Don’t Look Back (l&m-2) by Jayne Ann Krentz

Author:Jayne Ann Krentz [Krentz, Jayne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love_history

Chapter Sixteen

Emeline watched the gardener carefully while Anthony questioned him. She felt a good deal of sympathy for the poor man. He stood in the middle of the kitchen, nervously twisting his cap, and gave short, unhelpful answers. He was clearly uncomfortable, although Anthony had gone out of his way to be polite and soothing in his approach, just as he had with the other servants.

“Have you ever witnessed anyone going into his lordship’s dressing chamber at an unusual time? Late at night, perhaps?” Anthony asked.

“Never even seen his lordship’s dressing chamber. Never seen his bedchamber, for that matter. Never been upstairs.” The gardener cast his eyes toward the ceiling as though peering toward an invisible metaphysical realm. “Worked ‘ere for seventeen years. Kitchen’s the only room I’ve ever seen inside the house.”

“Of course it is.” Mrs. Rushton, seated at the head of the long wooden table, spoke with conviction. “Gardeners have no business beyond the kitchens.”

Anthony’s jaw tightened. Emeline sensed his impatience. This was not the first time Mrs. Rushton had interrupted.

This morning’s investigation, which she and Anthony had begun with such great enthusiasm, had not gone well. None of the staff had been forthcoming. All had been ill at ease, and Emeline was quite certain she knew why. It /was not guilt that made the maids, gardeners, and housekeeper so anxious. It was the fact that Mrs. Rushton had insisted upon being present during the questioning.

Anthony thanked the gardener, who was only too eager to escape. He caught Emeline’s eye and shook his head very slightly. She closed her notebook with a sigh.

“Well, then,” Mrs. Rushton said, “that is the last of the lot. Did you learn anything helpful, Mr. Sinclair?”

Anthony gave her a winning smile that, in Emeline’s opinion, did nothing to conceal the irritation in his eyes. But Mrs. Rushton did not seem to notice. She was clearly quite taken with him. She had, in fact, paid virtually no attention whatsoever to Emeline from the moment she had been introduced to Anthony. There was a peculiar expression in her eyes whenever she looked in his direction, which was rather often.

Emeline decided that if she had seen that expression when a gentleman eyed a lady, she would have accounted the man an out-and-out libertine and debaucher of the worst sort.

“We won’t know the answer to that until we compare notes with Mr. March and Mrs. Lake,” Anthony said. “Thank you very much for your time this morning, Mrs. Rushton.”

“Not at all.” Mrs. Rushton got to her feet. She kept her attention on Anthony. “You will contact me immediately if you learn anything concerning the bracelet, will you not?”

“Of course.”

“I would appreciate a personal report from you, Mr. Sinclair,” Mrs. Rushton said, lowering her voice to an intimate tone. “I feel that I can speak comfortably with you, sir. Indeed, I find it very reassuring to know that a gentleman possessed of such an obviously vigorous physique is assisting in this investigation.”

“Thank you for placing your confidence in me, madam.

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