Page 47 of Finding Hope
“So that eliminates the two of them. The Whitford sisters were with us for the entire time, as well,” Freddy said.
“The only other ladies were Miss Joy, Lady Susan, and Lady Claudia. I cannot fathom any of them being the culprit, but by all means, for the sake of due process, let us go and see what colours their riding hats bear,” Montford said, turning his horse to follow the pack.
After their friends had gone, Max turned to Westwood. “That leaves you and me to track the movements of the other ladies who did not hunt.”
Max turned the horse and cart around and began to drive back down the path to the house.
“It will raise suspicion if we begin questioning everyone’s whereabouts this morning,” Westwood said after some minutes.
“We must be subtle, of course. Once we see who is where when we arrive, we can ask someone we trust—your mother, for instance.”
“Very well,” Westwood agreed.
It so happened, after they had left the cart with a groom and returned to the house, that many of the remaining ladies were gathered in the orangery, having tea. “There is your mother, over by the statue of Neptune,” Max remarked softly.
Westwood nodded and headed across to speak with his mother, who was already walking towards them, delighted to see her son. As Westwood led her out of the orangery, Max quickly scanned the room. There was no sign of Lady Matilda, but to be fair, none of the younger set of ladies was in the room. Max saw his mother’s enquiring gaze, but did not go to her. He greeted a few of the matrons who were close by, then decided to join Westwood.
“I did not look for you to return before another fortnight at the very earliest!” the Dowager was exclaiming.
As Max approached, Westwood was already asking his mother how their day had been. Max made a bow and suggested they remove to his study.
“The morning has been pleasant. We have been making blankets for the parish church all morning.”
They entered Max’s study and Westwood led his mother to the sofa. She was still smiling at the surprise of seeing her son. “Where is Faith?” she asked.
“She is with Hope. There was a mishap during the hunt, and she and Rotham were grazed by a stray bullet.”
The Dowager blinked a few times. “Is she badly harmed? I will go to her at once!” She began to rise, but Westwood stayed her with his hand.
“Thankfully, it was not deep. Rotham’s arm was grazed, and Hope was hit in the forehead.”
She gasped.
“But the doctor has already been here and attended her. He says there will be no lasting damage.”
“Who would have been shooting during a hunt?”
“That is precisely what we would like to know. We are trying to account for everyone this morning who was not on the hunt. Do you think you could tell us who was with you all morning?”
As Max suspected, as far as she could remember, the matrons had been present the entire morning—with the exception of the occasional visit to the retiring room.
“What of the younger ladies?” Westwood asked.
“Why, I believe they went on a ride to the Cunningham estate to visit the new puppies.”
Max and Westwood exchanged glances over her head.
“Thank you, Mother. We must look into a few more things, but I will see you again at dinner.”
“Where is Hope? I will go to her now,” she insisted.
They took the Dowager to the blue drawing room where Hope was sitting with her sisters, then headed towards the stables. As luck would have it, the young ladies were walking back to the house at the same time, including Lady Matilda—wearing a jaunty riding hat with unnaturally dyed red feathers.
CHAPTER 12
As she readied for bed that night, Hope felt much more at peace now that Faith and Westwood were there. They had moved into the chambers adjacent to hers, so there was a sense of security in knowing they were so close.
Hope climbed into bed, thinking about her prospects. There was excitement among the young ladies, with a few of their soldiering friends set to arrive the next day, and Hope tried to convince herself to be excited and even look for a potential husband amongst them. Brosner had been very attentive, so she had not given up all for lost as options other than Lord Rotham.
