Free Never Turn Away (Kellington Book Six) by Maureen Driscoll Page A

to speak to you about the menu.”
    “Of course.  If you will excuse me, Inspector.”
    To her surprise, her legs were able to carry her out
of the room.
    *                    *                    *
    Joseph took the opportunity to question her butler. 
“Thompson, what is this I hear about threats to Lady Evelyn’s safety?”
    “Threats, Inspector?”
    “Mr. Keegan said you and the staff had concerns you
were keeping from her.  Something to do with possible threats from the mining
concerns.”
    “Ahh, threats,” said Thompson, who considered the
matter.  “There has been nothing overt, though I did not like the men from the
mining company.  Two of them met with Lady Evelyn for tea.  She listened
politely, refused all offers, then sent them on their way.”
    “They did not persist in contacting her?”
    “No, sir.  But I do not believe that was their
strategy.  While the gentlemen were speaking to Lady Evelyn in here, Mrs.
Thompson was having a different conversation with their servants in the kitchen
as Cook plied them with tea and scones.  According to them, the gentlemen were
expecting Lady Evelyn to say no.  They were only here to look at the land. 
They believed the earl would soon be the one who could sell it to them.”
    “If Lady Evelyn did not marry.”
    “I do not believe they knew about that part.  I
doubt the earl would have told them family matters, bastard that he is.”  Then
Thompson remembered himself.  “Excuse my frank speech, Inspector.  I was
carried away.”
    “Do not worry.  I have not met the man, but when I
do I am quite certain I will have the overwhelming urge to plant him a facer.”
    “I hope you follow that urge.”
    “Do you believe she is in danger right now?  The
Keegans felt my presence here was necessary to protect her.”
    “If that is what the Keegans think, I would not
gainsay them.”
    “But is it true?”
    “A woman alone needs protection, Inspector.  No
matter how much Lady Evelyn would beg to differ.”
    The lady herself chose that moment to return.  “May
I show you to your bedchamber, Inspector?”
    “Thank you, Lady Evelyn.  And thank you Thompson.” 
He was heartened to know that Evelyn’s staff was protective of her.  They’d
employed the same means to get information from the mining men as he often did
in London.  Servants usually proved to be an invaluable source of information.
    It was an intimate experience to climb the stairs
beside Evelyn.  This was her home and he was being admitted to the family
quarters.  He was seeing a side of her most people didn’t.  The house was clean
and smelled of lemon and beeswax.  It was not overtly female, though there were
several plants scattered throughout the house.  Perhaps he should get one or
two for his own home.
    “You’ll be staying in the starlight suite,” said
Evelyn, as she opened a set of double doors and entered the bedchamber. 
    It was an elegant room, furnished with accents of dark
green.   There was a chaise lounge near the fireplace, as well as an overstuffed
chair.  His toiletries had already been laid out on a cherry wood dresser and his
clothes were hanging in the adjoining dressing room. 
    “Why is it called the starlight suite?”
    “My father loved to study the heavens.  The large
French doors open up onto a balcony that extends all the way along the house.” 
She opened the doors to show him.  Cold air greeted them both.  “Papa would
bring his telescope out here and we would make discoveries in the heavens.  We
even named a few stars.  Not officially, of course.  But I believe our names
were much better than the ones the astronomers chose.  I named one for Papa. 
And one for my first pony and one for my imaginary friend.  On summer nights, I
would sometimes sleep out here, lying on my back, watching the stars.”
    It was a moment of beauty, to think of the young
girl and her father admiring the heavens.