Page 46 of Marriage and Murder
Madeline glanced at his face and understood. “Since Kitty died at that house party?” During the previous day, he’d told her all about that terrible time.
He nodded. “Yes, and so you are in great charity with the staff. They’ve been starved of the chance to show off their paces for the past five years.”
She laughed, then smiling, said, “Well, I’m looking forward to sampling their efforts.” She waved ahead. “Drive on.”
He grinned, the expression easing the all-too-serious lines of his face, then he flicked the reins and sent the chestnut into a more rapid trot.
In the dark hours of the night, William Price was deep in dreams, stretched out on the pallet he’d laid at the top of thestairs in front of Madeline Huntingdon’s bedroom door, when someone large tripped over him.
William woke to curses. “What?” Groggy, he tried to get to his feet, but the thick blanket had tangled around his legs.
And not just his legs but someone else’s, too!
The intruder got free first and aimed a kick at William, which he had to roll to the side to avoid, only to have the intruder seize the moment, leap over William, and thunder down the stairs.
Flinging the blanket aside, jaw set, William launched himself into the chase.
The intruder raced through the cottage’s kitchen to the rear door, wrenched it open, and without a single glance back, fled through the kitchen garden.
William followed, but as he went out of the door, he heard Madeline’s footsteps hurrying down the stairs.
He was her guard. He was there to protect her, and that had to be his first priority.
And obviously, someone was, indeed, out to harm her, so William couldn’t risk leaving her alone, not for any reason.
What if he lost his quarry? What if his quarry hit him on the head, left him for dead, and came back for her?
On the garden path, William slowed, then halted, and breathing heavily, watched the unknown man—the intruder had definitely been a man—vanish into the dense shadows of the wood.
Madeline came rushing up. Clutching a thick wrap she’d wound around her nightgown-clad shoulders, she halted beside William. “What happened?” She followed his gaze. “Did someone break in?” She turned to study him, concern in her face. “Are you all right?”
William smiled wryly. “Just my pride bruised, is all.”
She made a scoffing sound. “I can’t see why it should be. You stopped him getting to me, after all.”
William shrugged and answered her first question. “He—whoever he is—tried to sneak up to your room and tripped over me.” He slanted her a boyish grin. “Lucky I didn’t listen to you and sleep in the box room downstairs.”
Soberly, Madeline nodded. “Indeed. Thank you for being so stubborn in the execution of your duties.”
Their breaths were fogging in the cold air. She took William’s arm and turned him toward the cottage. “Come inside, and I’ll make you some hot cocoa. I don’t want to be responsible for you catching your death.”
They returned to the cottage and the kitchen. Madeline prodded the fire in the stove until it was blazing, then put on some milk to warm. Although she hadn’t done such mundane chores for some time, she hadn’t forgotten how.
With the milk heating, she turned to William, who at her insistence, was seated at the little table. “How did he get in?”
William pondered that, then shook his head. “I didn’t hear anything—no window breaking or being forced.” His puzzled frown deepened. “And we both checked the doors and windows, too, before we went up.”
He pushed to his feet and padded to the kitchen door. Madeline joined him, bringing one of the lamps she’d lit. In the light the lamp cast, they studied the lock on the door.
After a thorough inspection, William stated, “There’s no sign of it being tampered with.”
“No,” Madeline agreed. “And yet, it was unlocked.”
William nodded. “Even though we both checked that it was locked before we went upstairs.” He met her gaze. “How?”
Grimly, Madeline replied, “He had a key.” She sighed. “Viola must have given her secret admirer, H, a key.”
William grimaced and hesitantly offered, “Or did Billy Gilroy borrow his mother’s key?”
