Page 73 of The Curse of Penryth Hall

Penryth.

I turned and went to him, taking the envelope from his outstretched hand. I slid my thumb beneath the seal, breaking the wax, and skimmed over the words hastily.

My lady has need of you. Come at once. There is danger.

The letter was unsigned. The hand unfamiliar. “You said it’s from the house?”

He nodded. “A maid brought it just after dawn. Said to give it to you straightaway.”

“And you waited?”

“You haven’t been sleeping, lass.”

A frisson of fear crawled up my spine. “The guards?”

“At the house? Aye, they’ve orders to remain until the killer is found. Why are you so shaken? What’s in there?” He leaned forward and I crumpled the note into my palm, sliding it into my pocket.

I shook my head, unable to voice my worries. “And Ruan…”

“Called away before dawn. You must speak to me, child. What’s happened?”

“Nothing.” I hoped. “If he returns, tell him I’ve gone to Penryth to check on some things.”To check on Jori.

“Shall I join you?”

My heart jumped at the thought. If there were danger to be found, I wanted Mr. Owen as far from it as possible. I pressed a kiss to his furrowed brow and shook my head. “No. You wait here on Ruan. Send him to the house when he is finished.”

And with that I jumped into my automobile and headed off down the rutted road to Penryth Hall, terrified of what would be there when I arrived.

“RUBY!”TAMSYN’S WIDEeyes lit up as I raced into the drawing room. Immediately upon seeing her, all my worries, fears, and concerns dissolved in an instant. “What are you doing here?”

“I was summoned. The note said there was danger. Did you not send for me?”

“No. And I can’t think who would have,” she said, settling down at the tea table, a tray set out before her full of pasties and a pot of hot tea. “Perhaps Mrs. Penrose sent a note. There’s been some business in town and she was called away early.”

She and Ruan both. I gnawed on my lower lip, my tongue running over the metallic-tasting cut. I glanced around the empty room. “What do you mean business? And are you alone? Mr. Owen said the guards were to stay until the killer was found.”

Tamsyn sniffed and gave me a nod. “Don’t worry. It won’t be for long. Mrs. Penrose sent Mrs. Martin over to sit with me this morning. I finally managed to convince the woman to go back to her farm—that no monsters were about to leap from the cupboards to kill me. She didn’t want to go, but I finally prevailed upon her.”

“But why are there no guards?”

“Didn’t you hear?” Tamsyn’s eyes widened in surprise.

I shook my head.

Tamsyn gestured for me to sit and I did, reluctantly. None of this made sense. Not one bit.

“How could you have not known? Everyone is talking about what happened. Nellie Smythe was poisoned. Enys called his men back to help investigate.”

Edward’s former mistress?

“She almost died last night. Poor pitiable thing.” Tamsyn picked up a decanter of brandy from a side table and poured two glasses. It was a bit early for a drink, even by my generous standards.

She pressed it into my hand regardless.

“What do you meanalmost died?”

Her throat worked as she swallowed down her glass in a long slow sip. “I’m not certain. Mr. Kivell seems convinced that it’s poison, though I’m not convinced she didn’t have a hand in it herself.”