part0021

H ainsley Hall sat in a well-cared for park within only a few minutes of the village. Before setting out on their expedition, Evie had asked Bicky for directions, although she had silently prayed she could avoid a confrontation with Lady Wainscot.

“Are we likely to encounter a problem?” Tom asked as he drove through the gated entrance.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I have come to understand the landed gentry don’t really appreciate unexpected visitors landing on their doorstep.”

“Nonsense. Everyone is welcoming. ”

“Really? Last night Charles and Matthew talked at length about Miss Wainscot’s unexpected visit and the trouble you and Lady Charlotte went to in order to encourage Miss Wainscot’s exit.”

Evie waved her hand. “There are exceptions and that happened to be one of them. We knew Miss Wainscot had been sent to snoop around.”

“And now you’re going to return the favor.”

Evie waited for Tom to come around her side and open the door before saying, “I am here to call on Lady Wainscot and inquire after her health as well as her daughter’s. I’m sure she’ll understand my concerns.”

“You’re not worried she’ll accuse you of trying to permanently disfigure her daughter?”

Hard to say what Lady Wainscot would do, Evie thought. “I’m sure she’ll be reasonable and understand I had nothing to do with her daughter’s misfortune.” Only if she employed the right tactic, Evie thought. The situation would call for extreme caution and delicacy.

Evie emerged from the car and stood toe to toe with him. “Could you please be a little more supportive and positive. We might be able to help her.”

“Really? How so?”

Evie gave an impatient shrug. “Miss Wainscot left the Salon in perfect health. Either she stumbled into a poisonous shrub or someone tampered with the beauty therapy product. A few discreet questions might help us get to the bottom of this.” And then, Evie thought, they could be free to focus on other matters such as her own wellbeing as well as Bicky’s.

The butler announced them as, “The Countess of Woodridge and Mr. Winchester.”

They entered the drawing room and found several people turning toward them, their eyes brimming with curiosity. Not one of them appeared to express any personal opinions. With any luck, Evie thought, they would only need to tackle one obstacle. She only hoped it didn’t prove to be insurmountable.

“Lady Woodridge,” Lady Wainscot clipped out. Dressed in severe black, she sat on a high-backed chair holding court over her guests whose attention swept toward her with such swiftness, Evie knew they didn’t wish to miss any part of the exchange.

Time to bring out the rabbit from its hat, Evie thought. “Lady Wainscot. I have come to convey the Duke’s well wishes for your daughter’s speedy recovery. We were shocked to hear she had been taken ill.”

Evie didn’t know any of the half dozen or so people gathered in the drawing room so she couldn’t vouch for their discretion. She didn’t even dare to assume they would remain loyal to Lady Wainscot and keep everything they heard to themselves. In fact, she suspected they would use everything they heard to their advantage, stoking the fires for their own amusement and helping to spread the news about the encounter as a way of strengthening the animosity created by her ladyship’s remarks.

She had no doubt Lady Wainscot had been the instigator of much of the gossip that had been making the rounds of the county. Under normal circumstances, Evie would have continued to keep her distance. The fact she had deemed it necessary to set foot inside Lady Wainscot’s house spoke of desperation.

“The Duke knows of my daughter’s illness?” Lady Wainscot asked. She appeared to have momentarily put aside her misgivings, her eyes brightening with interest. “And he has expressed his concern?”

“Yes, indeed.” Evie smiled. “In fact, he is not the only one who expressed his concerns.” Evie didn’t normally employ underhanded tactics, but the current state of affairs called for them. “Viscount Maison took the news badly. I’m not sure if you know this, but he is the Earl of Braithwaite’s heir.”

Lady Wainscot gave a vigorous nod.

“Also, Mr. Mark Harper wanted to extend his best wishes for a speedy recovery.”

A murmur swept across the drawing room.

“Mr. Harper, heir to his cousin, the Earl of Chatterlain?” Lady Wainscot asked.

Evie gave her a timid smile. “Yes, indeed. You know of him?” Evie would bet anything Lady Wainscot had memorized all the large estates of the area as well as the ones bordering Yorkshire and even beyond. She would also bet Lady Wainscot knew everyone’s title and who stood in the line of succession, ready to take their place. In fact, she had no doubt Lady Wainscot kept an up to date copy of Burke’s Landed Gentry on her bedside table or perhaps under her pillow, as well as the essential Debrett’s…

Before Lady Wainscot could recover from the surprise of two such suitable candidates inquiring after her daughter, Evie said, “I understand Miss Wainscot took ill soon after her beauty treatment.”

Lady Wainscot’s eyebrows drew downward. “Soon after, yes.”

It relieved her to realize the Dowager Duchess had been exaggerating. Lady Wainscot could not possible hold Evie responsible. Otherwise, she would have shown her the door. Either that or Lady Wainscot had managed to work off some of her unjustified anger toward Evie.

“And how is she now?”

Lady Wainscot dabbed the corner of her eye with her lace handkerchief. “In recovery but she may never be the same again. With all due respect, Lady Woodridge, you cannot know the pain I feel…” Lady Wainscot pressed her hand to her chest, “Seeing my eldest child denied the opportunity to shine during her season.”

Her season? At twenty-five, Evie estimated this would be Miss Wainscot’s fifth attempt to attract a suitable husband.

“I wonder… Would it be possible to speak with Miss Wainscot? As I said, the gentlemen were greatly concerned about her wellbeing.” Evie smiled. “It might cheer her up to hear me say so.” After casting the lure, Evie felt a twinge of guilt. Needs must, she thought.

Lady Wainscot took a second to think about it. Evie suspected she used the time to contain her bubbling excitement.

Two gentlemen concerned about her daughter’s welfare. What could be better?

With a nod from her, the butler moved and gestured to the door. “If you would please follow me, My Lady.”

Tom strode out with her but remained by the staircase.

Hainsley Hall appeared to have been built as a homage to larger estates. It had all the comforts of a large country manor, albeit on a more modest scale. The Wainscot ancestors all peered down at Evie as she made her way up the stairs. They reached the landing and then strode past a couple of suits of armor standing guard over the family’s private rooms.

The butler opened a door and stepped aside. Despite it being the middle of the afternoon, the room remained in darkness with only a sliver of light daring to infiltrate the gloom.

A light moan guided Evie toward the four-poster bed. As Evie’s eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw Miss Wainscot lying on the bed, her face covered with a veil.

“Wilfred? Is that you?” Clarissa Wainscot asked, her voice lacking the vibrancy of the day before.

“Yes, Miss Clarissa. You have a visitor,” the butler said.

“Wilfred, you know I’m in no fit state to receive visitors.”

Before the butler could speak, Evie said in a soft murmur, “It’s Lady Woodridge. I have come to see if there is anything I can do for you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Miss Clarissa said, “Thank you, Wilfred. That will be all.”

“Very well, Miss Clarissa.”

Evie waited for the butler to withdraw before saying, “How are you feeling?”

Miss Clarissa made a choking sound. “My life is ruined. I am disfigured.”

“News about your illness has caused great distress at Yarborough Manor. Everyone is concerned about your wellbeing.”

“Really?” the news seemed to brighten Miss Clarissa.

“Yes. Viscount Maison and Mr. Harper were particularly concerned about you. ”

Miss Clarissa made an effort to sit up. “The doctor assures me I will recover within a few days.”

Evie barely managed to hide her relief. “Our prayers have been answered. We have all been hoping for a speedy recovery.”

Miss Clarissa could not have sounded more surprised. “You have?”

“Yes, of course.”

“How kind of you to say so. I had no idea I had made such an impression on Viscount Maison or Mr. Harper.” The veil slipped away from her face revealing red blotches on her cheeks, chin and forehead. Miss Clarissa gasped and adjusted the veil back in place. “You must think me a monster.”

“Nonsense.” Evie edged closer to the bed. “Does it hurt?”

“Not at all,” Miss Clarissa assured her. “I’m afraid my eyes are puffy. Until this morning, I thought I would die.”

Evie patted her hand. “I spoke with Anna at Marceline’s Salon de Beaute. She assured me you were quite content with the treatment.”

Miss Clarissa gave a small nod.

“What happened?”

“Soon after I arrived home, I felt sleepy so I took a nap.”

Evie remembered she had felt the same way after her treatment and had been told it had been the result of the relaxing therapy .

“When I woke up, my face felt itchy and sore.”

“How dreadful,” Evie exclaimed.

“I could barely breathe.”

Evie thought she must have panicked and been beside herself with fear. “Did you happen to apply any of the cream you purchased?”

“No. I’d only just had the treatment so there was no need for it.”

Perhaps the cream used for the treatment had been slow to take effect. Or…

“Do you still have the cream you purchased?” Evie asked.

Miss Clarissa nodded. “I set it down… somewhere.”

“Do you mind if I look around for it?”

“Not at all, but… why do you want to see it?”

“Curiosity.” Evie strolled around the room and stopped by the dresser where the brushes and several small pots were organized in neat rows. She held a pot up and asked, “Is this is?”

“I can’t see very well from here, but it looks like it.”

Evie went to stand by the window and shifted the thick velvet curtain enough to be able to read the label on the pot. Nodding, she said, “Yes, this is it.” She twisted off the cap and peered inside. An indentation in the cream suggested some of it had been used. Evie smelled it. If someone had contaminated it with something toxic, it had not affected the light flowery fragrance. Only one way to know for sure, she thought and dabbed some on her hand. “You say you didn’t use it at all.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Well?” he asked.

Evie looked toward the drawing room. She knew she should take her leave and thank Lady Wainscot for allowing her to see her daughter but, in all honesty, she simply didn’t have the energy or patience to tackle that particular mountain.

Good sense won out and, scooping in a breath, she strode back into the drawing room to thank Lady Wainscot and report that the news had been well received and Miss Wainscot had cheered up considerably.

With a nod to the butler, Evie nudged Tom and they strode out. Outside, she gazed across at the garden. She hadn’t noticed a young girl in the drawing room. She assumed Miss Clarissa’s sister would be younger than twenty-five…

“Let’s take a stroll around,” she suggested.

“You’re being mysterious,” Tom said.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to be.” Evie told him about her visit with Miss Clarissa.

“She went to sleep and then woke up with a rash?” Tom asked.

“That’s right. And the cream she had purchased at Marceline’s Salon de Beaute had been opened.” Evie stopped and held up her hand.

“What am I looking at?”

“I dabbed some on. If there had been something toxic in the cream, my skin would have reacted to it. Look. It’s perfectly fine.”

“Maybe the cream contains a substance you’re not allergic to,” Tom suggested.

True. Miss Wainscot’s rash had looked severe. However, Evie knew for a fact the cream only contained a basic herb. “What if someone else introduced a toxic substance? The container had been opened but Miss Wainscot said she hadn’t used any. She went to sleep and then woke up with a rash.”

“I guess you’re now suggesting someone applied the cream after she fell asleep.”

Evie nodded. “It is a possibility and the only one I can think of. They must have mixed something toxic into the cream. Perhaps they used something else to mix it in. Something easily obtainable.” They strode toward a walled garden. Easing the gate open, they saw a small wilderness area. “Let’s take a look around.”

“Who and why?” Tom murmured.

After they circled around the garden a couple of times, Evie was about to suggest taking a walk outside the walled garden when she pointed to the far corner where a large majestic oak stood surrounded by bushes.

The path narrowed and the bushes appeared to be growing out of control. A wheelbarrow, rake and gardening implements had been left by the tree suggesting someone might be in the process of working in the area.

Evie stopped at the edge. “I think this is as far as I go. You have trousers.”

“Well, go on,” Evie urged.

He gave her a blank look.

Evie gestured with her hand toward the large tree.

“You want me to trudge through the bushes in search of what?”

“Something toxic.” Evie stood on her toes. “There. I see something right up against the wall and well away from the path.”

Tom made his way to it. She watched him inspect the plant, look toward her and then back at the plant. A moment later, he returned.

“Stinging nettle,” he said.

Evie’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s it. It has to be. Did you see if any of it had been cut off?”

Hearing the crunch of footsteps along the pebbled path, Evie turned. A young woman strode along the path and appeared to be headed toward a bench. When she saw Evie, she hesitated. Then, she turned and hurried away.