Page 72 of The Wise Daughter
“I don’t want to see my friend’s heart broken. You have no fear of him breaking yours. You’re a very fortunate woman.”
“Yes, thank you.” Nora was becoming rather uncomfortable with this line of conversation, but it did embolden her to broach the subject of the conversation she had overheard. “Ruthers, what were you and Mr. Carver discussing earlier? Has a foal been stolen?”
Ruthers gave her an appraising look before lowering his voice. “Yes, but Carver isn’t willing to see the crime.”
Nora observed Ruthers closely. He spoke openly, no telltale signs of fidgeting or avoiding her eyes, nothing that suggested he was hiding anything this time.
“Do you think Mr. Carver might simply be trying to keep peace between the duke and the people?”
“That’s only an excuse he uses. Relies on it far too much if you ask me. What’s to keep more thieves from coming into our stables if theysee one successfully making off with the duke’s new horse? I think he’s so afraid of these thieves that he’s got this estate catering to them. Derricott will set things right eventually, but I’m not sure he’ll recover that foal in time.”
“Is there not something you can do to intervene? I believe the duke trusts you a great deal.” She found herself wanting to trust Ruthers more as they spoke.
“I know, but he trusts Carver too. Mark my words, Carver’s a cunning man. Prideful too. He’ll keep the duke busy until it will be too late, just to have his way. I’m sure that scoundrel Mr. Gaines intends to sell the foal by the time it’s grown a little. I just wish there was a way to prove to Derricott now that Gaines stole that foal.”
Locket knickered and nodded her head as if encouraging Nora in the fresh idea hatching in her brain. Regardless of Aaron’s feelings for her and how they might change in the future, she had promised to do everything she could to discover who was behind the troubles in the castle. This had to be her chance to make her own strike.
“So you know who the man is and where he keeps this foal?”
“Seen the creature myself running and whining in the fields.”
That was all she needed. If Ruthers helped her in this endeavor, perhaps she could trust him after all. “Then I don’t see what the problem is. We’ll act quickly.”
Chapter 26
Aaron was confused. Nora had asked to go riding that morning. She had even taken the lead as if she knew the land and its paths, and what was more strange, she had chosen to ride a different mare while Locket remained in the stables. Aaron didn’t know Locket as well as Nora did, but he could have sworn her horse looked betrayed.
“Nora, how is it that you’ve come to know this land so well?”
She glanced around, shielding her eyes from the sun. “I don’t. I’m merely trying a new path Ruthers told me about.”
“Since when have you and Ruthers become friends?”
“Since yesterday. We discovered a common foe.”
He laughed nervously. “I hope you are not referring to me.”
Ever since returning from their picnic, Nora had been distant. How could he blame her? First Lord Bilford ruined their moment, then Lady Ellen tromped in, trying to lay claim to Aaron, but Nora had taken it all in stride. Hadn’t she? Then why the restraint in her voice and the caution in her movements around him? It was a distance he did not know how to close.
He tried to shake off his insecurities, but it was difficult when he thought of their kiss constantly while she appeared to have forgotten it.
“I am referring to the thieves, Aaron.”
He followed her gaze but saw nothing of particular interest. “Nora, what are you looking for?”
“I’ll tell you when we come to it. I don’t exactly know whether…”
Her voice drifted as her attention fixed on a farmer’s field only partially closed by a crumbling stone wall. Half a dozen cows were lazily grazing while a little foal trotted a ways off, looking the part of an outcast.
When the little foal gave a small cry, Nora’s horse whinnied and jumped to a trot, making straight for the little beast. Aaron worried at first that Nora had lost control of her horse, but her confident posture suggested she was letting her horse have its head.
Aaron urged his horse to catch up.
“Nora! What is all this about? You’re behaving very oddly.”
“Aaron, look.”
Nora’s horse nuzzled the little foal who would only hold still for a moment before hopping around, then returning for another nuzzle. It was certainly a sweet scene, but he didn’t understand her point.
