Page 9 of Murder in Highbury

“I shall certainly take it, else I’ll not sleep a wink tonight. And I insist that you see Perry tomorrow, as well, Emma. We must make sure that you suffered no ill effects from today’s distressing events.”

“Of course, dear. If that will set your mind at ease.”

The sound of footsteps in the hall and the murmur of masculine voices signaled that her overworked husband had finally returned home. Emma went to the door to greet him.

“Finally,” she said. “I thought Dr. Hughes would never release you from your duties.”

He slipped an arm about her waist and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “Yes, it’s been a long day.”

“You must be exhausted, George. Have you had anything to eat? I can ring for Serle to send up a tray. We had a lovely fricassee of veal as well as a splendid trifle.”

Her father dramatically sighed. “And much more besides, but I could barely swallow a bite. Emma did her best to eat something—more for my sake, you understand. I know she did not wish me to worry after her terrible ordeal.”

Truth be told, her terrible ordeal had left Emma terribly famished. She had demolished ample portions of the veal and the trifle and had finished dinner with an apple and cheese tart. Though rather insensitive of her, it hardly made sense to pretend she wasn’t hungry.

And the vealhadbeen excellent.

“That was very thoughtful of Emma,” George wryly replied.

She smiled. “You know very well that nothing impairs my appetite, which is surely an unfortunate lack of sensibility on my part.”

“Or a great deal of common sense. If we were to lose our appetites every time a tragic event occurred, the human race would starve in very short order.”

“What an admirably practical view of things.” Emma drew her husband to the settee on the other side of the fireplace. “But you have still not answered my question. Did you have anything to eat?”

“Yes. Once matters at the church were . . . sorted, Dr. Hughes and I needed to discuss the coroner’s inquest. We stopped at the Crown for something to eat while attending to the details.”

Emma went to the tea service on the mahogany sideboard. “You must have been pestered to death by the locals. I imagine there are very few in Highbury who’ve not heard the news by now.”

“Mrs. Stokes put us in one of the private rooms, where we were able to enjoy our supper in relative peace.”

She placed a few macaroons and a slice of the apple and cheese tart on a plate and carried it back with a cup of tea. “The Crown isn’t known for its food, George. I hope you had enough to eat.”

“One must hope the opposite,” her father exclaimed. “Serle told me that Mrs. Stokes serves a great deal of cake. And I hope you didn’t partake of any custard, George. One can never rely on the custards at coaching inns, you know.”

Since they rarely left the environs of Highbury, coaching inns posed little danger to their general, not to mention culinary, welfare.

“We just had a cold repast of meats and cheese,” he replied.

Father tsked. “I do hope the meat was not rancid, as it so often is at inns. Perhaps you should take a purgative.”

George simply sighed. Normally well able to deal with her father, he was clearly feeling taxed this evening. Murder seemed like a dreadfully exhausting affair.

“Father,” Emma said, “I think Mr. Perry would wish to see you in bed by now. He was quite emphatic that you have an early night.”

“You are quite right, I’m sure. I shall retire immediately.”

She helped him up and escorted him to the door, then handed him off there to a waiting footman.

“I’m sorry, dearest,” she said, returning to her husband. “Father means well, but he is quite overset.”

George stood and wrapped his arms about her. “And what about you, my Emma? Your father is not wrong to say it was a terrible shock.”

She rested against his broad chest, feeling her tension drain away. In her husband’s arms, she could almost imagine the horrors of the afternoon to be naught but an awful dream.

“You mustn’t worry about me, George. You know I am rather unshockable.”

“It grieves me that you were the first to find the body. But we must also be grateful for that, because you handled the situation with considerable aplomb.” He pushed her back a bit to offer a stern look. “Excepting your investigation of noises in the vestry. I cannot be happy about that, Emma.”