The rapid whispering grew louder as she approached the library.

At first, Amelia believed Clarke and Crispin had dropped by to wish them well on their trip. She and Gideon were about to leave for Tarryhall, the Earl of Flint’s principal seat. They would spend a week there so Gideon could catch up on estate business with his steward before leaving for Devon.

While helping Gideon with the correspondence for his far-flung estates, Amelia had been thrilled to learn he owned a small property a stone’s throw from her father’s country home. After verifying that the cottage was in good repair, Gideon had offered to take her there as part of a larger bridal tour of his new properties.

She was so excited, she’d been unable to sleep the night before their scheduled departure. Not that Gideon allowed her much opportunity for sleep at night.

What good was a brand-new marriage bed if one didn’t use it? he’d asked.

The rogue, she thought with a small private smile. It had become necessary to nap for several hours each afternoon to keep up with his demands. And the reason their bed hadn’t seen much use was because Gideon was usually too impatient to go upstairs. The staff had quickly learned to make themselves scarce when they were together.

Blushing at her memories, she hurried to the library to say goodbye to their friends. But Amelia found Gideon alone, his face granite-hard. He spun around to face her, his hand in a fist.

“Gideon, what’s wrong?”

Relaxing his fist, her husband made a visible effort to calm down. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

Dread pooled like bile in her stomach. “Don’t—I could hear the voices from the hall. It’s happening to you now, isn’t it?”

It was as if Gideon closed in on himself. She could see him withdrawing, his expression metamorphosing into a careless mien.

“Of course not,” he said dismissively with a hint of a smile. “What you heard was the servants speaking upstairs through the chimney. I told you this place was in bad repair,” he added, gesturing at the hearth. “This needs to be rebricked, that is all.”

Well, she supposed that could be true. The renovations were taking longer than she’d assumed they would. It was such a large house, and like all of Gideon’s properties, it had been neglected for some time.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at her from head to toe. “You were ill this morning. How are you feeling now?”

She waved away his concern. “Much better. It’s just taking a little time to grow accustomed to your French chef. His meals are delicious but too rich… Are you certain it was the servants? The voices were loud as if there were multiple people in here with you.”

“Darling, the maids are busy closing the rooms upstairs. Now, have you finished packing, love?”

“I have. My apologies for the delay. I didn’t realize how many trunks I would need and had to send out for another from my former residence.”

“Well, if you didn’t insist on taking so many books with you… We have to use a second carriage as it is.”

Crestfallen, she stepped closer to him. “Oh Gideon, I need all those books!”

Gideon put his big hands on her upper arms. “Amelia, darling, I know what those books are for. And we don’t need them. Not anymore.”

But what if he was wrong? It really sounded as if the voices were coming from the library. “I need them,” she insisted.

“My lord!” Footsteps pounded in the hallway. Young John, Gideon’s tiger, and Adolfo appeared, sweaty and winded.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, rushing forward.

“It’s the grey mare, one of the matched pair. It’s dead.”

Amelia covered her hand with her mouth. She wanted to weep. “That poor animal.”

Gideon hadn’t been able to keep her from the stables. Intent on seeing the horse, he’d given up trying to make her stay in the library.

“Don’t look at it,” Gideon growled, shoving her behind him to obstruct her view. “Was it poisoned?”

“No, my lord,” the stable master said in disbelief. “Can’t you see—”

“I think it was poisoned. The same thing happened to Lord Stanley’s last month when he didn’t pay the staff’s wages for the quarter and he dismissed a groom for complaining. Notify the relevant authorities and have it hauled away.”

“But, my lord—”

“I said have it taken away. Hitch the chestnut to the carriage instead. It’s the closest in size to the dappled grey. We leave within the hour.”

The stable master tried to hide his dubious expression. He and his subordinates hurried to their lord’s bidding.

“Gideon!” Amelia scolded. “You know very well the animal was strangled. Look at its neck.”

The air around them grew thick with tension. Disbelieving, she stared at him, wondering how he could be so obtuse. But he was in earnest—so much so that the cords on his neck stood out.

“It was poisoned.”

She threw up her hands. “Damn it, Gideon, you can’t bury your head in the sand and pretend the giant hasn’t returned.”

He put his hands on his hips and walked in a circle, then turned and stared at her.

She waited for him to acknowledge reality. It was suddenly painful to breathe. Was he about to assert his prerogative as her lord and master and dismiss her truth?

Amelia didn’t know what she would do if that happened.

Gideon’s eyes flicked to her waist. Without a word, he opened his arms. Relieved, she flew into them and waited.

“We’re still leaving,” he muttered into her hair. “The air in town is not good for you, and I have put off attending to my estates long enough. But we’ll travel with a few more outriders than I originally planned.”

He led her out of the stable and hailed Adolfo, who was watching the men readying the carriage.

“Yes, my lord?”

Gideon leaned toward him. “Adolfo, I’m going to write a quick note to Inspector Hayes. I’d like you to deliver it. Keep the horse’s body long enough for him to see it.”

“Yes, my lord. I take it you want me to deliver it after you have left?”

He nodded. “We won’t be delaying our departure. Find me in my library in five minutes.”

He turned to Amelia. “Come, my love. Our departure from London is long overdue.”