Wards of the Roses: Mysterious Charms, book 4 by Celia Lake

Author:Celia Lake
Language: eng
Format: epub

Twenty-Two

Oxfordshire

When they finally got back to the house, Giles was in a foul mood. Like the other two, apparently.

Vale had a hangover. A particularly nasty one, by the way he had snapped at the portal staff. He’d insisted on stopping at the inn at the other end for a drink, and then he’d made no friends yelling at the innkeeper about the noise.

Mercifully, Vale been obliged to drive home, and it at least kept him up front of the carriage. Giles was sure the sun wasn’t doing him any favours.

Kate had been terse when she arrived back at the club after her errands. One might reasonably describe it as prickly. Giles had tried to start a conversation several times and only gotten the briefest of replies. He gave up after his “Did you get what you needed?” got only “Yes” in response.

When they pulled up to the house, Vale stomped off to see to the horse, and Giles said, “This evening, we’ll talk more.”

“If you wish.”

It was on the verge of uncivil. Giles made his way up to his room. He changed into country clothes: comfortable slacks, a tunic. Nothing fancy or formal. That done, he settled down at the desk. He spent the next hour making sure everything was in order.

It was. Even the money. He was just finishing up when Vale knocked. “Come.”

“Me, Giles. The horse is put away, your papers are in the library.”

“Did you manage to get to the bank?”

“Here’s the petty cash for your wallet.” Vale came over and handed over a small pouch. “Coins, as you said.”

“I must have miscounted.” Giles said it easily. “Kate mentioned I had less than I’d thought.”

“Does she have expenses?”

“Copying, and some things to try with the roses. Nothing extravagant.”

He could hear Vale’s snort. “What, she can’t cover them?”

“Guard’s salary doesn’t stretch that far without help, Vale.” He frowned. Kate had had other expenses; surely Vale had seen to those.

“Well, that’s for her to manage, isn’t it?”

Vale didn’t do a good job of managing his own money, mind you. Giles said, more firmly, “It’s a consulting expense, it shouldn’t come out of her pocket.”

“I’ll see to her receipts.” It was grudging. “Anything else tonight?”

“No, thank you. I’ll be down for dinner, but you can take yours how you want.”

“My room, then. Don’t care for being fussed at by a housekeeper. I can make my own bloody pot of tea.”

“As you wish.”

He heard Vale go off without a by your leave, and the door closing. Giles settled in to taking a few notes, thinking through what he wanted to discuss.

Supper was made of equal parts silence and Mrs Hitchcock fussing, both of which were more tiring than he wanted. When she’d cleared the table, he said, “Kate, the library? We should talk through the next steps, and I’ve something for you to review.”

“That’s what we’re here for.” It was less grudging than Vale, but still rather terse.

Giles waited until they were both settled in the library, and then said, “I had an interesting chat with Edgarton last night.

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