Masterful Trickery

XXI. Competition

Ralph let the silence linger for a while as he was still deep in thought. To be reminded of his father by this woman brought back too many fun and painful memories. But much more so was the reminder of a certain kind of longing the boy inside him had been harboring for too long.

*****

"Are you certain you did not see his face?"

"'Twas dark, guv," Alex murmured, looking out the carriage window. She did her best not to shake with fear.

"And he said nothing more?"

Alex moistened her lips and nodded. "Aye. He came to threaten me, probably te kill me as well."

"And he disappeared?"

"Aye, thanks te ye. If ye dinna come knockin' on me door te check on me, I'd be dead." She swallowed before adding, "And ye too if ye came in without knockin'. He could've overpowered us both."

For a while, the only sounds breaking the silence were the wheels of the carriage and the hooves of the horses. "I ought to order for my staff to be investigated although I highly doubt one of them is responsible. His description does not fit any of my servants."

She cleared her throat and drew a long breath. "Aye."

Wynne peered down at her from across the carriage. "Are you quite certain you are all right, Alex?"

Alex nodded. "Aye."

"You look quite shaken."

"'Cors I am, guv," she said. "I'm shakin' with anger! I wasn't able te kill the bastard!"

A smile curved Wynne's lips as he shook his head.

Alex was quite glad he stopped his questions. She would rather not talk about the conversation she had with her visitor.

*****

Ralph was not in residence and with nowhere else to go, Wynne decided to take Alex directly to the Everard estate after sending one of Ralph's footmen to find his master and deliver a very important note.

Emma met them in the parlor with naught but a robe over her nightgown as one of the maids woke her in haste.

"What happened?" Emma demanded, eyes wide with fear and concern. "Why are you with Lord Hastings?"

Wynne cleared his throat, deliberately avoiding looking at Emma as it was the proper thing for a gentleman to do. "She was placed under my care for the time being, my lady," he explained to Emma, eyes focused on a spot somewhere over Emma's shoulder.

"A man entered the chamber Lord Hastings provided fer me in his estate, is all," Alex said, trying to give the incident lesser weight.

"What!" Emma explained in a hiss, probably not to wake the entire estate. She looked over her shoulder and ordered the butler, "Jefferson, have hot tea and biscuits delivered at once."

The butler nodded and left the parlor at once.

"And where is Ralph?" Emma asked, her hand against her temple, showing her distress as she paced around the room.

Alex followed her movement with her eyes while Wynne's gaze continued to be discreet. "He's currently with your brother-in-law, Lord Devitt," Alex provided.

"What did the man want, Alex? Did he hurt you in any way?" asked Emma, coming to kneel in front of her.

"Nae," she said. "Lord Hastings came knockin' on me door and the bastard fled the room 'fore I could do anythin'."