The Ransomed Crown (The Saga of Roland Inness Book 4) by Wayne Grant

Author:Wayne Grant [Grant, Wayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Graogonzo
Published: 2019-12-03T16:00:00+00:00

But the day shall come

When from dreaming I awake

To find fair lady waiting

For my heart to take.”

Parrot raised his eyes from the text and looked at her.

“Did you like it, my lady?” he asked eagerly.

For a moment Millicent had the sinking feeling that this young clerk was trying to woo her, but when she met his gaze he dropped his eyes back to the page, scanning the words that had so affected him. It was the words that enchanted—not her.

Andrew Parrot is a romantic!

It was a startling thought. The shy clerk had seemed unlikely to be moved by love poems, but the heart can hide many secrets.

“It was lovely, Andrew. Read me another.”

For the remainder of the hour, Andrew Parrot read the words of troubadours to Millicent and truly seemed to be connected to another world entirely.

Twice more in September, she saw candlelight showing under the door to the parlour office late at night. She was tempted to go to Marshall with what she had seen, but what did it really amount to—a clerk working late? She resolved to not bother the Earl unless there was more evidence to present, but she felt her frustration growing.

She summoned Jaime Finch.

“Jamie, the next time our clerk goes for one of his evening walks, I need you to follow him. He’s much less likely to notice you than me. Tell me where he goes and try to see who he talks to—if anyone.”

“Aye, my lady, and thank you. Life as a servant is dreadful borin’. It will be good to visit some of my old haunts.”

Millicent furrowed her brow.

“Jamie, Sergeant Billy told me that you had struggled with drink. You will need a clear head for this.”

Finch scowled.

“Billy is like a nursemaid, but have no concern, my lady. I’m done with spirits. I’ll find out what yer clerk is about and that’s fer certain!”

***

Jamie Finch stood before her, his face red.

“It was a…a…bawdy house, my lady.”

“A what?”

Finch’s face grew redder.

“A bawdy house, miss. A place where men go…some men…to take pleasure with the girls.”

“A brothel?”

Finch let out a reflexive breath, relieved that Lady Millicent was not entirely unfamiliar with the kind of place he was describing.

“Aye, my lady, a brothel.”

“Andrew Parrot sneaked out to go to a brothel?”

“Aye, miss. I followed him close, though I’m certain he wasn’t aware. I saw him go in the place.”

“How do you know it was a brothel?”

Once more Finch’s face reddened.

“I know that establishment, my lady. It’s been there since I was a boy.”

Millicent recognized her questions were making Finch uncomfortable, but there was no help for it.

“Could you tell who he met with there?”

Finch shuffled his feet.

“No, my lady, I couldn’t very well follow him in.” He paused a moment and his shoulders slumped. “Beggin’ your pardon, my lady, but I’m too well known at the White Mare…from the old days. They’d have made a fuss if I’d gone in.”

Now it was Millicent’s turn to flush a bit.

“I’m sorry, Jamie. I didn’t mean to pry. How long was he there?”

“Oh, I’d say the usual amount of time.

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