Page 86 of Lady Edith and the Registry Office
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Edith’s father hadbeen miserable over supper, clearly concerned about Lady Sandhurst. He could not be coaxed to play chess or cards, and Louisa had tried to help Edith cheer him up to no avail. He retired early, leaving the two girls alone in the drawing room.
“Your father is unhappy,” Louisa said with a frown. “He cares about the lady.”
She nodded. “I think you’re right.”
“And how are you feeling about Lord Wycliffe?”
“Lord Wycliffe?” She frowned.
“You don’t seem as fascinated by his presence as you once were.”
“I’m not.” She shrugged. “I admit I was infatuated with him, but it has mostly worn off. Perhaps I need more than a handsome face.”
Louisa winked at her. “As in someone like Lord Harbury?”
She replied slowly, “Perhaps. Lord Harbury likes me, really likes me. And he listens to me, talks about subjects I’m interested in.”
“And his tragic past is attractive?” Louisa leaned forward in her chair.
“I wouldn’t say attractive. It does make me want to understand him better.” She paused as her cheeks bloomed with color. “To offer comfort if he would accept it. He is far more complicated than I had imagined.”
“I’m surprised your father hasn’t forbidden you to see him or Lord Wycliffe after he found out they told us about the murdered scullery maid and the dead footman.”
“Charlotte actually told us about the murder,” she pointed out, “and my father is preoccupied with worrying about Lady Sandhurst.”
“Are you going to tell him we’re invited for supper at the baron’s mansion?”
“Oh my! I’d forgotten!” She pulled at the earbob in her right ear. “Under the circumstances, I’m not sure he would allow us to go to Lord Harbury’s home.”
Louisa chewed her lip for a moment. “You could tell him Charlotte is giving a supper party.”
She winced. “I already told him Charlotte and Ashford were leaving for the countryside in the morning.”
Louisa let out a sigh. “Rotten luck. You’ll have to tell him the truth or produce a plausible lie.”
“Lady Cairs is hosting a musicale on the morrow. Father would never consider attending such an event, especially if I tell him the Sears sisters will perform.”
Louisa laughed. “Oh my! Thatwouldput anyone that wasn’t tone-deaf off. Will he believe we would go to the musicale?”
She shrugged. “I’ll convince my father we have to attend.”
“Tell him we must appear to support Miss Tilford’s performance.” Louisa grinned, obviously pleased with herself.
“That is a brilliant idea.” She added, "Louisa, I have a theory about what you call our convoluted mess of an investigation.”
“Do tell!”
She replied slowly, “What if everything that has been happening, the murder, the tainted supper, is to distract us from the missing veterans?”
Louisa remained silent. After a moment she replied, “You could be right. Lord Wycliffe has been busy investigating Lord Sidmouth, Lady Sandhurst’s household, and the gaols. The murder has taken Ashford out of Town. Lord Harbury is now preoccupied thinking about whether or not someone is trying to hurt or kill him.”
Edith hadn’t wanted to connect the tainted food or the murder at Lady Sandhurst’s to Lord Harbury. Could someone be trying to hurt the baron? Her stomach felt queasy at the mere thought.
She pulled at her earbob, realized what she was doing, and dropped her hand. “Perhaps we’re meant to be diverted fromwhythe veterans were taken. What if the snuffbox we found in the registry is a red herring? The RA may not be involved.”
