“I see.” Inspector Ravensgard made a note in his book. “Perhaps you would like to come with us to inspect the damages to your greenhouse and what was it…cupboard? Cabinet?”
“Give me just a moment.” Jonathan gulped his tea and looked regretfully at his breakfast. He took his outdoor coat that he wore when working with the horses, folded a couple of biscuits in a napkin, and dropped them into his pocket. He then stuffed a slice of cheese into a bread roll, and gestured at the rest of the food.
“The kitchen always sends up too much for one man. Help yourselves,
gentlemen.”
Inspector Ravensgard hesitated, but Constable McHenry said, “Don’t mind if I do. Thank you, Your Grace,” while imitating Jonathan’s method of securing provender.
“I’ll send down some tea and other comestibles to the orangery,” Mr. Hammonds said. “I am sure that many of the people who are there have not yet broken their fast.”
“The little gazebo should be a good place to set up refreshments,” Jonathan agreed. “I am highly concerned about Gran’ther Tim. He will take all this deeply to heart.”
“I will send David with you to run messages,” Mr. Hammonds added, nodding to his grandson, who was standing at attention in the hall. “David.”
David nodded and fell in at the rear of the party.
At the last moment, Jonathan turned back. “Mr. Hammonds.”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“Lock my study, if you would please. I have several pieces of valuable mail that I do not wish to become lost, especially since I have not yet had a chance to look at it yet.”
“Of course, Your Grace.”
Chapter 44
Celeste entered the servants’ dining hall to find it bustling with activity. “Oh, there you are, Celeste!” Miss Sedgewick turned to her with relief. “You are not to worry about the household greenery today. Gran’ther Tim is too busy with serious matters to deliver fresh flowers. Instead, can you help pack these hampers?”
“Of course. But what has happened?”
“Someone broke into the orangeries last night and stole the poison plants.”
“Oh, no! Why would anyone want to do that?”
“Who knows?” Miss Sedgewick shrugged. “To sell, perhaps. Some of them are quite valuable. More importantly, the Duke has ordered guards on all the wells and for the inn and our kitchen to put by barrels of fresh water for human and beast.”
“Oh, dear! What if it has already been tainted?”
“Then we are all in a great deal of difficulty. We can, of course, get water from the Great Spring Falls where they tumble down into the tributary that feeds the lake. But that is a difficult journey with containers. It was done in the older times, before the wells were dug.”
Just as the staff finished packing the last basket to be taken to the gazebo that was near the orangeries, the Duchess’s bell rang.
Celeste picked up the tea tray she had prepared moments earlier in anticipation of the call, and took it up to the Duchess’s room.
She noticed that there was no footman on duty in the hall, so she was forced to set the tray down on the table placed there for such occasions while she opened the door.
“Good morning, Your Grace,” she called.
“Good morning, Celeste.” The Duchess sat up on the edge of her bed and stretched lazily. Then she surveyed the tea tray.
“No strawberries or melons today?”
“I’m afraid not, Your Grace. Someone broke into the orangeries last night, so all is in disarray this morning.”
The Duchess’s eyebrows drew together in a way that presaged a temper storm. “How very inconsiderate of them.”
“Quite, Your Grace. There is, however, marmalade and fresh cream. Shall I toast a muffin for you? The cook made them up fresh today.”
