Page 114 of Murder in Highbury

She raised her eyebrows. “You did? And did he say anything about me that gave you this present cause for concern?”

“He did not, but I did ask him why he excluded Dick Curtis from the parish poor roll.”

“Goodness, that must have been awkward.”

“Thankfully, Elton acknowledged his error in keeping him off the roll in the first place. He takes full responsibility for subsequent events, and he told me that he has already written to Curtis to express his sincere regrets.”

“One would hope he would make his apologies in person,” she replied, feeling rather severe. “Given that his actions resulted in the poor fellow getting carted off to prison.”

“I suspect our vicar is a trifle leery of meeting with Curtis in person,” George dryly replied.

She had to agree, since Mr. Elton had never struck her as a man with a great deal of physical courage.

“Did he give a reason for keeping Dick off the roll in the first place?” she asked.

“Only that he objected to Dick’s rough manners and rudeness.”

That was certainly the old Mr. Elton, and not the new. “It hardly seems fair to expect a farm laborer to have the manners of a gentleman.”

“Elton seemed sincerely apologetic and readily agreed to put Curtis on the roll.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Now, I’d best check on Father and see that all is well.”

As she started to rise, her husband wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her gently back down.

“I saw Mr. Suckling today, as well,” he said.

She raised an enquiring brow. “So, he’s back in Highbury. I take it that Mrs. Suckling did not accompany him?”

“No.”

“I wonder why he returned. Oh! Perhaps he came back to help Mr. Elton with some financial matters.”

If so, that might give her an opportunity to—

“I doubt it,” her husband replied in a dampening tone.

“What he did request, and quite vociferously, was an update on the investigation. He and his wife are impatient to see progress.”

Emma sighed, disappointed. “I suppose I cannot blame him, although I’m not sure why he couldn’t write to Mr. Elton for details.”

“He wished to speak to Constable Sharpe in person. And to me,” he added with a long-suffering look.

“I take it that he was not best pleased with your report.”

“With Constable Sharpe’s report, more to the point. He found the notion of the poultry thief as killer to be entirely risible.”

“While Mr. Suckling is a very unpleasant man, he is certainly not stupid. I hope he didn’t blame you for this silly state of affairs.”

“He certainly did. In fact, I got quite the lecture on the incompetence of country magistrates.”

Emma bristled on her husband’s behalf. “I hope you put him in his place.”

“I doubt he would have cared. Elton did try to manage him, but Suckling would have none of it.”

She rested a hand against his cheek. “My poor George, what a day you’ve had.”

When he took her hand and kissed her palm, the tender caress evoked a delightful sensation. “True, but dinner was excellent, and I have an evening alone with my enchanting wife.”