Arriving to take Leonora back to London the next day, Aunt Georgina bustled through the door of the morning room, where Harriett sat alone reading. She was small and fair, much like their mother, but far plumper, her round face, smooth and pleasant. Harriett went to kiss her. She was very fond of her aunt. Aunt Georgina was a generous soul, but also practical. She was always a good influence on Leonora.

“Harriett, my dear, what a sad business! Poor Cousin Harrison! Have they found the culprit?”

“No, Aunt. Long gone, most likely.”

“Well he’d be foolish to remain here and be arrested, now wouldn’t he? What was stolen?”

“We haven’t discovered anything yet, Aunt. But it’s difficult to say for sure.”

“How strange. Where is your mother? Take me to her, my dear.”

Leonora had kept to her bedroom since they’d arrived, her meals sent up. Her nose was red when she descended the stairs an hour later, but the sight of her favorite aunt made her lips tremble into a smile. A childless widow, Aunt Georgina aided both girls where she could, taking them on holidays to Bath and Brighton and accompanying them on shopping sprees to buy fripperies their father could no longer afford.

She hugged Leonora to her large bosom. “Now, now. You mustn’t spoil your perfect complexion with tears. It won’t bring poor Harrison back, will it?”

“Do you think it fitting for Leonora to go to Almack’s?” Mama asked her sister anxiously. “Will it sit badly with the Ton if she fails to bow to convention?”

Leonora wailed in protest.

“I don’t see why it should. Leonora is not closely related to Harrison,” Aunt Georgina said. “He married our cousin. I’ve already sent a note off to Lady Devonshire. If she has any reservations, we will not attend.” She sighed, with a glance at the burley constable who stood at the door looking expectant, as if the murderer was going to rush up to him and confess. “We’d best depart if we want to reach London in time for the ball.”

“Edgerton expects we can leave in a day or two,” Mama said.

Gerard had taken the doctor to view the body, and make the necessary arrangements, and her father became locked in with the magistrate.

After Leonora left for London with their aunt, Harriett escaped the oppressive mood of the house and wandered over the fields, hat in hand. She enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her face without her mother’s censure. Perhaps she should feel sadder, but she hadn’t liked Cousin Harrison much, although she wouldn’t wish the manner of his death on anyone. When the doctor had completed his work, Gerard had gone home to Foxworth promising to return later in the day.

Harriet walked as far as the river, then turned back toward the house. When she reached the tall oak tree she’d climbed two days ago, she suddenly thought to look where she’d first seen Gerard. She searched along the bank of rhododendrons with no idea what she looked for. As she probed into the bushes, something caught her eye. She crouched and reached in amongst the leafy branches. Her hands landed on a leather satchel propped against a trunk and she pulled it out, then perched on a fallen log to open it. The satchel was empty. What had been in it? Had Gerard left it here? Why had he not taken it? Her growing fears for the shady business he might be involved in made her mouth dry. She should take this matter straight to her father. But what if it brought accusations of theft and murder down on Gerard’s head? Surely, he was innocent of such a crime. She had beheld his affection for Harrison. It was genuine. She simply could not do it. She pushed the bag back under the bush where she found it.

In the afternoon, when the hubbub had died down and the household had settled into a quiet melancholy, Harriett went in search of Gerard. She found him at the stables with the head groom.

Seeing her, he broke off his conversation and walked toward her.

“We are returning to London in a day or so.” She studied his strained face.

“Are you? It’s just as well. I’m about to go home, there’s nothing more to be done here. I’ve organized the staff as well as I can. They are understandably upset and worried, and without some direction, they run around like headless chickens.”

“Yes, I’ve attempted to calm the maids. Mama is feeling most unwell. She’s taken a dose of laudanum.”

“It’s a terrible shock.”

“Who could have done this dreadful thing?”

He glanced back at the stables. “I don’t know.”

He took off his hat and ran his hands through his hair. A dark curl fell over his forehead and Harriett longed to ease it back, perhaps in so doing, she might ease his anguish. For anguish, it surely was. In every line of his body, the way he held his head, the tension in his shoulders, his tautly muscled arms and his clenched hands. Did he know more than he was admitting to, or was it because he loved crusty old Harrison? Should she ask him? She took a deep breath. “Gerard, the night we stayed with you, I saw you leave the house at around midnight. You rode away. Where did you go?”

His brows snapped together. “You must forget what you saw, Harry.”

“But why? And just now I found a brown satchel in the grounds—”

The groom made his way toward them across the cobbles. Gerard drew Harriett roughly against him and planted his mouth on hers.

Shocked, Harriett struggled, and then went limp, overwhelmed by a surge of emotions. The touch of his lips on hers made her want to wrap her arms around him and draw him closer. She was acutely aware of his strong male body leaning into hers, so foreign and wonderful. He smelled of leather and sandalwood soap. She gained her wits and shoved at him in time to see the groom walk away with a smile and a shake of his head.

“What on earth?” she gasped. Her bonnet had been pushed back onto her shoulders during the kiss. She smoothed her hair with nervous fingers and thrust her hat back on her head. “You have outdone yourself, sir. Never in my born days would I have expected you to behave so inapprop—”

“Do be quiet, Harry.” Still frowning, Gerard grabbed her arm and dragged her into an empty horse stall. He did not appear to be a beau in the throes of passion.

“My lord!” Harriett wriggled furiously. “Have you had too much sun?”

“For God’s sake, don’t struggle. Your virtue is quite safe with me. For the moment,” he added with a quick grin. It faded and a serious light entered his blue eyes. “You must not mention anything you’ve seen. Not to anyone.”

Harriett put her hands on her hips. “But why?”

He gave her shoulders a little shake. “For goodness sake, Harry. I can’t tell you now. Promise me you’ll say naught about this. Can I trust you to do that?”

She paused. “But I don’t know why you can’t….” Over his shoulder, she saw the groom returning. The thought that Gerard might kiss her again made her step back. She might have welcomed it without an audience. “Very well. You have my promise.”

He winked. “I knew I could rely on you, Harry. Good girl.”

The groom waited with his hat in his hands. “Shall I have your horse brought round, my lord?”

“Thank you, Sefton.”

Harriett leaned her back against the barn door and picked at a piece of straw which had attached itself to her sleeve. “We return here next week for the reading of the will. I doubt Father will wish to attend the inquest, after all we weren’t here when it happened.”

“I’m glad you’re coming back.”

“You are?” She still felt the imprint of his soft lips against hers. Her heartbeat, which had not quite returned to normal after the last onslaught, quickened again.

“You’ve a good deal of commonsense.”

“Oh.” She threw the stalk away.

“Is Leonora coming too?”

“I believe so.” Harriett spun on her heel and walked outside, as the stable boy appeared leading Gerard’s roan.

Gerard took the reins and leapt into the saddle. He looked down at her. “Until next we meet then.”

Harriett watched him ride away; he had a very good seat on a horse. Her only experience was with hired hacks in Rotten Row, and she’d hoped to ride over the fields while she was here, but that wouldn’t happen now. She traced her bottom lip with a finger and took a deep, steadying breath. She wished she’d never come here, but knew she’d count the days until she saw him again.

♥♥♥

Gerard cursed loudly as he rode back to Foxworth causing his roan to prick up his ears. He should take more care with Harriett’s reputation. Harrison’s death seemed to have sent him careening out of control. As if he wanted to snatch at life, before he too, was dispatched from this earth.