Carnage from the Cursed Crown (The Kier and Levett Mystery Series Book 5) by Deb Marlowe

Author:Deb Marlowe [Marlowe, Deb]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2024-08-07T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

They found Jacob Dalwiddie standing mid-field with a group of his tenant farmers, examining the progress of a half-grown crop of oats. Spotting them, he spoke a little longer to the men, then lifted a hand and came over to the edge to greet them.

“Well met, my darling,” he called. “This was our last field of the day.” He came to stand by his wife’s splendidly muscled hunter. “And I see you’ve found some recruits. Good day to you, Sedwick. And welcome to our home, Miss Levett.”

“It’s no use, dear,” his wife told him. “Your manners are lovely, but I have already resolved that we are to be Kate and Jacob and Kara and Niall. Now, come. You must ride out with us.”

Obediently, he was up and ready in moments. “Where shall we ride today, my dear?”

“Actually, I meant to ask you something before we set out.” Kara watched as Niall expertly moved in closer to speak to his friend—and wished she’d spent a tad less time in the laboratory over these last months, and more in the saddle.

“I wanted to ask, Jacob, if you knew of any local properties that might have been seized due to unpaid taxes?”

Dalwiddie looked surprised at the question. “As a matter of fact, yes. Old Blister MacCallum’s place. It’s a small farm holding further out along the road toward the city. Why? Were you thinking to add to your holdings?”

“No, but I do have a reason to look it over.”

“It’s just as well. George Gibbons is the local tax commissioner. Honestly, I wonder if he didn’t pay old Blister’s taxes himself a time or two. But he will have to charge the new buyer the unpaid balance. I understand he has a buyer lined up already.” He looked over to his wife. “More fresh blood in the area, my dear.”

“The buyer is not a local?” Kara asked.

“No. A man from the city, I believe.”

The rival, perhaps? Kara raised a questioning brow at Niall, but he was watching Jacob. “Is it close enough for us to ride out to inspect the place?”

“Of course. You know the farmstead I mean, don’t you, Kate?”

“I do.” His wife looked somber. “I often met Mr. MacCallum when I was out with one horse or another. I ride all over the area, and old Blister wandered as well, especially since he grew too old to keep the farm going.”

“Riding out to meet strange men, my dear?” Jacob asked with a laugh.

His wife tossed her head. “I nearly always have a groom with me. You know all the horses need constant exercising. But I quite enjoyed old Blister’s company. He knew an astonishing amount about these lands. I swear, he could whistle the birds out of the sky or tickle a trout from a stream with just his fingers. He loved to stroll out along the cliffs over the sea. We would sit there, sometimes, while he told me tales of the old ways.” She gave Kara a sad smile. “This way, then.

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