you.”
His aunt now looked up, her eyes going from him to Miss Davies. He didn’t know how the girl remembered he took one sugar.
“Lady Barton?” Miss Davies set a teacup on the table in front of his aunt.
“A drop of milk, if you would.”
The architect’s daughter added sugar and milk to her own tea and then, cup in hand, settled back against the plush upholstery.
“The next clue surely refers to the volume in the library by Andrew Marvell.” His aunt sat forward and picked up her teacup.
“You’re quite good at this,” he said with a wry smile. “It took me a while to figure that one out.”
“Even ladies read,” his aunt replied pertly between sips of tea.
The words caused him to glance at Miss Davies. She bit her lip and he assumed she was suppressing a grin. Silence stretched on as he stared at the young woman’s mouth.
“Where does the clue about the pink ribbon point us?” he asked.
Miss Davies replied, “I think ‘part of a pastoral scene’ points us in the direction of the outdoors.”
“You might be right,” he responded thoughtfully.
His aunt cleared her throat. “If so, the next clue takes us back indoors.”
The Lonk is hardy,
Grain is rarely found,
The harvest is taken,
A structure where it is bound.
He replied, “The word ‘lonk’ obviously refers to sheep. The structure mentioned must be the tithing barn, although neither sheep nor the barn are in the portrait despite the background being pastoral.”
“The tithing barn is an enormous space. Where would one begin searching?” Miss Davies sighed.
“Perhaps we’re meant to look closer,” his aunt replied. “As in the clue about the library, the answer may be more obscure.”
“I’ll make you a copy of the poem,” he said to his aunt. “The original is in the book of family history.”
“I am of the opinion that we give more thought to the clue before searching the tithing barn.” His aunt put down her teacup and rose to her feet. “I haven’t seen the family history in years. Come along, Preston. I should like to see it again.”
He got to his feet and smiled apologetically. “Miss Davies do let us know if you think of anything in regard to the tithing barn that would help us narrow the search. Good day.”
Chapter Fourteen
Marina returned to the dower house. The house was eerily quiet, and she wandered to the back of the building where the kitchen was located to see if Cook or Anne were there.
