“No, but it does happen now and again that an heir goes missing. Frequently foul play has been afoot, but I suppose that Leroy Rutley is tired of living in poverty. It would not surprise me if he was helping to collect snakes.”
Evelyn laughed and reached for another handbill. “Oh my goodness,” she said, “The strange things one does learn in the world.”
Evelyn ruffled through the pleas for the return of missing livestock, suggestions for winter woolens, and similar items, looking for something that might be of more interest to the Duchess. “Here is a news broadsheet,” she said. “Oh my, the village is getting a new constable.”
“Are we indeed?” the Duchess looked interested. “Well, we should have him to dinner. Please take a letter, Mrs. Swinton.”
Evelyn obligingly got out the writing things and quickly took down an invitation to dinner, addressed it to the constable’s office in the village, and sealed it with the Duchess’ own seal.
“Send that out with the post, my dear,” the Duchess said. “It will be good to have a new face at dinner. Now if you would kindly also invite dear Blanche and her parents, as well as my son, we should have a pleasant meal.”
Chapter 14
Darrius sat at the table wishing he was nearly anywhere else. His mother looked pleased with herself, having not only managed to obtain the attendance of the new constable, but also that of the local magistrate and his wife.
As usual, Darrius sat at his mother’s left, while the new constable sat at her right. Next to the constable was Mrs. Swinton, while to Darrius’ left was Blanche. To Blanche’s left sat her father, then her mother. On the opposite side of the table, the magistrate sat next to Mrs. Swinton, and his wife sat on the other side of him.
It was not, he thought, a poorly balanced table, but the presence of such plebeian locals rubbed at him. Still, he supposed, it was a way to become acquainted with the young constable. His mother certainly could not go down to the village and strike up a conversation with him as she might have done in her younger days.
“So kind of you all to come,” his mother was saying, “We are very dull here with so few visitors.”
Mrs. Clark, the magistrate’s wife, said, “How can you say so? It is so beautiful here. Surely you must find many things to amuse yourself.”
“I will admit,” said the Duchess, “that since Mrs. Swinton has been my companion, it has been a great deal livelier. She has found many things to amuse me. We have been reading through George’s collection of old travel logs.”
“Oh,” Mrs. Clark looked a little blank. “I would not have thought that would be very entertaining.”
“I find it so,” the Duchess said equably, “especially when Mrs. Swinton does such a divine job of connecting the old events with happenings as we read them from the newspaper.”
“Oh,” said the magistrate, “I suspect that would be entertaining, to say nothing of instructive. Perhaps you should give the young constable the benefit of your observations.”
“I am sure,” Mrs. Swinton observed, “that our small doings would be of little interest to Constable Morris.”
“But we are grateful,” the Duchess added, “that the constable has taken time out of his busy schedule to dine with us tonight.”
“It is my pleasure,” Constable Morris said. “I had no idea that the position came with visiting privileges.”
“It is certainly unusual,” Lady Carletane observed.
“Nonetheless, it is supremely thoughtful,” Lord Carletane observed.
“Well,” said Magistrate Clark, “it is to be hoped that this is not a matter of currying favor.”
“No such thing,” the Duchess protested. “I am sure that it is difficult for a young person to move to a new area where he knows no one. By offering our hospitality we make it a little easier for this nice young gentleman.”
At this point they were interrupted by the servants bringing in the soup course. A fine aroma of chicken flavored with some unidentified spice arose from the bowls. The young constable waited until his table companions picked up their spoons, then copied their selection.
He has no idea even of which spoon to use,Darius thought to himself.Whatever was my mother thinking?
However, the Duchess seemed quite pleased with herself and beamed upon all the company with equal joviality.
“Mrs. Swinton and I,” the Duchess said, picking up the conversation where they had left off, “are matching the handbills with old legends and stories from the neighborhood. Do you recall when the young Earl over at Hillsworth disappeared?”
“Ah, yes,” the magistrate said. “That is still on our books as an unsolved case. He quite vanished, leaving only his hat and a broken fishing rod. The uncle is left in charge of the estate.
“Dear me,” said Lady Carletane, “Why do you suppose he is looking for his nephew now?”
Lord Carletane clicked his tongue at his wife. “My dear,” he said, “that comes perilously close to talking business at the dinner table.”
