Page 38 of Snowbound with the Scoundrel
Clarissa nodded, and they made a slow, thorough search of the stand of trees.They spread out, but knowing that Rupert was within shouting distance, even if she couldn’t see him, was a great comfort.
They retraced their steps through the trees, then decided to check the perimeter one more time, just to make sure they hadn’t missed anything.There was still no solitary set of footprints leading off across the snow, at least on the side that Clarissa checked.
But the assassin did leave one trace behind.While she was waiting for Rupert at the front of the grove, Clarissa spotted something brass glinting from beneath a log.She pulled it out, revealing a hunting rifle.“Look what I found!”she called as Rupert came jogging up.
“Well done, you.”He tilted the barrel this way and that, inspecting it.“It certainly looks like the gun I saw.”
“I think so, too.”Clarissa ran her thumb, still bare from having removed her torn glove, over the firing mechanism.“It’s cold, but that’s probably to be expected, as it’s been lying in the snow.”She glanced up at Rupert.“Did you see any footprints?”
“None.You?”
“None.”She swallowed as she glanced at the snow leading from the little copse of trees back to the castle.In stark contrast to the pristine fields they had just inspected, it was well-trodden with the footprints of the house party guests.“You know what that means.”
Rupert nodded, a grim expression replacing his usual affable smile.“Whoever fired that shot is inside the castle right now.”
“Exactly.”Clarissa shuddered.She had strongly suspected that the would-be assassin was lurking in her midst.
But it was unsettling to know it for certain.
Rupert apparently mistook her shudder for a shiver.“You must be freezing.Let’s get you inside.”
“We might as well.There’s nothing more to be learned out here.Would you hold this a second?”Clarissa asked, handing him the rifle.She pulled her damaged glove from her pocket.“I might as well put this back on.”
“You’re hurt!”he exclaimed, seizing her hand and stroking his gloved thumb across her finger.“What happened?”
“It’s just a scratch.I was clumsy with the shears, and…” Clarissa trailed off.The cut on her finger was tiny, only about a quarter of an inch long, and as thin as a red thread.
She peered up at his face, confused.“I thought you couldn’t see well without your glasses.”
Chapter17
Rupert jerked back, releasing Clarissa’s hand as if he’d been burned.The expression on his face was the same panicked look he had worn when they’d spotted the muzzle of the gun.Oh, crikey!
Clarissa stared at him in fraught silence.Why would Rupert have lied about needing glasses?
The crunch of footsteps on the snow recalled her to her surroundings.She turned and saw Lord Helmsley jogging up from the castle.
“Everyone’s inside,” he panted.“Did you find any… Rupert!”he exclaimed, noticing Rupert, who had been partially obscured by a tree.“What are you doing out here, my boy?”
A cheerful, vacant expression settled over Rupert’s face.“You won’t countenance it, but Miss Weatherby was determined to look for the poachers herself!I could hardly let her go after them all alone, now could I?”
“I… I suppose not,” Lord Helmsley said, turning to Clarissa.The second the earl’s attention was fixed on her, Rupert gave her a pointed look accompanied by a subtle shake of his head.The earl glanced back at Rupert, frowning.Immediately, Rupert plastered the empty smile back across his features.
So, Rupert had not advised Lord and Lady Helmsley that he was working for Sir Henry.A thousand questions rattled around inside Clarissa’s head.Why hadn’t he been forthcoming with his friends about what he was really doing at the castle?Why had he pretended to need glasses?
What was going on?
But Rupert was her partner, and she had come to trust him enough to follow his lead.She gave the earl a cringing sort of smile and said, “Wasn’t that gallant of Mr.Dupree?”
“Ah,” the earl said.“Yes, well, Rupert is a very good fellow.”
“He is indeed,” Clarissa confirmed.She held out the rifle.“This was the only thing we found of note.”
“This is the weapon, then?”Lord Helmsley took the rifle, then pulled back in surprise.“But this is one of my rifles!”
This was unsurprising, considering the assassin was someone inside the castle, but they were supposed to maintain the illusion of poachers for the sake of Rupert’s cover.Clarissa asked in a pointed tone, “Did you not tell me it had gone missing recently, my lord?”
“No.”The earl’s eyes widened as Clarissa jerked her head toward Rupert.“I mean… yes.That’s right.It went missing a week ago.I guess, uh… now we know why.”
