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Haggs set down his cup in its saucer and rose to his feet.

“Since I can interest no one else in the expedition, I shall take myself for a lonely drive around the park. Miss Gussie.” He bowed perfunctorily.

“Withy, don’t decamp without a word. No need to ring, I can see myself out.

Thank you for the tea and the company, Lady Petteril.

” He kissed her hand, in clear contrast to his cool leave-taking of Gussie, nodded to Darcy, and sauntered out.

Gussie glanced up toward the closed door, and just for an instant, her expression was one of anguish . What the devil was going on between that pair? Gussie caught April’s eye and hastily looked back toward the window.

“Hope you don’t mind my interrupting,” Darcy said. “Wanted a particular word with you, Petteril.”

Gussie rose. “Would you please excuse me? I feel a bit of a headache coming on.”

Darcy stood politely as she flitted across the room.

“Lie down,” April advised, frowning with genuine worry, though she suspected the girl chiefly needed a few minutes alone to cry. “I’ll come up shortly.”

Piers addressed their remaining visitor with his usual focus. “Is it about the baby? Or the hackney?”

Or Bernie?

“Both,” Darcy said. He looked content enough as Piers sat back down, clearly not intending to whisk him away to a male only study. “For one thing, I saw that hackney again.”

He glanced from Piers to April and seemed to rear into the back of his chair, perhaps disconcerted by the intensity of their joint focus.

“That is, I don’t know that it was the same one, but it was driving very slowly around the square.

It did that twice while I walked from my front door, and then it passed me going into Park Lane at a fast trot.

There was no one inside it, so he hadn’t picked anyone up. ”

“When was this?” Piers asked.

“Before midday, about half past eleven or so I suppose. I was on my way to the club.”

“Was it the same driver as last time?” April asked, frustrated because if it was Tucker, they had missed him simply by looking for him. Was there some connection between Tucker and Essie Brown?

“I couldn’t say. I didn’t get a good look at him before. But I made sure to remark everything I could about him this time, all right and tight. Youngish fellow, hat pulled quite low over his forehead. Brown coat. With a small flower in his buttonhole. His horse was a dappled grey.”

“That’s him !” April exclaimed, meeting her husband’s gaze. “Could he have been looking for us while we looked for him?”

Piers frowned. “Maybe. Or he was sent by Essie. Or was looking for...” He tailed off, before he said the Parks’ name. “At any rate, it’s dashed odd behaviour.”

“Maddening,” April agreed.

Darcy, who had had been glancing from one to the other as they spoke, now said with some fascination. “You are looking together for this fellow?”

“It’s become a bit of a habit,” Piers said at his most vague, which meant he was thinking.

Darcy set down his cup and saucer on the table in front of him and shifted position again as though uncomfortable. “There’s more. About the baby.”

They both regarded him expectantly. He cast a glance at Piers that was almost pleading, then shook his head.

“Not a good man, Lady Petteril. No point pretending I am. Thing is, when I heard about the baby, it bothered me. Because I thought I’d dreamed of one, on steps that might have been like those down to your kitchen area.

And I began to wonder if it wasn’t a dream.

I even began to wonder if I’d thought it funny to wander off with some poor woman’s child and dump it at your door.

No idea why I would do such a thing, but there it is.

A man in his cups doesn’t always make much sense, and I confess I was deep cut, utterly mauled if you want the truth. ”

“Did you?” Piers asked steadily.

Darcy blinked, as though dragging himself back to the point.

“Did I take someone’s baby? No, thank God.

But I’ve been remembering as my mind cleared, and I did see it on your steps when I was on my way home.

I don’t know why, but I was holding on to your railings—having a rest, I expect—and I saw something move just toward the bottom of the steps.

Rags in a box shifting about on their own.

Just the thing to fascinate a man drunk as David’s sow.

So down I went, poked the rags, and there was this little baby, sound asleep.

Had the tiniest little ears, ridiculously small and yet perfectly formed.

So, I covered them up again to keep him warm. ”

“What did you do then?” April asked with some fascination.

“Well, it struck me whoever had put the baby there might come out of the house and find me where I’d no business to be.

Which seemed terribly funny at the time, so I chortled my way back up the steps and weaved my way across the square to my own place.

” He scowled. “Which was when the horse and carriage knocked me down.”

“Hadn’t you noticed the hackney before that?” Piers asked.

“Can’t say I did. Not at my best, old boy.”

“No, I can see that.” Piers was frowning. Like April, he was clearly wondering how this fitted into the overall story, if they had learned anything new for it.

The most interesting point, April felt, was that Tucker had come back today, had been watching and waiting. For what? One of the Parks? For Mrs. Robb to appear with the baby? For Piers?

Or for Darcy...?

She sat bolt upright. “Mr. Darcy, did you see someone put the baby on our step that morning?”

Darcy rubbed at his forehead. “If I did, I don’t recall it.”

“You think Tucker knew he’d been seen and tried to run over the witness?” said Piers, who had never been slow.

“It crossed my mind. Perhaps he came back today, looking for Mr. Darcy, but didn’t see him in time.

He galloped past, but of course, Mr. Darcy was sober and he didn’t wobble into the horse’s path.

And there would have been too many people around for him to drive straight at him.

” Too many people, including Bernie the stable boy whom they could have put in danger. ..

Piers gazed at her, considering as he always did. He rubbed his chin with one finger. “Possible. But...”

“Speculation,” she said with a sigh.

“Melodrama,” Piers corrected. “Which doesn’t necessarily rule it out.”

“Have a scone, Mr. Darcy,” April said, offering him the plate.

***

O N HIS WAY BACK TO the house, after spotting Darcy mount the Petteril House steps, Bernie skidded into the stables to see how many horses, grooms or coachmen lurked there.

This was the quickest way of finding out if his lordship was at home or if Bernie needed to warn Mr. Park about the Darcy cove.

Bernie didn’t think her ladyship should see Darcy without protection.

All the horses were there, and something moved in the far corner, where the hay was piled.

“Mr. Johns?” Bernie called to his immediate superior, peering, for the back of the stables was dim and gloomy.

There was no answer. All was still, and yet Bernie knew someone was there. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

He didn’t like being afraid, so he glared at the hay pile. “Look, I ain’t got time for this. You want me to bring all the men out to find you, that’s fine with me. We’ll see which of us gets in trouble for that!”

“Don’t,” the hay pile whispered. “Please don’t. I’m just resting and don’t mean no harm.”

“Come out then,” Bernie commanded.

There was a distinct pause before the hay rustled and a pair of ancient boots topped by a skirt and apron appeared from behind the pile. She moved slowly, stiffly, as if it was painful. But eventually, the cloaked, huddled figure of a young woman was complete before him. A girl, really.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked severely.

The girl glanced fearfully toward the open door.

“You’re hiding,” Bernie guessed.

“Don’t tell, please don’t tell. It’s only for another hour till I’m sure he’s gone and then I’ll get off. You’ll never know I’m here.”

Bernie was a soft-hearted lad underneath his bluster, and he was not immune to female helplessness. The girl was skinny and poor and was clearly frightened to death.

“If the others find you, I can’t help you,” he muttered.

“They went up to the house.”

“They’ll be back.” He took a step nearer as she wobbled and swayed. “Here, are you hungry?”

“Thirsty,” the girl whispered.

Bernie gave her the flask Lord Petteril had given him in case he was kept out all day. He had been disappointed to discover it was only water and not ale.

She drank as if she was desperate, then quickly handed it back. “Thank you.”

“You’d better hide right at the back of the hay,” Bernie said. “No one’s likely to come that far back, even for the evening feed.”

“Oh, I’ll be gone long before then.”

“Where will you go? Home?”

She shook her head.

Bernie remembered well enough the terror of having nowhere to go. In his case, he was lucky, and his uncle had got him the job here. This girl didn’t look as if anyone was caring for her.

“Stay in here for tonight,” he said impulsively.

“It’s warm enough with a couple of blankets.

I’ll bring you one and there’s others spares in here though they stink of horse.

You’ll need to stay quiet, mind ’cause Mr. and Mrs. Johns lives above, and so do me and the grooms. I’ll get you some food, too, though it won’t be much. ”

“You’re kind,” the girl said. “Thanks.” She backed away, toward the hay. “Is... Do you work for Lord Petteril?”

“I do,” Bernie said proudly.

“Has...have they got a baby in the house?”