He was the last to reach the stables. All his brothers, along with Crispin and Linus, were gathered there. Beneath their jovial expressions was determination and focus.
“You’re late,” Harold said, his tone the one he used when sermonizing, yet there was humor in it.
“Artemis was talking,” he said. “She doesn’t do that much anymore. I wasn’t going to simply walk away.”
“How is she?” Layton asked.
All he could do was shrug a little. She wasn’t doing great, but she also wasn’t weeping or shaking her fists at the sky. She wasn’t cursing them all or pushing him forcefully away. She was simply painfully, heartbreakingly sad.
“She did tell me something pertinent to our task today.”
That brought eight pairs of eyes on him.
“The day Finley intercepted Catherine, Marjie, and Artemis on the road, he said more than we were told.”
Crispin’s jaw tightened. Stanley’s soldier’s bearing grew even more intimidating.
“He invited Artemis to join him at his estate, and not, you will understand, for afternoon tea.” Charlie took a calming breath. “No true gentleman would make such a brazenly insulting suggestion to a lady.”
“I’ll kill him,” Linus said firmly.
“Murder is off the table,” Philip said. No one could have missed or misunderstood the intensity in his posture and voice. “But that doesn’t mean we will allow this putrescence to infect the neighborhood any longer.”
They all mounted and set their horses in the direction of Finley Grange. Philip and Crispin led the group, with the others following, matching their pace.
“Did anyone tell Mater what we were off to do?” Charlie asked Layton, riding near him.
With an expression that clearly said, “Are you daft?” Layton shook his head no.
“Would Father have also disapproved?” Charlie didn’t care for the idea of doing something his father would have condemned.
“I did mention to Lord Aldric that we were undertaking a punitive mission at Finley Grange. He told me that Father once beat the tar out of Finley’s father.”
This was news. “For what, do you suppose?”
“He didn’t say. But Father wouldn’t have taken such drastic action if it hadn’t been warranted.”
“Would he consider our anticipated action warranted?” Charlie didn’t remember him well enough to know for certain.
Layton seemed to sense how much he needed a sincere answer. “I can guarantee, Charlie, if Father were here and knew how Finley had mistreated Catherine these past years, the things he said to Clara in the weeks before she married Corbin, and the insulting way he spoke to Artemis, Father would be leading this procession of justice. He was, generally speaking, lighthearted and jovial, but he was formidable and forceful when he needed to be.”
“You and Philip are both like that,” Charlie said.
“Someone should probably warn Finley thatyouare as well.”
It was one of the best compliments he’d ever received. He’d tried for so long to carve out a distinct place for himself among his brothers. But he’d also needed, as it turned out, to know he waslikethem.
Linus rode up even with them and spoke to Charlie. “I realize the earl has declared that capital punishment is not on the day’s agenda, but what, do you suppose, are the odds you and I will ignore the earl?”
“Considering what he said to our Artemis... ” Charlie let the sentence dangle unfinished. He knew Linus didn’t actually intend to murder Finley. Charlie didn’t either. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t take a little satisfaction in hinting that they might.
“How is she today?” Linus asked. “I’m worried about her.”
“So am I.”
They rode on, the brothers talking amongst themselves. Linus kept his horse alongside Charlie’s.
“Your mother gave me some letters for Artemis,” Linus said. “But she wouldn’t take them from me. I still have them. If I gave them to you, would you keep them safe until she’s ready to read them?”
