Free 7 Pay the Piper by Kate Kingsbury Page A

me night off, and I was feeling a bit down. When I heard some of the Scotch blokes talking about going down there, I thought it might cheer me up a bit, like, if I went down as well and had a drink or two.”
    Forgetting for a moment the purpose of her question, Cecily looked closer at Samuel’s glum face. “Is something wrong, Samuel? You are not ill?”
    “Oh, no, mum, nothing like that. It’s just …” He twisted his cap around in his hands. “Well, it’s sort of personal, mum, if you know what I mean.”
    Apparently the somber mood was contagious, Cecily thought, studying her stable manager’s expression. “Is there something I can do to help?”
    “No, mum, but thank you. It’s something I have to sort out for myself.”
    After a moment, Cecily nodded. “Very well, but if you should need someone to talk to, I’m sure Baxter will be happy to oblige.”
    Samuel’s mouth twisted. “Thank you, mum. I’ll keep it in mind.”
    Deciding to let the matter rest, she remembered her initial question. “While I think of it, Samuel, did you happen to notice the fight between Peter Stewart and Tom Abbittson when you were at the inn?”
    Samuel gave a decisive shake of his head. “No, mum, I didn’t. I was in the other side, in the public bar, playing darts. I’m sorry that the man died, of course, especially like that. Must have been a horrible death. But I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t deserve it.”
    Shocked, Cecily stared at the young man. “Whatever gives you that impression?”
    “Well, he’s a bloody womanizer, isn’t he, pardon my French.” Samuel’s face reddened, but he added bluntly, “It’s Doris, you see. She’s a bit impressionable, like, being as how she’s so young and all. Peter Stewart was hanging around her a lot, turning her head with his fancy remarks, teasing her and everything.”
    “I see,” Cecily said slowly.
    “I told her as how he was just out for what he could get from her. Them Scotch blokes are all alike. They all think the ladies are falling over themselves to meet ’em. Just ’cause they wear those silly kilts and show off their hairy legs. Looks bloody ridiculous, if you ask me.”
    “Apparently Doris didn’t think they look ridiculous,” Cecily couldn’t help pointing out.
    “Ah, she’s just trying to get some attention to her singing, that’s all. At least, that’s what she keeps telling me. Dead set on being on the stage she is. She’s been talking to all them pipers, hoping someone can help her. That’s all she thinks about, getting on the stage and meeting toffs.”
    He looked so miserable, Cecily’s heart ached for him. A gust of wind tugged at her hat, which luckily was anchoredunder her chin with a silk scarf. Holding the flapping brim with one hand, she said soothingly, “Don’t worry, Samuel. All young girls have fanciful dreams. They eventually grow out of them. Just give her a little time. She’s very young, and it wouldn’t be wise to push things right now.”
    Samuel nodded, looking unconvinced. “I know, mum. It’s just that I get angry when I see her chatting and laughing with them blokes. Especially Peter Stewart. He was worse than any of them, though I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead. I told him off myself, I did, that last night at the pub. Told him to keep his filthy hands off Doris.”
    “Oh, dear,” Cecily murmured. “I don’t imagine he took kindly to that.”
    “No, he didn’t. He wanted to fight, but I wasn’t having any of it. Not my cup of tea, all that scrapping. That’s why I left the saloon and went and played darts. I could hear them all at it next door, but I don’t know what it was all about.”
    “Well, try not to worry about Doris,” Cecily said as another gust threatened to snatch her hat from her head. “I’ll have a word with her myself, though perhaps Mrs. Chubb might do better than I.”
    “I don’t want Doris to know I’ve been talking about her,” Samuel said with some alarm.