Page 30 of The Gift of Patience
“Peek at what?” Major Stuart asked as he strolled into the room, looking dapper in buckskin riding breeches and a dark blue coat.
“Freddy Tiger had kittens this morning,” Patience answered.
He raised his brows. “I thought Freddy was male?”
“We all did, though I cannot say I would know the difference,” Grace remarked with a blush.
Major Stuart grabbed a roll and sat down next to Patience. He was entirely too close. His leg touched hers beneath the table. She scooted over to the edge of her seat, then he put his arm on the back of her chair. He was doing it on purpose! She turned to glare at him. He smiled roguishly and her heart almost stopped.
“May I help you with something?” She remembered to be incredulous, but his deep blue eyes were watching her knowingly as if he knew exactly what he was doing to her insides.
“As a matter of fact, you can.”
“I can?” She narrowed her gaze. He was trying to disconcert her.
“Indeed. Is that not what you wanted?”
She looked around at the others finishing breakfast and preparing to go visit the kittens.
“Is this some sort of trick?”
He smiled again, so that the edges of his eyes crinkled in a most attractive fashion.
Grace turned back as the others left the breakfast room. “Are you coming?”
“Perhaps a little later when Xander is napping.”
Grace’s eyes looked questioningly between her and Major Stuart, but then she nodded and left the room. Leaving her alone with Stuart’s arm still draped over the back of her chair.
Nervously, she lifted her coffee cup to take a sip, but found it was empty.
“What may I do to help?”
“I’d like to question the servants, and it will go much faster if you help.”
He truly thought for her to assist him? What was the catch?
“We are certain someone was getting messages to our prisoner and we need to see if one of the servants is helping.”
Patience frowned. “Most of them have been with your family for years, if not generations.”
“I know, but we must be thorough. It could have begun as something innocent, such as being asked to leave a note somewhere.”
“I suppose you’re right. What am I supposed to ask the servants though?”
“I thought we could begin with the upper servants and see if there are those that leave the estate often and might be in the village where they would be interacting with others. Or any sort of pattern that might be an opportunity for information to be brought onto Taywards lands. Any irregularity might mean something, no matter how small.”
“Yes, I see.” She began to feel the rush of excitement at the possibilities. She did not try to hide her enthusiasm and smiled back at him. “When do we begin?”
“Now, if you are ready. I thought to call them into the study one by one. We can interview Armstrong and Mrs. Armstrongtogether so you can see how it goes, then we can divide up and talk to the rest of the staff.”
Patience was relieved to see that she’d be able to watch him first. She had never interrogated anyone before. Well, besides her sisters.
He stood and pulled out her chair for her. “Shall we?”
Patience left the breakfast room, trying not to shake her head at the change in him as he spoke to Armstrong. Why was he suddenly being nice and including her?
The butler followed them into the room, and Major Stuart closed the door behind him, disconcerting Armstrong. “Please, take a seat.”
