Poppy declined coming down to the parlor for tea. Even though she was technically a servant, and in any other household she would never be included in such a situation, she had long ago become more a part of the family. Penelope and Sarah’s father had grown accustomed to Poppy being around for practically everything, but today Poppy was going to have tea with the servants—since that’s where she would find Reggie and Jimmy, and she wanted to be with her fiancé. She had her own announcement to make, and Sarah felt the division between them growing wider as the paths of their futures were falling into place. Well, at least Poppy’s future was clear. Sarah knew she and Darius would always be together, but the details of her life remained vague and uncertain.
Sharing tea with Darius and her aunt was mildly awkward at first when she still felt so disoriented. But Darius quickly eased the tension by speaking comfortably with Penelope and telling her a version of their misadventures that deviated only slightly from the truth. Penelope had been involved with hiring Darius to protect Sarah, and therefore knew they had been hiding somewhere all this time. She was interested in hearing the details and was amused that the friends they had been staying with turned out to be Darius’s parents.
Penelope became overwhelmed by one of her tearful outbursts as she spoke of the household receiving the news that Evans had been killed, and how she had not only been saddened and horrified by his death but had become even more concerned for Sarah’s safety. But Halford had assured her that he was in communication with people who knew of the whereabouts of Sarah and Poppy and their protector and that all was well. She spoke tearfully of the funeral service and burial of the man who’d given his life for Sarah. He’d had no family, but he’d had many dear friends here at Courtenay and in the nearby village, and the service had been well attended.
Sarah found it difficult to eat any of the delicious little sandwiches and cakes that had been served with tea while Penelope talked about Evans’s death until she realized that eating gave her a good reason not to speak. Since she had no idea what to say, she preferred keeping her mouth full. She marveled at how well Darius had learned to read her thoughts and feelings when he filled in the silence by telling Penelope how upset Sarah had been over Evans’s death, and how losing him had made the danger readily evident. Penelope dabbed at new tears to hear this, and to hear how difficult the situation had been on them—both emotionally and physically, since Darius had told her about their trek on horseback through the woods and having to sleep on the ground. But Sarah noticed that he hadn’t mentioned anything about the armed intruder who had shot him in the leg and stolen the sword. He had told Sarah earlier to follow his lead on how much information they shared with others, and she was more than glad to do so. Her own mind felt heavy and disoriented; she was only too happy to know that Darius would effectively handle the situation in the best possible way.
Over the next few days, Sarah was amazed—although she realized she shouldn’t have been—at how easily Darius seemed to feel completely at home at Castle Courtenay. He was kind and respectful to the servants, and quickly acquainted himself with most of them by wandering around and chatting with people while they were doing their work, and he usually pitched in to help. Sarah often accompanied him, mostly because she just wanted to be with him, and partly because she felt safer in his presence. At first, she was convinced that his efforts in talking with each and every person who lived and worked here was for the sake of solving their ongoing problem—and she knew that was part of it—but she quickly began to see his genuine interest in others.
In honoring her position as the heir of Courtenay, Sarah met with those who were employed to oversee the household and the estate to be assured of the condition and circumstances of all that had taken place in her absence. Darius joined her for those meetings, but he didn’t utter a word, as if he were letting her know by his silence that he had complete confidence in her being able to handle her responsibilities without any assistance from him. Sarah was grateful for the times she had lingered in her father’s study when he’d been having such meetings, which gave her some idea now of what she should expect of those who were in her employment and earning a generous wage to see that everything was cared for according to the expectations of the late Oswald Courtenay—and which she insisted must remain the standard of care for the estate and the people living there.
Sarah was glad to have those meetings over with, and to be comfortably reassured that everything was in order. Her father had done well in choosing the people he hired, and she felt confident they were still doing their jobs according to her father’s wishes because they had respected him a great deal.
When they were finished with the final appointment, Sarah turned to Darius and said, “You see? They didn’t need me at all. Everything here runs perfectly without my presence.”
“Perhaps,” he said, “but that doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t be here. Things are always subject to change, and someone has to be certain that those changes don’t allow anything important to become overlooked.”
“Are you saying I should stay?”
“You know how I feel about that; the decision has to be yours.”
“Do you want to live your life here?”
“I would manage,” he said with a smile. “It’s a beautiful place to raise a family.”
“No more beautiful than your parents’ home; it’s a different kind of beauty.”
“That’s true, with different benefits on either hand.”
“I miss your parents, Darius.”
“I miss them too,” he admitted.
“I think our children should have their grandparents in their lives every day, not just for an occasional visit.”
“Perhaps we could convince them to come and live here,” he said and smiled more broadly as he waved his arm to indicate the enormity of the home in which they were sitting. “There’s plenty of space.”
“Yes,” she laughed softly, “we’re not short of space, but . . . I can’t imagine them wanting to give up the life they live; it’s practically idyllic.”
“I think we should let them decide. I believe that being a part of our lives—and our children’s lives—might hold more sway than you think. My siblings don’t share the closeness with them that I do. It’s not that anything is wrong; they’re just not as compatible. My parents could never be happy uprooting their lives to go and live with either of them. But we’ve always been close, and I know they love you dearly; I believe they’d do just about anything to be a part of our lives.”
“Really?” Sarah asked, hope mingling with her surprise. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Perhaps that was the answer; she was torn over the fact that staying at Courtenay would separate them from Darius’s parents, but perhaps this could solve that problem. Still, there was a more pressing issue standing in the way, and despite her dwindling hope that it would ever be solved, she couldn’t shake the instinct that it had to be made right before she could peacefully move forward with her life.
On the third day of sharing meals with Darius and her aunt, Sarah realized that he and Penelope were getting along so well that it had become almost entertaining. Penelope loved hearing the stories of what she called his adventures, and he could easily make her laugh—which was refreshing in contrast to her general tendency to cry over every little thing. Sarah could see clear evidence that Darius had meant it when he’d said that he would stay with her wherever she chose to live. Darius was obviously adaptable, and she believed he could be happy here if she was, but she could only be happy here if she felt completely safe, and that would never happen until the mystery was solved and the person—or people—responsible for all of this death and danger were brought to justice.
Poppy understandably wanted to be with Reggie as much as possible, and she had continued taking her meals with the staff so that she could eat with Reggie and Jimmy, who were always on subtle but high alert regarding anything that might be construed as dangerous or suspicious. The only time Sarah and Poppy were seeing each other was first thing in the morning and before bed to help each other with hair and buttons, when they could catch up on each other’s activities. Sarah missed being with Poppy the way she’d been accustomed for many years, but they had both tearfully discussed the possibility that perhaps this was helping them prepare to live different lives, far away from each other. Sarah knew—as Poppy did—that life was always subject to change and such separations were to be expected, especially when it came to getting married and settling down to start their own families. Still, it was difficult.
Each evening after supper Sarah enjoyed walking hand-in-hand with Darius through the magnificent gardens of Castle Courtenay. He often commented on how beautiful it was, and she began to think more and more that he could be content remaining here after their marriage.
During their walks he told her that he still had no clue who might have any culpability. He hadn’t encountered one person who came across as guilty. There were a few stable hands who were somewhat standoffish, and Sarah knew who they were, but as Darius pointed out, that didn’t make them guilty of any crimes, and without proof they had nothing to go on.
This felt deeply discouraging to Sarah, but she knew that Mr. Curtis, the solicitor, was coming to meet with them the following morning. He’d been away on behalf of a client, but word had been left with his wife that Sarah was back and wished to see him, and they’d received a message earlier that day, which let them know that Mr. Curtis would be arriving at ten the following morning. Darius held out great hope that the solicitor would be able to give them some kind of information that would be helpful, but Sarah knew that Darius also felt some anger toward Mr. Curtis. Ever since Halford had told him that Curtis was the only person he’d told where he was going prior to the horrible incident that had occurred at Darius’s home, Darius had harbored some ill will and suspicion toward Mr. Curtis. Sarah couldn’t imagine Mr. Curtis possibly intending her—or her father—any harm, although she was beginning to wonder if she had any substantive idea of whether he was truly trustworthy. She had lived under the same roof with Halford, and he’d been as close to her father as she had been to Poppy. She’d known Mr. Curtis for years—as had her father—but only through occasional visits. Her father had trusted him, but her father had been murdered. While Darius was anticipating their meeting with Mr. Curtis, hoping they might get some answers, Sarah was dreading it and could only say that she would be glad to have it over and done with. Even if he was guilty, he wasn’t going to admit it. She knew Darius was perceptive, but that didn’t mean at least one person in this household—or the solicitor—might not be very good actors.
The entire situation weighed very heavily on Sarah as she went to bed that night. Of course, it had been weighing on her ever since her father’s death had been declared a murder, but she had been safely hidden away for a long time; she’d had a comfortable distance from this place. And now she was feeling a definite desperation to find out what had happened and why, but a part of her was beginning to believe that would never happen, that the killer would go free, and she would never feel completely safe for as long as she lived.
At breakfast Darius said nothing about the meeting with Mr. Curtis and she wondered if there was a reason he didn’t want Penelope to know. Sarah had grown accustomed to doing as he’d asked and following his lead regarding what was said or not said to anyone in the house, but sometimes his precautions seemed extreme. Darius had assured her more than once that he knew Penelope was prone to worry and anxiety, and he didn’t want to tell her anything that might cause her alarm or agitate her, when that knowledge wouldn’t do her any good.
After the meal, Penelope left to attend a ladies’ luncheon with some friends at one of their homes. It was a weekly occurrence that rotated among the ladies who participated. Given the fact that Darius hadn’t told her about Mr. Curtis’s visit—just as he hadn’t told her about many other things—she thought it was best that Penelope wasn’t in the house. If Darius ended up getting angry with Mr. Curtis as she feared he might, she didn’t want Penelope getting in the middle of any kind of argument. Sarah had reminded Darius to stay calm, and he assured her he would, but no one spent more time with him than she did, and no one had heard him talk about this more than she had. She knew that for all his efforts to remain positive and protective, he had some very difficult feelings about the intrusion that had taken place at his parents’ home. The wound in his leg had surely contributed to him naturally being upset over the danger that had found its way into their safe haven.
Sarah and Darius waited in the study that had been the room where Oswald Courtenay had managed all the business of the estate. They had been in this room together a number of times the last few days as Sarah had met with those running the household and the estate, but the very thought of meeting with Mr. Curtis under the present circumstances was making her stomach smolder.
“Shouldn’t Halford be here by now?” Sarah asked, squeezing Darius’s hand too tightly—something she’d developed a habit of doing whenever she felt anxious. He often teased her about it by pretending that it hurt far more than she knew it did. His hands were large and strong, and she could always feel his strength coming through his grasp—just as she did now, sitting next to him on a small sofa near the window.
“He’s coming,” Darius said, not at all concerned. He lifted Sarah’s hand to his lips and kissed it, which reminded her to relax her grip.
She looked at him and asked, “Do you really think Mr. Curtis will know something that could help?”
“I don’t know, but I hope so.”
“And you’ll stay calm?” Sarah asked.
“Sarah, my darling,” he said, looking into her eyes, “I know you’re well aware of how difficult my feelings have been over what happened, and how desperately I want answers—as much as you do—but have you ever known me to lose my temper?”
Sarah thought about it. She recalled how angry he’d been with Halford when he’d questioned him about who might have followed him when he’d visited; but for all that he’d been upset and very firm in his questions, she could never say that he’d lost control of his temper. “No,” she finally said.
“Then why do you think I would do that today? I’m well aware that getting angry with someone is much less likely to create a situation conducive to solving any problems.”
Sarah thought about his question a long moment and was surprised with how quickly she knew the answer. “My father had a temper; he was a good man, but he shouted at me a number of times over things that were fairly insignificant. And I saw him get angry with other people. I suppose something in me just assumed that any man would do the same.” She kissed his hand. “But I was wrong. And you’re absolutely right. I should know you better than that.”
He smiled and kissed her lips. “So . . . just trust me; let me handle the situation in the way I believe is most likely to get the information we need—if he has any information to offer; he might not. But rest assured that even if I appear to have a temper, I am completely in control of my emotions and my actions.”
Sarah thought about that. “So . . . you’re going to pretend to be upset with the hope of . . . what? Scaring the truth out of him?”
“Maybe,” Darius said. “We’ll see how it goes. I’m just going to follow my instincts.”
Sarah sighed and looked away, her thoughts spinning. “I pray this works. I don’t think I can keep living like this . . . not knowing . . . wondering if we’re safe, and—”
“We’ve both been praying very hard, Sarah,” Darius reminded her. “Now we just need to do the very best we can and see what happens. We need to recognize there are many things we have no control over, and for all that we hope for a good outcome, we have to let go of our expectations, because if it doesn’t turn out the way we hope, we could go crazy.”
Sarah looked into Darius’s eyes, taking in his humble but confident countenance—and his obvious love for her. She touched his face and asked, “Where did you learn to be so wise?”
He chuckled and said, “If I am wise, the answer to that question is obvious. You have met my parents, have you not?” She laughed softly. “I have lived a blessed life, Sarah, if only to have been raised by such extraordinary people.”
“And I am blessed to have been taken into such a wonderful family,” she said.
Darius kissed her, but he pulled away quickly when the door opened and Halford entered, looking as nervous as Sarah felt. However, she didn’t feel as nervous as she had prior to hearing the things Darius had just said. She only prayed that their appointment with Curtis would be fruitful.
Halford took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs facing the sofa, which left his back toward the door. He offered no greeting but simply said, “I hope he’s not late. I want to get this over with.”
“As we all do,” Darius said. “Please try to relax and remember what we talked about.”
“What did you talk about?” Sarah asked, realizing she hadn’t been present during any such conversation.
Darius looked at her and said, “We have no reason to believe Curtis is actually guilty of doing anything wrong, but I’ve met him, and I know the type of man he is. If he has done anything wrong, I’ll be able to tell. There’s the possibility that even if he did have a part in this, he might have been threatened or coerced. We are going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s innocent until there’s evidence to the contrary.”
“Well, thank you for telling me that,” Sarah said with sarcasm. “I would have liked to know your thinking before now.”
“Sorry,” he said and clearly meant it. “I’m adjusting to having a woman in my life.”
“I forgive you,” Sarah said with a mock snideness that made Halford chuckle, but at least it eased the tension a bit. “Is there anything else about the situation you’d like to fill me in on before Mr. Curtis arrives?”
Darius thought about it. “Just that . . . often people don’t think they know anything helpful, but if you ask the right questions and get them to really concentrate, they often recall things that might seem insignificant but are actually very helpful. I’m hoping Curtis knows more than he thinks he does—whether or not he’s guilty.”
“Curtis is a good man but easily intimidated, I think,” Halford said. “He respected your father and cared for him, but he was also intimidated by him. I hope he hasn’t been intimidated by someone with evil motives, and I also hope that Darius can use his intimidation tactics to get some answers. He’s the only one who knew where I was going, but I still don’t believe he could be guilty of doing anything to hurt you or your father deliberately.” He let out a weighted sigh. “I suppose we shall see.” He glanced at the clock. “He’s late.”
“He’ll be here soon,” Darius said. “He’s a punctual man, correct?”
“Yes,” Halford said.
“And yet one can’t always predict the time it takes to ride a horse a certain distance. He’ll be here.”
Silence settled over the room until they heard a distant knocking at the front door, which actually startled Sarah, and made Darius chuckle. Halford just looked more nervous. Darius ordered him to relax, which only resulted in Halford appearing even more nervous.
A maid opened the door of the study and guided Mr. Curtis into the room before she left and closed the door behind her. They all rose to greet him, and he entered the room with nothing but confidence and pleasure in seeing them. He first greeted Sarah by kissing her hand, saying sincerely, “Oh, my dear! It is so grand to see you alive and well! You’ve been sorely missed.”
“It’s very good to see you,” Sarah said with an easy smile; she hoped her own instincts were accurate as she sensed no guilt in him whatsoever. He was a superior solicitor, but she couldn’t imagine him being sharp enough to have acting skills excellent enough to look her in the eye and appear so genuinely pleased over her being alive and well.
“Hello, Mr. Noble,” Curtis said, shaking Darius’s hand, and Sarah was startled to recall that he was known by a surname that wasn’t accurate—even though she’d heard him called such a few times since their arrival here. “I can’t thank you enough for keeping this sweet young lady safe all this time.”
“It’s been my pleasure,” Darius said.
Curtis then turned to Halford and shook his hand as well. “And it’s good to see you, my friend. I trust you are doing well.”
“Well enough,” Halford said. “We need to talk.”
Mr. Curtis’s brow creased as he glanced quickly at each of them and picked up on the serious tone in the room. “Well, I assumed as much since you asked me to come. So, let’s talk. I admit I’m anxious to hear how things have gone in your absence, and I’m hoping you have figured out something to help us find out who’s behind all this madness.”
They were all seated, Mr. Curtis taking the other comfortable chair that faced the sofa. They were all able to see each other’s faces as the difficult conversation commenced. Halford had agreed to share with Mr. Curtis what had happened at the home where Darius had been hiding Sarah and Poppy. Curtis appeared to be genuinely astonished and horrified, and he even asked, “How on earth could someone have found you?”
“That’s what we’re wondering,” Darius said, sounding angry.
“The thing is,” Halford went on, “it happened the day after I’d arrived there, and . . .” he hesitated, his nervousness increasing, which put Mr. Curtis visibly on edge, “you are the only person I talked to about my plans, and . . .”
Mr. Curtis gasped as the implication sank in. “You can’t possibly think . . .” He looked directly at Sarah, his eyes filled with sadness and astonishment. “Oh, my dear . . . I would never do anything to hurt you—or your father.” He looked at Halford, then at Darius. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? That you think I could have something to do with this?”
“We don’t know what to think,” Darius growled with a low rumble. “We have very little to go on, and at this point we all feel hesitant to believe anything or to trust anyone. It’s a miracle the damages weren’t worse. Sarah could have been killed that night—as could anyone else who was in the house.”
“And you were shot?” Curtis asked with horror, since Halford had mentioned that.
“Yes,” Darius said, still with that rumble in his voice. “And I was very lucky. If I’d been killed or permanently maimed, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to keep Sarah and Poppy safe, now would I?”
“I’m so grateful it wasn’t worse!” Curtis said emphatically. “And I can promise you I had nothing to do with this! Nothing!”
“All right,” Darius said more calmly, leaning his forearms on his thighs in order to look more intently at Mr. Curtis. “Then talk to us; help us figure out what happened and why.”
“Perhaps someone overheard us.” Halford suggested the only possible answer they’d come up with thus far.
“No!” Curtis insisted. “That’s not possible. I remember very well where we were when you told me. It was in this room, with the door and windows closed, and we were speaking softly. We were not overheard.”
“Then how?” Sarah asked. “What other possibility is there that someone would have known to follow Halford? Could it be as simple as someone knowing Halford had hired the man who was protecting me, and if Halford left here, he should be followed? It’s possible but it doesn’t seem very likely, does it?”
“No, it doesn’t,” Mr. Curtis said, his voice almost frantic as he was obviously thinking very hard. Sarah felt convinced of his innocence even before he looked up at her with the sparkle of moisture in his eyes. “Oh, my dear! If I have inadvertently done something to bring harm to you in any way, I don’t know if I can ever forgive myself.”
“If you didn’t intentionally do or say anything,” Sarah said, “then there’s nothing to forgive.”
Curtis gave her a wan smile, but his distress clearly consumed him even before Darius asked, “Is there anything you remember that could help us figure this out? Anything? Often, we observe or hear things that may seem completely benign or insignificant, but it can help put pieces together. Please think, Mr. Curtis. Is there anything? Just . . . relax and think through any interactions you’ve had where this situation was being discussed, and tell us if you recall anything . . . unusual, even if it didn’t seem to be at the time.”
They all remained completely quiet while minutes ticked away on the clock and Mr. Curtis kept his eyes closed as if he were mentally reviewing a great deal of information. He shifted in his seat a few times and sighed loudly every minute or so. His eyes finally came open and glanced over each person in the room, but they settled on Sarah before he said, “There is only one thing I can think of, but . . . I’m sure it’s nothing. I wish I could be more helpful.”
“Just tell us what it is,” Darius said, “and let me decide if it’s helpful.”
“Well,” Curtis drawled, still directing his attention to Sarah, “the only person I spoke to about this was in the room when we all met together before you left here with Mr. Noble. Your aunt was concerned about your safety, and I know Mr. Halford kept her updated on the letters he was receiving by way of a mutual friend that let him know you were all right. But I can’t exactly recall where we were when I mentioned to her about Halford’s intention to check on you while he was away. We could have been overheard; I’m not certain.” He blew out a long breath of frustration. “I wish I could be more helpful; I truly do.”
“Yes, I know,” Sarah said kindly.
Mr. Curtis asked if he should speak with the police again and get them involved with this investigation—given that more crimes had been committed. Darius insisted that he didn’t want the police involved; he believed they would only complicate the situation and wouldn’t likely be able to figure out anything they didn’t already know. He confided in Mr. Curtis that his intention was to continue to give the impression throughout the household that they had given up on trying to find the culprit, and his presence here was simply due to his being Sarah’s fiancé.
“You’re engaged?” Curtis asked, and Sarah realized that fact hadn’t come up in the conversation. Before either of them could answer, he added, “Is that just . . . a ruse to explain your presence here, or—”
“No, it’s real,” Darius said, taking hold of Sarah’s hand for the first time since Mr. Curtis had arrived. His relaxed tone let Sarah know that Darius believed the solicitor was telling the truth. He had to be at least as discouraged as she was over the lack of information Curtis had offered, but he sounded nothing but delighted as he said, “As difficult as all of this has been, I’ve been blessed to have found the love of my life.”
“As have I,” Sarah said, smiling at Darius.
“Oh, that’s wonderful news!” Mr. Curtis said. “And you’ll stay here, of course?”
Sarah felt comfortable admitting, “I’m not certain yet, to be truthful. I’m still trying to decide what’s best.”
They talked with Mr. Curtis about the positive and negative aspects of the options of where and how Sarah and Darius might go forward with their lives. The solicitor offered some professional information that Sarah found helpful regarding her responsibilities, and also her rights as an heiress.
When Mr. Curtis was leaving, Darius thanked him for his time and the information he’d offered. Sarah was a little surprised, since she couldn’t recall him saying anything helpful at all. But the moment Mr. Curtis had left the house and Halford had gone upstairs, Darius said quietly to her, “We need to speak with your aunt, right away.”
“Why?” Sarah asked. “You can’t possibly think that—”
“One piece of information leads to another, Sarah,” he said with such intensity that she felt truly afraid for the first time since they’d arrived. While she was trying to convince herself that her fears were exaggerated, Darius added even more quietly, “And we need to increase our vigilance regarding your safety.”
“Why?” she asked again in a squeaky whisper.
“Because I sincerely believe you are in far more danger here than I had anticipated.” Sarah didn’t speak as Darius looked in both directions down the hallway as if he expected a villain to jump out and kill them both at any moment. He looked directly at her and added, “Except when you are in your room with the usual precautions in place, I am not leaving you alone. And yes, that means you cannot leave your room until I come there in the morning to escort you to breakfast, and I will escort you back to your room before bed.”
Sarah felt too stunned to speak. He’d picked up on something Mr. Curtis had said, and she had no idea what it was. And she didn’t know how to ask, or even if she wanted to know. She trusted Darius implicitly; she had right from the start. She wasn’t going to start questioning his motives now. Or his instincts. But she dreaded speaking with Penelope even more than she had dreaded Mr. Curtis’s visit. It would surely be nothing but a great deal of crying on her aunt’s part, which would get them nowhere. More and more she believed they were simply never going to find out who was responsible for her father’s death, and that of Evans. Perhaps she just needed to resign herself to that fact, learn how to remain alert enough to be safe, and get on with her life.