I have a bad temper. Goes with the red hair. I took Baby home to keep an eye on Asa. She was still sleeping. Good. It was time to have a showdown with Lady Elsmere, so I sped back up to the Big House, my second visit today.
Lady Elsmere was holed up in her bedroom like some pasha. We had a lengthy and somewhat testy discussion before I yelled, “So that’s just it! You’re giving up looking for Last Chance? And what about poor Juan? Find out who took the colt and you’ll likely find his killer.”
She put her tea cup down on her pink satin bedspread. “I realize that, Josiah. I can’t sleep nights thinking about Juan’s wife and family. It’s just that we don’t know where to look. We’ve run out of leads,” she said this barely looking me in the eye. “I can tell you’re angry.”
“You think? I didn’t want to get Asa involved and against my better judgment, I called her. Now look what’s happened. She ended up in the hospital, and she might go to jail over this horse.”
“I know. I know. I feel terrible, but I didn’t know she would be injured and might be prosecuted.”
“I’m just glad they don’t hang horse thieves anymore. You got her into this mess, June. Now you get her out,” I demanded.
Lady Elsmere’s eyes glistened with tears.
Oh, no. Lady Elsmere’s ultimate weapon. “June, don’t you dare cry. I mean it.”
“Josiah, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for all this to happen. A stolen horse, a dead employee, my farm in jeopardy, and Asa hurt. I know it’s my fault.”
I went through a dresser and found several handkerchiefs. I gave Lady Elsmere one decorated with hollyhock leaves and berries. It was a handkerchief I had embroidered for Lady Elsmere years ago. “Can’t you pay that leech off and make this go away?”
“My lawyers are working on it. They’ve been in constant contact with Kilkorn. I’m doing all I can. Let’s change the subject please. How is Asa?”
“Fair to middling. She won’t be participating in any dance marathons for a while.”
“I’ll go to the hospital today and visit. I’ll make arrangements for all her medical bills.”
“You do that,” I said curtly. No, I wasn’t going to tell Lady Elsmere that Asa was sleeping next door. Let the old woman experience a little anxiety for a change. Yes, I know it was mean, but I didn’t care.
I left in a huff, leaving Lady Elsmere in a crying jag of tears, calling after me.
I shouldn’t have left like that, but I was determined to discover who took the colt, so we could find who killed Juan Gomez. I was too busy on the hunt for clues, so it would be sometime later when I felt the pangs of remorse.