Page 46 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
Harriett’s smile widened. “Did I hear William mention that your grandmothers are with you? They must join us for jaunts into town—for fabrics, furnishings, and everything in between. We’ll have a marvelous time.” She reached for Bella’s hand again, giving it an encouraging squeeze. “Tell me you’ll say yes.”
Despite her initial hesitation, Bella found herself smiling. “Of course. I’ll let my grandmothers know you’ve arrived—I’m certain they’ll be eager to meet you.”
William’s expression turned grave. “I had planned to speak with both of you later, but circumstances forced us back sooner than expected. Bella nearly stepped on an animal trap—we found two. If not for her horse stopping her, she would have walked straight into one of them.”
Bella felt a shiver run through her, the memory still too fresh. She had been so close to disaster.
Harriett gasped, her hand flying to her chest. “Oh my God! Those traps… They were everywhere.”
Bella saw the flicker of fear return to the older woman’s eyes, a reminder of what she had endured in this house.
William nodded grimly. “We found several when we first arrived, and I had my men scour the grounds. We thought we had removed them all—but we were wrong.”
Harriett’s expression darkened. “There were hundreds. Hidden in the weeds, among the trees—there was no escape. That was my life here.” She swallowed hard, then looked at Bella. “What happened?”
If his cousin had traps set around his property, then William had been wrong about his assumption that his cousin would not be cruel to animals. He supposed his cousin’s fear of losing Harriett outweighed his consideration for animals if the man would install traps everywhere—but he felt no need to mention it right now. Harriett was upset enough just revisiting the memory.
“Bella and I were riding when Winterborne—her father’s horse—stopped abruptly,” he explained. “At first, we weren’t sure what was happening, but he kept pulling her back. That’s when we saw it—the trap, half buried in the underbrush.” He paused, glancing at Bella before turning to Lucas. “And that’s when I realized we might be looking at her father’s death all wrong.”
Lucas’s brows drew together. “Lord Miles Bridgewater…” He turned to Bella. “I’m very sorry for your loss, Lady Connolly. Your father was a good man. He had strong ideas and was always thinking of others. We still miss him in Parliament.”
Bella blinked back the sudden sting of tears and gave him a small nod. “Thank you,” she said, swiping at the ones that had slipped free.
Lucas turned back to William. “Tell me more about Winterborne and the trap.”
William recounted everything—the trap, the horse’s reaction, the glass shards hidden beneath the saddle, and how it had been missing from the stable after the accident. Bella added how much Winterborne had meant to her father, explaining that he was not a horse easily spooked and that her father was an experienced horseman.
“By the time the grooms reached him, they assumed he’d been thrown and struck his head on a rock,” William said. “But if someone tampered with the saddle, and they thought the accident had been accepted as fact—and the saddle lost or destroyed—they wouldn’t have pursued it further.”
Lucas’s expression hardened. “I agree. While we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, this warrants a discreet investigation.”
A knock at the door interrupted them. Franklin stepped inside and gave a slight bow. “My lord, the horses are settled and will be ready whenever needed.”
“Good,” William said. “I’ll need your help organizing the footmen for another search of the estate. Harlow is aware of the situation and will assist. I want every square inch of the grounds checked for those traps. The duchess mentioned that, during her time here, hundreds were set—she was effectively held hostage in the house.”
Franklin’s jaw tightened. “I’ll see to it immediately, my lord.”
Lucas stepped forward. “I’ll help with the search. I may be a guest, but just thinking about how my wife was treated here makes my blood boil.”
Bella swallowed hard, trying to push past the tightness in her throat. “If one of the traps had sprung on Winterborne, it could have shattered his leg…” Her voice faltered, the weight of the near disaster pressing down on her.
“While the men handle the search, why don’t we go over some ideas for the house, Bella?” Harriett suggested.
Bella nodded, grateful for the distraction. “I’d like that.”
But as she followed Harriett from the room, one thought lingered in her mind—if her father’s death hadn’t been an accident, then someone had wanted him dead.
And that meant whoever was responsible might still be out there.
~*~
Chapter Seventeen
“Albert gathered everything we’ll need for our treasure hunt, Master Michael,” Stephen said, lifting a sturdy basket filled with various tools. Inside, a leather water skin, a few apples, and a wedge of cheese nestled among the supplies—just in case the boy grew hungry.
“Thank you, Lord Bridgewater,” Michael said eagerly. “Can Lacey come with us?”
“Of course. Lacey will enjoy herself,” Stephen assured him.
