Free Silent Deception by Cathie Dunn Page B

yesterday morning in Truro with a man who helped me write up the story.”
    “The story?” Minnie stared at the copy of the Royal Cornwall Gazette he pulled from the file.
    “Yes, Hettie and Rufus’ story, sweetheart. They’ve made the front page.” He spread the paper between them, so she could read the article, but instead she looked at him.
    “You…you’ve written…? But how?” A hint of suspicion clouded her gaze.
    His hand covered hers and he stroked the delicate skin. “Strictly speaking, I didn’t write it. The editor of the Gazette did. I also sent a copy of the article to a friend who works at The Times in London. Soon, everyone will know the truth.”
    She held her breath. “The truth?”
    “Read for yourself.” He pushed the article onto her lap.
    “ Murder mystery solved. Local landowner exonerated. ” Minnie’s whispered words barely reached him, but her face shone with happiness. “You told them about Walker?”
    “Of course. Mother won’t be pleased with the revelations about my grandfather’s involvement–I’ve sent a courier with a letter and a copy of the paper to her–but people will find their story romantic. Once the initial scandal has settled, I’ve no doubt we hear voices of support.”
    The smile Minnie sent him made his head spin. He didn’t deserve her, yet he couldn’t imagine living without her, another piece of information he had imparted in the letter to his mother.
    His betrothed leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you.” The sweet taste of her lips lingered on whilst Minnie held up the paper.
    He watched her, his heart swelling with affection, as she read aloud, her voice firmer now. “ Forty-seven years after his suicide, Mr. Bartholomew Walker, owner of Trekellis Manor, has been proven not guilty of murder following documents discovered in a secret compartment in his study. Mr. Walker’s great niece and heiress, Miss Minerva Goodridge, spotted the hiding place after a painting fell off during a recent thunderstorm. Surprised at her find, she shared the revelations with Lord Gideon Drake, 8th Earl of Rothdale, at present staying at Eaton Hall.”
    Her laughter echoed through the parlor. “You rascal. A clever way of omitting your part in the discovery. But why did you not claim it?”
    Gideon shook his head. “No, love. It’s your manor, your ancestor’s papers. You’re the one who solved the puzzle.”
    The corners of her mouth quirked. “ The papers revealed the truth about the mysterious night Mrs. Henrietta Walker disappeared. When her shawl was found on a beach near Trekellis Manor, authorities immediately suspected her husband’s involvement. Known locally as a harsh man, Mr. Walker was questioned repeatedly before the case was heard at Truro Crown Court. Dismissed after lack of evidence–no body had ever been discovered–Walker later took his own life after a night spent drinking.
    “Now the Royal Cornwall Gazette can reveal that Mrs. Walker was, in fact, alive. She left her husband after an attack on her person, fearing for her life, and found shelter with a widower she knew prior to her marriage, Lord Rufus Drake, 6th Earl of Rothdale. Most likely, so the current earl suggests, Mrs. Walker was hiding at the family’s country estate in Kent while he remained in London. Only several months after Mr. Walker’s suicide did Lord Rufus Drake apply for a special marriage license, and the happy couple moved to France to avoid a scandal.
    “Having presented the evidence to local police, Lord Gideon Drake has been assured Mr. Bartholomew Walker’s name would be cleared, much to the relief of Miss Goodridge who intends to reside permanently at Trekellis Manor following her upcoming marriage to Lord Drake. Thus, the mystery at Trekellis has finally been resolved, and the manor will return to its former glory as home to the Earl and Countess of Rothdale. ”
    Minnie folded the paper and met his gaze, wide eyed. “Thank you.” Her voice shook.