“Did you now?”
Emma winced. She had heard that deceptively bland tone before and knew what it meant.
“We didn’t really discover it, George,” she said, handing him a teacup. “I mean,Ididn’t discover it. Frank, er, Mr. Churchill, did. I had very little to do with it.”
Frank held up a hand. “Now, don’t count yourself short, Mrs. Knightley. From what I can tell, nothing escapes your sharp notice.”
“Although you must stop going to farms and other dirty places, Emma,” her father put in. “You might catch a fever.”
She grimaced a silent apology to her husband, who now regarded her with a sardonic eye.
While she served tea and kept her father distracted, Frank recounted their discoveries to George.
“That perfectly corroborates what Curtis told me,” he said when Frank had finished.
“So you’ll be able to get him released from the gaol?” Emma asked.
“On my way home, I left a message with Mrs. Hughes, asking the doctor to call on me as soon as possible to discuss the matter.” George rose to his feet. “Thank you for this information, Mr. Churchill. I’m sure you must be wishing to return to Randalls.”
“I am, but if you wish me to stay to speak with Dr. Hughes—”
George bluntly cut him off. “Not necessary.”
Frank took the summary dismissal with his usual good grace, even winking at Emma on his way out.
When he’d departed, she rounded on her husband. “Really, George, that was quite rude. Frank was only trying to help.”
“I assure you, Dr. Hughes would appreciate Frank’s presence as little as I do.”
“Frank agrees with me about Mr. Elton,” Father said. “Which is very sensible of him.”
“Sensibleis not a word one normally applies to Frank Churchill,” George replied. “And what were you agreeing with him about?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Emma hastily interjected. “Father, why don’t you go upstairs and have a little rest before dinner?”
He nodded. “An excellent suggestion, especially if Dr. Hughes is to be calling. George, I do not approve of him. He drones on quite dreadfully.”
“I think none of us approve of him, sir, but we must forebear.”
Once George had escorted her father from the room, he returned to sit with Emma. “Now, what are your father and Frank in agreement about?”
“Father thinks Mr. Elton is to blame for much of the trouble in Highbury since Mrs. Elton’s murder. Frank agrees with him.”
“One can hardly blame either of them for that opinion, I suppose.”
“Dearest, the poor man’s wife was brutally murdered. I think we must make allowances.”
“Very true. Just as I will make allowances for you going off with Frank to investigate that murder.”
She quickly reached for the teapot. “Would you like another cup of tea?”
“A game attempt at diversion, my love. Wewillresume this conversation later, but I believe I just heard the door. That should be Dr. Hughes.”
For once, Emma was grateful that the coroner was about to descend upon them. “Shall we offer him tea?”
“No. I’ve already had to put up with a great deal today, including a prison visit and an insolent pup winking at my wife.”
She choked out a laugh. “For shame, George. Those two events cannot possibly be of equal concern.”
