A Debt From the Past

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Authors: Beryl Matthews
Tags: General Fiction
London residence was broken into two days ago, while she was asleep in her bed.’
    ‘How terrible!’ She poured and handed the cup back to him, hoping her expression was suitably outraged. The sister was no more likeable than the brother. ‘I trust she suffered no hurt?’
    ‘She was unharmed and did not know anything about it until the servants rose to go about their chores.’
    ‘That is indeed a blessing. Did the thieves take anything of value?’
    ‘No, that was the strange thing: nothing was missing. But the house had been thoroughly searched.’ He glowered. ‘By an expert.’
    ‘That is most distressing,’ she sympathized. ‘What do you think they were looking for?’
    ‘We do not have the faintest idea.’
    He was lying; she was sure of it. ‘Ah, if nothing was taken, then it is clear that they did not find what they were looking for.’
    ‘No, they did not!’
    The certainty in his voice told her that he knew what the intruder had been after. How exciting! Another mystery.
    He smiled and stood up. ‘I must not take any more of your time, Miss Langton. Will you tell Lord Sharland I am sorry to have missed him and hope I shall have the pleasure of meeting him very soon.’
    ‘I shall tell him, and please give my regards to your sister.’
    ‘Well, well,’ Beth murmured when they were alone again. ‘What did you make of that, Helen? I cannot remember Sir Peter ever visiting us before.’
    ‘Strange indeed. He was clearly disappointed at not finding Lord Sharland at home.’
    ‘That was the impression I had as well. He could hardly sit still long enough to be polite.’ Beth pursed her lips thoughtfully. ‘And the way his lordship practically ran out of this room made it clear that he didn’t want to see Sir Peter. I do believe you are right to suggest that there is more to this than a stranger taking over as my guardian.’
    Both girls nodded and poured themselves another cup of tea.
    ‘The mystery continues to grow, Helen. I find it very curious that his lordship should not want to meet Sir Peter – and that Sir Peter’s London home has been recently broken into, but nothing taken. It feels as if there is a connection there.’
    Helen pursed her lips. ‘And Mr Edgemont has been missing for a while.’
    ‘Indeed!’

Eight
    James appeared just in time for dinner that evening and was even more uncommunicative than usual. They were well into the second course when Beth broke the silence. ‘Is Mr Edgemont not joining us this evening?
    ‘No, he is still out ... visiting.’
    ‘Oh, does he know people who live in the area?’
    ‘He knows a great many people.’
    The expression on his face told her quite plainly that the subject was closed, so she didn’t probe any further. ‘I entertained Sir Peter Gresham in your stead this afternoon, and he appeared most interested in you.’
    That did gain his attention. ‘And what did you tell him?’
    ‘I could not say much because, in truth, I know very little about you, so I lied shamelessly.’
    ‘Really?’ The corners of his lordship’s mouth twitched.
    ‘Yes, I do not like the Greshams and I told quite a few untruths.’ She looked at him through lowered lashes as if ashamed of her conduct, but she doubted that her poor acting ability was fooling him.
    ‘Such as?’
    ‘I told him you were a charming man and I was fortunate to have you as my guardian.’ She sighed and fanned herself with her napkin. ‘I cannot understand why I should have told such a blatant untruth.’
    The corners of his mouth twitched again, but otherwise his expression did not change. ‘And did he want to know my relationship to the Sharlands?’
    ‘He did.’ She glared at the infuriating man; he was finding this far too amusing. ‘But I had to wriggle out of answering that, because although you have told me you are his son, and the lawyer assures me that you are, and has papers to prove it, they could be forgeries.’ She heard Helen draw in a sharp breath but

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