An Invitation To Murder by Leighann Dobbs

Author:Leighann Dobbs
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2017-09-26T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

After an hour spent washing her hair, Katherine still felt insects crawling over her scalp. “Never again,” she told Emma, seated on the bed as she wrung out her hair into a towel. “I will make certain the next client I take on has no interest in insects or worms or snakes or any other unsavory creature.”

Katherine shuddered. Had she just said the next client I take on? No, there would be no more clients.

Although, if she couldn’t solve the Pink-Ribbon Murders by her birthday, perhaps she would be reduced to becoming a matchmaker, if she hoped to live independently of her father. There was a sobering thought, indeed.

After drying her hair as best she could, she coiled it onto her head, dressed in a fresh walking gown, and led Emma to the garden. Or rather, Emma led her. As they exited the manor and sidestepped a gravel walk leading into the groomed garden, something hissed. No, someone. Had someone whispered her name? She paused and scanned her surroundings.

There it was again. “Lady Katherine.”

She spotted Harriet, crouched behind a round bush at the corner of the garden proper. She was back from London! What good news. Perhaps Lyle had given Harriet some wisdom to impart regarding the murders.

But why was Harriet acting so suspiciously? She could walk up and speak to Katherine if she so desired. Instead, her maid waved a hand vigorously, beckoning Katherine closer.

When Katherine took a step closer, Emma yipped and wagged her tail. Unfortunately, she didn’t direct such shameless enthusiasm toward Harriet. Rather, the dog strained at the leash in order to greet a man exiting the manor. A man Katherine would have preferred to avoid.

The moment he spotted his admirer, a smirk pulled at the corners of Wayland’s lips. He converged on their position, his posture confident. “Lady Katherine, what a surprise. I thought you and Miss Pickering had retired for the afternoon.”

She offered him a thin smile. “As you can see, Emma had different ideas.”

A thin sneeze from behind her reminded her that Harriet was near and wanted to speak with her. Wayland frowned as he peered over Katherine’s head, but he must not have spotted her maid, for he didn’t mention her. Instead, he stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Was the dog at fault for this excursion, or are you hiding something of import?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Fishing for information again, Captain Wayland? You are nothing if not relentless, I must say.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Shall I tell you what I’ve deduced from your behavior?”

At his feet, Emma stopped begging for attention. She rolled on her back in the grass, twisting herself around the leash. Katherine knelt to untangle her. “Perhaps you would do better to search for your own clues rather than spend so much time trying to guess mine.” Giving her pet one last pat on the head, she rose to meet her rival’s mischievous gaze.

“Ah, but then I wouldn’t have any excuse to find myself in your company.

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