Page 47 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

Over the following week, nothing more was said or heard about Tom Missinger.

The week after that, as Alessandra moved into her sixth month of pregnancy, Edward and his father received notification in the steward's room that Old John had come to the manor and was waiting in the stable to see them.

Edward and his father looked at each other before walking quickly to see the man waiting for them.

"Master!" Old John said, removing his hat and bowing his head slightly at the two men as they got closer to him.

"What is it? What has happened?" Edward's father asked, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt inside.

"Oh, Master, we have found a body, and we did not know what to do..."

Edward felt a sinking feeling of dread inside of him, with the thought of anyone being dead and having been found on the estate.

"Where?"

"Out by the waterfall, Master.

It looks like it has been there for at least two weeks, but I do not know the man.

I thought he could be the man you spoke of, as it is not too far from Mrs Howard's cottage," Old John said, pushing Edward's feeling of despair even lower still.

The last time that he had taken Alessandra there, they had thought they'd heard someone in the forest. As Old John spoke, Edward felt another level of horror inside, at the thought that perhaps whoever was there might have seen his wife's body.

"Very well.

We must notify the constable at once.

Edward, you will have to view the body to check if it is Missinger," Edward's father said to him.

He could see his son was in shock, but he needed Edward to do what he must. It was the only way they could all know if they would now be safe and in peace once again.

Old John nodded.

"I can ride into Bath now, Master, if you need me to."

"Yes, thank you," Charles said.

He then remembered his manners, which he had always been desperate to hold onto where all of his tenants were concerned.

"Before you go, come into the kitchen, and Cook will give you some food and wine."

Edward saw Old John look horrified and appreciative at the same time, torn between his obvious hunger but also feeling it was not right for him to go into the manor.

"Come with me," Edward said, stepping forward to try and put the older man in front of him at ease.

"I believe Cook has some rabbit pie left over from last night, which I can greatly recommend.

I will ask you, however, to please not talk about the issue of the body.

We have worked hard to keep the concern about Missinger from my mother and my wife. The fewer people who know, the better."

Old John nodded in response.

"Of course, Young Master."

When the constable came to the manor to question Edward's father later that evening, Alessandra suspected something serious had happened, but equally felt like whatever it was, she was not to know about it.

The way Edward had avoided her for most of the day, even though he was in the manor with his father - and the way his father looked at his mother - all gave clues that something of great concern had happened, and somehow the manor was involved.

The men escorted the constable to the steward's room, where conversation began.

"We have removed the body, but I must ask you questions about it," the constable began.

Edward and his father nodded.

"Do you know the man who was found?"

Edward's father was surprised by the question.

"We have not seen the body, so we cannot know for sure..."

"But?" the constable pushed.

Edward came forward, sensing some frustration inside of his father.

"We received notification about a week ago that a man who had known my wife when they were younger, had gone missing from his home, and he might have been on his way to this area."

The constable looked at him and wrote notes in his notebook.

"So he knew your wife.

Should I be questioning her then?"

"No!" Edward and his father both exclaimed simultaneously, causing the constable to raise his head sharply.

"No," Edward continued more quietly.

"My wife is presently with child, and I would not cause her any stress if we can help it.

Please, I can tell you whatever you need to know." He paused before continuing, seeing the constable nod in recognition of what he was saying.

"A short time ago, we had a problem with letters from my wife's mother not reaching us, so I rode to see my in-laws to check they were alright. When I was there, it was revealed that the man in question had been stopping that particular post from coming, as a way to worry my wife and encourage her to go there, to her parents' home. This man had earlier written to my wife, declaring his love for her. I believe he planned to see her, if he could get her to return to her family home. When she did not go there - when I went there instead - he confronted me and told me he was determined to win her. His plan was to encourage her to leave me and go live with him."

The constable wrote carefully but quickly in his notebook.

"And this man's name is?"

"Tom Missinger."

"And you say he was reported missing?"

Edward nodded.

"That is what we were told, yes."

The constable wrote what he seemed to need to, and then stopped and looked at Edward.

"Do you know the man, then?"

"I would not say that I know him..."

"Could you identify him?"

Edward nodded, dreading the thought. "Yes."

"Right then.

I shall leave you now, but tomorrow you will need to come to see me, and see if the body we have is this Mr Tom Missinger."

"Of course, Sir.

I shall come in the morning," Edward replied.

He had never seen a dead body before.

It wasn't something that he particularly wanted to do, but knew he had to.

The constable excused himself, leaving Edward and his father looking at one another with shock on each of their faces.

"If nothing else, Edward, at least we will know for sure if it is him or not," his father said.

Edward nodded before they both left the room to see their wives, hoping neither of them revealed the great deal of concern both felt.

"What are you keeping from me, Edward?" Alessandra asked later, in their bed.

For Edward, the worst part of the entire business was not being able to be completely honest and open with her, as he always had been about everything so far.

"Alessandra, there is something I am not telling you right now, but please trust that when I can tell you, I will," he said softly.

Alessandra knew him well enough to respect when he needed to keep quiet and think about things before he spoke.

She lay quietly, cuddling into his chest, and pushing all things from her mind so that she would not be sleepless.

Soon she was deep asleep while he held her, thankful he had a wife who did not pressure him into revealing words he did not want to say.