Page 62 of Sacrificing the Untamed Lady Henrietta

“And where did this errand take you?”

“To Fordham’s fabric shop,” he replied, without missing a beat. “I was to arrange a new waistcoat for his Lordship. After that, I went to the bakery to fetch a box of Lord Averson’s favorite custard tarts. Then, I dropped several letters at the postal office, before returning here.”

“And all of this can be vouched for, can it?”

“Yes, My Lord.” He glanced at Ewan. “Is something the matter? You seem to wish to interrogate me, and yet I am unaware of any crime I may have committed. If it solely to do with my behavior towards Miss Oliver—sorry, I mean Lady Peterborough—then you may have my sincerest apologies. I meant no disservice to you.”

“Just to my wife?”

“As I say, the wound of being dismissed so abruptly had yet to cease smarting. It is not an excuse, but it is the truth.”

Ewan nodded slowly. “Then you may go.”

“That is all you wished to speak to me about?”

“Yes.”

Seth dipped into a groveling bow. “And you will remain silent on the matter of my former dismissal?” His voice was sniveling, which irked Ewan immensely.

“If I decide upon such a course of action, then yes.”

“I must know, My Lord. My family is relying upon me.”

Ewan narrowed his eyes. “You must await your fate, Mr. Booth. Now, you may leave, as I have requested.”

He looked as though he was about to say something else, but a terse glance from Ewan prevented him from speaking further. Instead, he backed out of the room in a most peculiar, almost amusing manner.

Clearly, the man was desperate. However, Ewan was uncertain of the motive behind his desperation—was it family, or was it something else altogether? If Mr. Booth lost his place here, he would no longer be close to Henrietta, or information about her, at any rate.

You have not fooled me, Mr. Booth.

A few minutes after Mr. Booth’s departure, Lord Averson stepped back into the room. He wore a perplexed frown.

“Well?”

Ewan shrugged. “There is something amiss about him, that is for certain. However, I would ask again that you keep him in your service until I can be sure of the reasoning behind his peculiarity.”

“You don’t think that he—seriously, you cannot believe that Mr. Booth is responsible for what happened at the theater?”

“You heard the report yourself. Someone pushed that block from the roof. Why not a man with a motive for vengeance?”

“He is odd, no mistake, but I do not think him capable of such evil.”

Ewan tapped his chin in thought. “Have you spoken to the household?”

“They have vouched for Mr. Booth’s whereabouts, with the exception of a few hours.”

“A few? Not just one?”

Lord Averson shook his head. “Nobody saw him between the hours of eleven and almost two.”

Now, thatwouldbe plenty of time for him to exact a little light revenge.However, Ewan could not be sure of how Mr. Booth would have discovered his lunchtime intentions. Was the man having him followed, perhaps? It seemed the most likely solution.

“I am sorry to pay such a brief visit to you, Averson, but there are several things I must attend to with direct immediacy. Might we see one another again before your departure?”

“Certainly, my good man. How would you and your wife like to dine with us on Friday?”

“Splendid idea.”