Page 51 of A Body, A Baron, and Miss Mifford
Rob stifled a curse of annoyance—now was not the time to argue with his friend. In fact, he barely had any time at all, for Emily was sure to return to their rooms soon to dress for dinner.
“My proposal did not fail; it is under consideration,” Rob clarified before launching into the complex tale of Lord Albermay and Mable’s ill-fated affair.
Highfield listened patiently, adding murmurs of surprise at the appropriate points. As Rob came to the point of the tale—that the affair exonerated Lord Albermay of murdering his father—the viscount gave a groan of displeasure.
“I was hoping it would be him,” he said glumly.
“Everybody was,” Rob shrugged away his own disappointment, “Now we have to face the idea that the murderer is another member of the party.”
“Have you any leads?” Freddie asked, his curiosity piqued.
Rob sighed, then launched into the long tale of the late Lord Albermay’s secret illness and the suspicious stains on Lady Albermay’s dress.
Highfield whistled in shock as Rob came to the end of his piece.
“You are a dark horse, Delaney. Conducting love affairs and solving murders without letting on a thing to anyone.”
“Eudora and I have been investigating together,” Rob clarified, not wishing to take all the credit.
“A murder investigation is a certain way to a Mifford girl’s heart,” Freddie answered with approval. In his eyes, Robert had finally done something right.
“I’m afraid that the idea that her friend is the murderer, has broken Eudora’s heart,” Rob said in response, his tone glum.
Silence fell between the pair, as they both contemplated the unhappy fact that Lady Albermay was most likely a murderess.
“Do you intend to inform Lord Crabb?” Freddie asked, breaking the silence.
As local magistrate, the onus on upholding the law fell to their host. It was a responsibility Rob did not envy.
“I will have to,” he replied, “I expect he will interview Lady Albermay and the captain too. We must not discount the possibility that he was also involved.”
“He seemed like such a nice fellow,” Freddie commented, with a note of dejection, “One can never tell, I suppose.”
“One cannot,” Rob agreed, though he was still conflicted inwardly. Neither Lady Albermay nor Captain Ledger seemed the type to commit murder; it was all so perplexing.
As Lady Emily arrived through the door, any further discussion was cut short.
“Have I interrupted something?” she questioned, glancing from Rob to her husband with confusion. “Is Freddie showing you the sonnet he wrote for me? I told him it was too wonderful not to be shared.”
Rob watched as the viscount’s face fell in horror, as his hitherto unknown penchant for poetry was revealed. He and Rob had been down at Oxford together, and Rob was almost certain that Highfield had not stepped over the threshold of the Bodleian Library more than once.
“Lord Delaney informed Mrs Canards that he and Eudora were to be wed before informing Eudora,” Highfield burst out before Rob could press Lady Emily to share his romantic scribblings.
“Traitor,” Rob whispered to his friend, who had the good grace to look sheepish.
“Oh, dear,” Emily said, “She won’t have liked that.”
“She didn’t,” Highfield confirmed, earning himself another scowl from Rob.
“Eudora is not the type to hold a grudge,” Emily continued, ignoring her husband’s input. Her expression faltered a little as she reconsidered her statement. “Well, that’s not quite true. She still brings up the time that I allowed her to take the blame for breaking the window of the sacristy in St. Mary’s. She’s also fond of reminding Mary that she once burned off half of her hair when Mary made her act as a model for practising curls with a hot poker. And she has never forgiven any of us for leaving her at home as a child when we went to visit our aunt and uncle in Winchester—”
“I think Lord Delaney gets your point, dearest,” Highfield interrupted before Lady Emily had a chance to continue.
“Oh, that’s not to say she won’t forgive you, my lord,” Emily rushed, as she noted the look of abject despair on Rob’s face, “Just that if she does, she probably won’t forget.”
“Splendid,” Rob replied through slightly gritted teeth. He was starting to regret seeking out Highfield for comfort and assurance.
“And I believe that she would like very much to marry you,” Emily finished, her words offering Rob a glimmer of hope, “Though I shouldn’t like to speak so certainly on her behalf.”
