Arthur nodded.“That’s why I’m minding the inn and not the hardware.”
“Then trot the bag down to Mr.Oswald for me, thank you.Have him tell you if there’s anything for Mr.Cooper so you can let him know.”
Minerva wished she knew more of Mr.Cooper, but he seemed exactly what he claimed to be, a traveling gentleman caught unawares.He must have traveled through Stratford to reach Gravesyde by evening.With the bridge out, he’d not have made it to any funeral in Birmingham, even if he’d been on time.
Finally overcoming her shyness, Daphne timidly kneeled beside the trunk, and Minerva’s heart broke all over again at the sight of that beautiful, abandoned child.How could anyone lose such precious children?
By the time Verity arrived with Daniel, the little girl was tugging uselessly at the top.Once Daniel joined her, Paul unfastened the latch and opened the lid.Both squealed in excitement.
Verity closed her eyes in what appeared to be a brief prayer.“Thank you, thank you so much!I hate to see children unhappy.Sit down in the pub.I’ve sent for tea.You must be frozen through.”
“Let us all gather by the hearth in there.”Waiting until the children had filled their arms with belongings, Paul carried the trunk into the pub, where they could watch the excitement while they talked.It was a trifle like Christmas and Boxing Day combined.
Between them, Paul and Minerva explained what they’d discovered in Stratford while they sipped hot tea and nibbled on Rafe’s scones.Minerva knew a good wife would ask for the recipe, but the chances of her ever trying it...
One of the kitchen maids carried out bowls of cabbage and sausage soup before Verity was done asking questions.
“I must say, I prefer the hospitality here to the stifling one we received at Bosworth’s home,” Minerva said in appreciation, warming her insides with the soup.“He is so ungraciously formal that I want to blame him for everything that goes wrong.”
“I’m fairly certain he would have been recognized if he’d stolen the Beanblossom silver and the children,” Paul replied in amusement.
“But he didn’t recognize the children or the driver or know anything about them?”Verity asked in desperation.“I just cannot believe such well-cared-for children were brought up by a gentleman’s consort.I supposed I am prejudiced.”
“If he provided her with a generous allowance, it’s not unheard of.But giving the children his name and not giving it to her as well, that’s a trifle odd.And having her funds go through a London trust instead of the local bank, where she might find help in investing or disbursing...It’s as if she’d been deliberately isolated.”Minerva savored her soup.Rafe was a most excellent cook.
“And no one recognizes the driver who died?I hate to be such a fuss-pot, but I am terrified someone will show up to claim them, and I will have no way to prove if they are kidnappers or a relation.”Watching the children anxiously, Verity left her soup half-eaten.
“No one in Stratford recognized the sketch of the driver.Let’s see if anyone here does.Today is market day, so there will be more people in the village than usual.I trust Rafe is showing the sketch about?”Paul scraped his bowl clean.“It seems unlikely the nanny was driving this way unless she knew someone here.”
Like Willa?A mistress, a nanny, and a prostitute...Minerva rubbed her temple to rid herself of ridiculous notions that a city mistress might know a rural prostitute and the nanny...Was a procurer?It takes one to know onemight apply occasionally but was not a reliable adage for a courtroom.
The children had barely touched their luncheon and were blissfully engaged in emptying the trunk all over the floor.Daphne hugged her doll with one arm while happily pulling on a pair of nearly new slippers.Daniel had donned his school coat and now organized his books in an order known only to him.
“Rafe is more concerned about catching a killer.”Verity fidgeted while she watched the children.“He and Brydie are interrogating anyone who visits the market.I simply don’t want to believe a murderer would stay around after committing his dirty deed.He’s probably long gone.But the nanny...That’s different.Surely she knew someone here.”She lowered her voice to almost a whisper.“Meera thinks the nanny may have had some kind of fit, but I keep thinking two deaths in one night must be related.Only, I cannot fathom how.Did the killer see the driver was dead and rode in to kill Willa?That’s foolish.”
Exactly where Minerva’s errant thoughts circled, for no logical reason whatsoever.Maybe Willa and the nanny were sisters?There was some small resemblance in age and the black hair.But Cooper had said Willa was an orphan.
“Since the buggy went off the road, can we know for certain if it was driving away from Gravesyde or toward it?”Now that she was warm and full again, Minerva pondered the puzzle.“We might make a case that the mysterious driver killed Willa for some unknown reason and was racing to take the children back to Beanblossom.”
“It makes about as much sense as anything else, except no one around here claims to have seen the driver.”Paul rose to join the children at the hearth.“The lady driving the carriage that took you away from Beanblossom was your nanny?Did she say where she was taking you?”
At mention of the nanny, Daphne’s terrified expression returned.Daniel frowned and shook his head.“Elton told Nanny to take us where...baterds...like us belong.”
Minerva winced.The child didn’t even know the word, must never have heard it before.
“I was scared, so we hid.”His lower lip trembled.“Daphne cried and they found us and he hit her.”
Verity raced to crush them both in her arms, and Minerva almost wept.
“ThisEltonmay have been the thief who filled the cart with stolen goods,” she said softly.“Surely no respectable solicitor or estate agent would have hit children.”
“No respectable solicitor or agent would have left children with a powerless servant.Someone official was there to arrange the funeral.He must have given orders to the servants.”Paul did not generally show anger, but his voice held it now.
“Unless the servants were in league with the official.”Minerva sometimes hated her suspicious mind, but she’d grown up with men who plotted war.“The neighbor said she saw an elegant carriage.”
Paul grimaced and spoke soothingly to the weeping children in Verity’s arms.“Did your nanny say where she was taking you?”
Daniel frowned.“To mama’s family, if we quit crying and went to sleep.”
