Ahmlad nodded. “I know. I would need to be blind not to see it. But, Your Grace, you do need an heir. Further, it is becoming increasingly difficult to mask her behavior from the people outside the household.”
“What you are telling me is that my own household already knows.”
“I am afraid so, Your Grace. In fact, it would be difficult to hide. I can assure you that people who are aware include the laundress, the stable hands, the footmen, and the maids.”
“Have they been able to catch sight of who it is she is seeing?”
“Sadly, no. Whoever he is, he is much more adept at hiding his tracks than your Duchess.”
“Could she be seeing more than one person?”
Mr. McAhmladhson shrugged. “Possible, but I rather doubt it. She is clearly not able to completely hide her trysts from the household.”
“Or she has decided that she doesn’t care. No, that really doesn’t make any sense. In fact, none of it makes sense. Why marry only to deny yourself and your lawfully wedded spouse the privileges of the marriage bed?”
Mr. McAhmladhson chuckled. “Jonathan, you are asking the wrong person. I came close to marrying once, but she wanted to live in the city, far from Gwyndonmere. This has been my home all my life. I really cannot imagine leaving it.”
“I’ll own I am glad to stay home this year. I have little interest in politics as a general rule, and this Christmas just past being at court was an exercise in diplomacy.”
“How so, Your Grace?”
“While nearly everyone agrees that the King is not capable of ruling, they do not agree on who should be in charge. The Prince Regent is not universally liked or approved. He keeps court in lavish style, and maintains his household in similar mode.”
“Is that why we rarely have more than fifty people on staff here?”
“Do we need more, Ahmlad?”
“Perhaps some more field hands and gardeners. Gran’ther Tim is a marvel, but he is beginning to feel his age, and we have expanded both gardens and fields in the last three years.”
“I’ll think on it,” Jonathan replied. “It is true that I have pushed for expansion of our agricultural base, and I favor using the mill race to establish factories. I don’t like the feel of the way things are going, Ahmlad. There is change in the air, and I’m not sure that it is all good.”
“Come, now, Jonathan. You are not usually such a pessimist. When did you last eat in good company?”
“Since my dinners with the Duchess hardly come under that heading, a good while ago. Moreover, right now the mere thought of food makes me feel bilious.”
“Why don’t we go for a ride then, Your Grace, and get some air. You’ve been mewed up in this study since the trade fair. Let’s go look at the flocks, or take the dogs with us and see if we can flush a bunny or two. It would do them good, as well.”
Mr. McOwen tapped at the study door, then let himself in. “I heard that last. I think you should ride out with us, Your Grace. I have something to show you.”
Chapter 32
Jonathan followed Mr. McAhmladhson up the steep trail to the old sheep shed where the shearing was customarily done. They kept to the trail because Mr. McOwen, who was coming up the rear, wanted to be certain they didn’t obscure the signs he had found.
First, they stopped at the old willow, where Mr. McOwen pointed out the dead animals and showed the bit of meat to the him. “Not sure what it is poisoned with, Your Grace, but it did these small creatures in very quickly.”
“Gather the animals, Mr. McOwen and put them in a game bag. If the poison is that lethal, something could get sick from eating them. Did you find anything else?”
“Nothing except the crushed ferns and grasses that make it sure that someone laid down here. And the area where their horses stood and cropped grass while they were doin’ whatever it was they were doing.”
“Not too difficult to guess what,” Mr. McAhmladhson said. “The question is who, and why?”
“Who is still open for discussion,” Jonathan replied. “The why is less difficult. Whoever it was probably is responding to my notice that there was to be no courting whatsoever.”
“Isn’t supposed to be anyway,” Mr. McAhmladhson observed.
“True enough. But I have usually turned a blind eye to innocent flirting and the occasional kiss or two when the staff are off duty. If we are too strict about their behavior, where will I get the next generation of servants, after all?”
Mr. McOwen gave a little snort of laughter. “Ha! That’s rich, Your Grace.”
