A Country Affair by Patricia Wynn

Author:Patricia Wynn [Patricia Wynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Nov. Rom
Published: 2001-10-28T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The next morning, Richard sought out paper and ink from Mrs. Croft and penned a letter to Wilfrid.

It gave him immense satisfaction to call his cousin to duty, for Wilfrid would not dare to ignore his summons. Richard only wished he could see his cousin's face when he received it.

Since Wilfrid had already been privy to the letter from the Garter, Richard saw no reason to be overly discreet. He certainly had no intention of divulging the circumstances under which he had been living in Uckfield, or his strange reasons for maintaining an alias. Considering, however, the extreme umbrage Wilfrid had taken at the notion that “mere husbandmen” would claim kinship with him, Richard could not stop himself from rubbing a little salt in his cousin's wounds.

He informed him that upon investigation he had learned that some relationship might, in fact, exist between the Payleys and the Trevelyans. Due to factors Richard would not trouble his cousin with, he had taken it upon himself to confirm the evidence. In consideration of Wilfrid's moving testament of his devotion to their family, so recently given, Richard thought it only right to entrust a portion of the task to him.

Richard asked him without delay, saving the Regent's displeasure, to proceed to a small village by the name of Cuckfield off the Brighton Road, and once there, to search the church registries within a reasonable distance—say a radius of no more than twenty miles—for the marriage in question. Richard gave him a probable range of dates, but urged his cousin not to be restrained if he felt a more extensive search was warranted. If either family name was unearthed in a particular church, Wilfrid might think about rummaging in the churchyard for a joint burial spot.

Richard wrote instructions to send all evidence of his discoveries to a Mr. Lint in care of the inn at Uckfield. Then he added this final note: he made no doubt his cousin would reap his due reward for exerting himself in such a worthy cause, just as he would heartily welcome two new members to their small family. He remained his loving servant, Richard, Earl of Linton, etcetera, and so forth....

While scribbling this last, Richard chuckled to himself, knowing how galled Wilfrid would be. To have to leave Brighton with Prinny in residence to go traipsing about the countryside, poking about in ice-cold churches and musty records, and on Richard's behalf, would turn him pale. He could almost hear Wilfrid's complaints, and Richard was sure he would be treated to them at length upon their next encounter.

This vision of Wilfrid, incommoded, made Richard almost forget what he was about. Before he considered his actions fully, he had almost franked his letter. He stopped himself in time, then had to cross through the portion of his signature already formed, for it would not do for the Crofts to be apprised of his identity. Wilfrid would be obliged to pay the postage, which fact could only increase Richard's mirth.

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