Page 34

Caroline hid a yawn behind her hand as the open carriage drew onto the semi-circular drive in front of the manor. It had been quite the afternoon with Mama and the handful of women she’d invited on the shopping expedition in Maidstone.

They’d taken two carriages since there were so many of them, but it had been a lovely afternoon even if she would have rather stayed home and perhaps talk with Felix, but her mother had been insistent that she attend the outing.

Clearly, her mother wasn’t best pleased that her eldest daughter was spending so much time in the major’s company.

No matter the reason.

“None of that, Caro,” her mother chastised. “We’ll have less than an hour to refresh and dress for dinner, and we are already late getting back thanks to Miss Perkin’s squeamish stomach.”

“You can’t fault a woman for not liking liver paté, Mama.” It had been an offering during the tea her mother had organized while in the village. “ Thank goodness we took two carriages. She seemed much better after she’d laid down for a bit.”

It had been odd, though. During the course of the house party, Miss Perkins had enjoyed every meal with the company and didn’t seem to act picky regarding the food.

“Well, she didn’t have to eat it,” her mother sniffed.

Debra frowned. “She is far too reserved to be a duchess, don’t you think?” When the carriage rocked to a halt, she sighed. “Why is it the ones who don’t deserve it find titled men so easily?”

Was her sister that shallow and petty? Caroline glanced at her. “She and Mr. Lockhart were engaged before he ever learned he was a duke’s heir. It’s a love match.”

Her sister didn’t answer. The moment the driver put down the steps, Debra exited the vehicle, closely followed by their mother. Caroline descended with the driver’s help more slowly as her thoughts circled ‘round her mind like ponies on a loop.

Was it a love match, though? The way she’d spoken of Mr. Lockhart last night in the heart of the maze had been surprising, and how she’d talked of just walking away when someone screamed as Mr. Blythe had died made her seem far too uncaring.

At the time, it had taken Caroline by surprise; she figured perhaps the woman had merely thought Mr. Blythe had only fallen. But now?

Now that could have been interpreted as an acknowledgement that she had known Mr. Blythe had been shot, and when he’d fallen off the roof, she’d already known he was dead, and what was more, she didn’t care.

To Miss Perkins’ way of thinking, he had it coming for what he’d done to her fiancé’s reputation.

Had she been the one to shoot Mr. Blythe?

The way she’d seemed so satisfied, almost smug, regarding how she had encouraged Mr. Lockhart to come into what she assumed was his potential had left a bad taste in Caroline’s mouth.

Then a tiny gasp escaped her. Had one of her father’s connections in high places come into the information that when the Duke of Kingston was nearing death he intended to name his heir, and when that information had been obtained, one of those men had told Miss Perkins’ father, who passed it along to his daughter, who was on the prowl for a husband who would command respect and power within the beau monde at some point soon?

“Caroline!” The sound of her mother’s hail streaked through her mind and snapped her out of her thoughts. “Stop dawdling. I won’t have you being late for dinner. Again.”

She looked toward the front door as her sister climbed the steps to the manor. “Coming! ”

Before she could mount the first step and follow the other four ladies from their carriage up the steps, the second carriage pulled up behind the first. Chattering, laughing ladies hopped out and hurried up to the front door.

Except for Miss Perkins. She hurried over to Caroline and latched onto her arm. “I’m so glad I caught you in time.”

Caroline frowned. “In time for what?”

“I’m supposed to meet Devon at some place called a folly. He told me it was somewhere near a wooded area toward the side of your father’s estate, but I’m rubbish with directions.” Pleading filled her eyes as she met Caroline’s gaze. “Could you help me?”

“I should go upstairs and change for dinner.” Besides, she needed to speak urgently with Felix before she did anything else, to see if her theory made sense. When she attempted to pull her arm from the other woman’s grip, Miss Perkins hung on. “Please let go.”

“I can’t do that.” A giggle issued from the other woman. “Because I truly need to reach that folly. Then you can return here.”

Was that the truth or did Miss Perkins have an ulterior motive?

It was difficult to tell. How did Felix make such a determination?

Nothing about the other woman’s demeanor or expression said she was a deranged madwoman.

Slowly, Caroline nodded. “Very well, but we must hurry. My mother will have my head if I’m late to or even miss dinner again. ”

“I know about determined mothers,” Miss Perkins said with a nod as she returned to one of the carriages. “Tell the driver how to reach the folly. It will go quicker than walking.”

“And you are probably still weak from that reaction you had after eating the goose liver paté, hmm?” Though her mind screamed a warning, Caroline climbed into the carriage as she told the driver how to find the folly. After he dropped them off, he could then return to the carriage house.

“Oh, that.” Another giggle escaped the other woman as she joined Caroline in the vehicle. “That was merely a distraction and an excuse so I didn’t have to enter yet another shop following tea.”

As the carriage lurched forward, Caroline frowned. “Why didn’t you just say that? Mama would have understood.”

“You poor, dim woman.” From her reticule that matched her lavender day dress, Miss Perkins pulled a knife with a tortoiseshell handle and a wicked-looking blade. “I also needed a moment to finalize plans for my escape once this last deed was done.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” And she didn’t like being called dim, when she was anything but.

“I might be a novice at investigating a case of murder, but I do think you’re slightly touched in the head.

” Why else would her companion have pulled out a knife?

Did the driver know what was happening, and if so, would he help her try to get away?

Miss Perkins rolled her eyes. “No one ever suspects the shy, quiet ones of anything. Which is good, since we’ve no expectations placed on ourselves either… unless one has parents like mine, who have completely mucked up their own lives and have looked to their children in order to save them.”

Well, that wasn’t far from the truth in anyone’s family but perhaps pointing that out was moot now.

With an eye on the blade of the knife that reflected back the gathering rain clouds, Caroline focused on the woman on the bench opposite her.

“What are you planning to do beyond meet with Mr. Lockhart at the folly?

Did she even want to know?

Miss Perkins leaned forward with glittering eyes. “It’s a secret.” With another giggle. “With the distraction this will cause, my fiancé and I will slip away, marry by a special license he’ll procure soon enough, and then begin our lives together.”

“Does Mr. Lockhart know that your mind is quite fractured?”

She blew out a breath. “I’m perfectly fine.” Her eyes narrowed, and ice threaded through her words. “Just because a woman knows exactly how to meet her goals and sort her future doesn’t mean there is something mentally wrong with her.”

“Oh, absolutely. On that I can agree, but you rather cross a line when how you decide to meet goals moves into murder.” No wonder Felix was always grouchy if this was the side of human nature he constantly saw.

“You have grown quite rude over the last few days, Miss Ives.” The other woman lashed out with the knife. The tip of the blade glanced over Caroline’s left forearm and left a thin trail of blood behind.

As she hissed with surprised pain, the carriage arrived at the folly that sat on the edge of her father’s property and overlooked a wooded area where a quaint stream wound through it.

If she remembered correctly, out of the third story window, one could see a dear little footbridge that spanned the stream.

When Caroline was little, she and her sister would play in the folly and pretend they were princesses while their brother, Andrew, rode his pony and pretended he was a knight defending them against an attack from wizards or trolls.

Once, they were granted permission to have tea in the folly, but that hadn’t been repeated.

Mostly, her grandfather had the odd building erected because it had been the popular thing to do when he’d been viscount, and since he’d loved hunting over all else, the folly served as a focal point where the horses, riders, and hounds would gather in her childhood.

Since her father wasn’t inclined to hunt, and as she and Debra had grown, the chance to pretend had dwindled, so the folly had been abandoned.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d visited, and it was a bit of a shock to find vines trailed up the stone sides of what resembled a turret to a castle.

Part of the roof had decayed with time, and some of the stones had fallen from the mortar, but otherwise, it remained intact.

“Get out,” Miss Perkins demanded as she gestured with the knife.

“Or the next cut will go much deeper.” Gone was the meek and mild woman and in her place was a woman apparently devoid of caring or compassion.

Then she waved to someone behind Caroline.

“Devon, darling, bind and gag the driver. We’ll need him once everything is complete.

” Then she pointed to the pile of bags and trunks near the wooden door of the folly.

“Put our luggage into the carriage so our departure won’t be delayed. ”