“Oh? How so?” Cleo’s curiosity was peaked.
They require a great deal o’ travel tae ascertain whether they have any connection tae yer faither’s coded message about the truth beneath King Arthur’s feet.”
“Yes, I have given that matter a great deal of thought myself. I am afraid that I have not come any closer to interpreting its meaning than when last we spoke. Where would you need to travel and for what purpose?”
Before Arthur could answer the sounds of Aunt Caroline returning caused him to pause mid breath. “Perhaps it would be best if we discussed the matter at another time?”
“Yes, I think that would be best. Perhaps, once we have finished our tea, we might retire to Father’s study to discuss it further?”
“Aye, whatever ye think is best, lass.”
They stopped speaking when Aunt Caroline entered the room, in a bustle with her activities from the morning. “You will not believe what I heard in the village this morning,” she announced as she entered the room, unaware of Arthur’s presence. When she saw Arthur, she stopped in her tracks and dropped a curtsy. “Apologies, My Lord. I did not know that we were expecting you for tea or I would have returned home sooner.”
Arthur arose and bent over her hand in greeting. “Nae, Mrs. Brown, the apology is mine. I came quite unannounced. It seems that I could nae stay away from such pleasant company as yerself and Miss Wallace for verra long.”
Aunt Caroline flushed with pleasure at the compliment. “Allow me to remove my cloak and hat, and I will join you presently.”
Having heard Aunt Caroline enter the house, Mrs. McGrath emerged from the kitchen carrying a tea tray with enough to serve the three of them. Cleo smiled at the cook’s timing knowing that she had waited a while before entering to give Cleo and Arthur time to talk before disturbing them. “Thank you, Mrs. McGrath.”
Mrs. McGrath smiled. “It is glad I am tae see ye again, Yer Lordship.”
“Thank you, Mrs. McGrath,” Arthur answered smiling in return. “Ye are looking as bonnie as ever.”
Mrs. McGrath blushed with pleasure at the compliment. “Ye flatter me.” The flush of her cheeks against the white of her hair, gave the cook a younger glow that was most charming to behold. Mrs. McGrath patted Arthur’s hand in a most uncharacteristic show of affection to anyone outside of the family.
Arthur’s smile broadened and he lifted her time-weathered hand to his lips to kiss it gently. “It is nae flattery if it is true.”
“Och, away with ye,” the cook blushed deeper, grinning from ear to ear, and scurried from the room to tend to her waiting duties.
“I think that you have made a friend in our Mrs. McGrath,” Cleo mused, unable to keep from smiling over the exchange. “In fact, I think you have managed to find your way into the good graces of every female within the Wallace household.”
“I am glad o’ it.” The look in his eyes said that he was particularly glad of being in her good graces.
Cleo was saved from responding, by Aunt Caroline returning to the drawing room. “Now, My Lord, let us take tea.”
The next hour passed in pleasant conversation betwixt the three of them, but Cleo was anxious to hear what it was that Arthur thought he might need to travel for in solving the riddle.
If he is willing to travel as far as he has suggested, then he must have found something interesting.
Unable to wait a moment longer once they were done eating and had fulfilled the necessary formalities, Cleo stood making an excuse for she and Arthur to go into her father’s study.
“Shall we go and see if we can find that book of Father’s that you were interested in?” she asked Arthur, hoping that her aunt would not ask to join them.
“Aye, o’ course. I would be most grateful.”
Standing, Cleo smiled sweetly at her aunt who looked on in approval as they left the drawing room. Thankfully she did not seem the least inclined to follow them, but instead moved to the fireplace and contentedly took up her sewing basket. Breathing a sigh of relief, Cleo led the way to the professor’s study and shut the door behind them. She immediately turned to Arthur, unable to contain her curiosity for a moment longer.
“What have you found?”
“I have nae found anything per se, it is more a matter o’ deductive reasoning.” Arthur pulled a stack of papers from his pocket and walked over to lay them on the desk. Cleo came around and sat in her father’s chair to look at them. “These are notes and pieces o’ research that Mr. Lyons shared with me afore I left London. It is a list o’ places that might possible fit the idea o’ anything being beneath King Arthur’s feet. One is a statue in Austria. Another is a representation o’ the Round Table at Winchester. While this one is a possible site for King Arthur’s grave.”
Cleo looked over the papers reading every line, from the location and history of the statue and Round Table, to the inscriptions upon the cross at King Arthur’s rumored gravesite. “And you believe that the key to the riddle might lie somewhere at one of these places?”
Arthur shrugged his shoulders. “It is possible, but honestly I simply dinnae ken where else tae look.”
Cleo nodded in understanding. “Nor do I.” She frowned down at the papers. “Austria is quite a journey. I am afraid that I do not possess the funds to make such a voyage, nor would my Aunt Caroline allow me to do so alone with a man who was not my husband, or for the purposes of visiting a statue. The others in England are more achievable, but not without their difficulties.”
“I am aware o’ the difficulties and am willing tae pay for and execute the travel on my own, but it would take me away from ye for quite some time and I fear such a separation would nae be in the best interest o’ yer safety. We dinnae ken if the killer has any interest in ye, but we cannae be certain that he will nae come after ye believing ye tae hold the key tae yer faither’s secrets.”
