Page 65 of Grave Expectations
I could no longer sit at Lichfield waiting for Lincoln to succeed. I could no longer pretend that I was safe here. Not only was I a sitting duck, I was reinforcing the committee's belief that I was useless and a hindrance to Lincoln. If I wanted to be neither of those, then I had todosomething. I only hoped he agreed with my point of view…eventually.
Merry Drinkwater'ssister lived with her husband in Acton, in a modern red brick house with a small front garden behind an iron picket fence. Seth stepped out of the coach and held his hand out for me, the way a well-bred gentleman would for his sister.
"I still don't see whyIcouldn't be your brother," Gus muttered from the coachman's seat.
"Because someone needs to be the servant," Seth said.
"But why me? Why not you?"
Seth tugged on his cuff and beamed to show off his perfect teeth. "Do I look like a servant to you?"
Gus narrowed his eyes. "After I get a few good punches in, you will."
"See! That's what I mean. Charlie's brother wouldn't threaten violence to get his way."
"You're a pompous prig."
"And you're an idiot." Seth offered me his arm. "Come, sis, before the help gets ideas above his station. And before you're seen by any murderers."
"You shouldn't tease him," I said as he opened the gate for me.
"Do you honestly think he would have done a serviceable job as your brother?"
"Perhaps."
He snorted. "Only if he pretended to be a mute." He struck the door with the knocker.
It was opened by a housemaid.
"Good afternoon," Seth said, turning on his most charming smile.
The maid bobbed a curtsy, dipping her head but not quite hiding her blush. It never ceased to amaze me how quickly women fell under his spell. "Good afternoon, sir."
"My name is Seth Guilford and this is my sister, Charlotte. Is Mrs. Southey at home? We'd like to speak to her about her sister."
"I'll see." She opened the door wider to allow us into the entrance hall then disappeared into an adjoining room. She emerged a moment later. "Mrs. Southey is available to see you now."
She took our coats and hats and led the way into what turned out to be a modest sized parlor with floral wallpaper, sofa and curtains. There were flowers everywhere, as if spring had bloomed early and vigorously all over the furnishings. A younger but plainer version of Mrs. Drinkwater greeted us with an inquisitive raise of her brows.
"You're friends of my sister's?" she asked, once again taking a seat.
"Acquaintances," I said. Seth and I had decided that I would do most of the talking to put her at ease. He would only speak if that wasn't working and his charms were required instead. "In fact, we're looking for her. She doesn't appear to be at home. Do you know where we can find her?"
"I'm afraid not, but do you know, you're the second person to ask that question in two days?"
"Indeed?"
"A fellow came by yesterday. Rather wild looking man, and not at all friendly. I didn't let him in."
Lincoln. "Perhaps he was a policeman who wanted to update Mrs. Drinkwater on the investigation into poor Mr. Drinkwater's death."
"If he was, he ought to have declared himself. Not that it would have mattered. I didn't know where to find Merry, and I still don't. She told me she needed to spend a few days in peace, but wouldn't tell me where." A small crease connected her brows. "I do hope she's all right."
I exchanged a worried glance with Seth.
"What is it?" Mrs. Southey touched the high ruffled collar at her throat. "Is she in danger?" She gasped. "Do you think Reggie's murderer is after her now? My lord, I just thought of something. What if that man who came yesterday is the murderer? I knew he was no good from the moment I set eyes on him. Too dark, too…foreign looking. Those eyes." She affected a shiver.
I clenched my teeth and forced out a sympathetic, "There, there. Don't fret. That's why my brother and I are here, to warn her. You see, my brother is a scientist and friend to Mr. Drinkwater."
