Or perhaps she had merely stepped too close to the blazing fire.
Augusta retreated to her desk and took out a leather journal from the locked top drawer. If she couldn’t concentrate on her research, she could at least begin to review her notes on what had taken place during the past several months in the area surrounding Greenfield Manor.
In a matter of minutes all thoughts of mesmerizing blue eyes and masculine smiles were gone, replaced by the chilling images of three children …
All of whom had disappeared without a trace.
Her rapid scribbling ceased only when a soft knock came at the door.
“Still at work? Don’t forget that you promised to attend the Louden’s ball with us tonight.” Marianne sat down on the sofa, her face still flushed a becoming pink from the jaunt in the park. “I thought you had finished your essay for Mr. Prichard.”
Augusta nibbled at the tip of her pen. “I have. It is now time to turn my attention to the plight of our neighbors. Mrs. Roberts asked for my help and I mean to do my best to discover what is going on.”
Marianne’s expression turned to one of concern. “I don’t like the idea of your getting involved in such things. It might be dangerous. Why not write to Papa? He will think of something.”
“Papa is in Vienna and not likely to return for months. There is nothing he can do.”
“Then speak to the magistrate.”
“Squire Hillhouse!” Her brows arched up. “That bumbling fool won’t lift a finger to help a mere tenant,” she said in some disgust. “Besides, he couldn’t unravel a crime if the evidence were twined around his bulbous nose and tied in a pretty bow.”
Marianne brought her knees up to her chin. “If only Edwin were here to advise?—”
“Well, he’s not,” said Augusta rather sharply. “So it’s up to me.” On seeing her sister’s stricken expression she bit her lip. “I’m sorry, lamb.” she said gently. “I miss him terribly, too.”
Marianne swallowed hard. “How do you mean to start?”
Augusta gestured to the open pages of her journal. “First, I am compiling a list of all the gentry with residences within twenty miles of the village.”
“Are you really so sure it is someone who lives nearby, and that he is … one of us? I mean, couldn’t it have been the work of a band of ruffians merely passing through. I have read of such things?—”
She shook her head. “It is unlikely. I have had Jamison make inquires in all the neighboring towns and there are no other reports of children gone missing, plus the time between each occurrence makes the chance of it being a random act quite slim.” She took something from her drawer and began to twist it between her fingers. “ Furthermore, the last child to disappear was Tommy Atkins. He was a big lad for his age and there were signs of a struggle near where he had been working in the field. This was found at the scene.”
Marianne craned her neck to see what it was. “A scrap of material? What possible clue is that?”
Augusta held it up for closer inspection. “A scrap of expensive brocaded silk, with an intricate pattern of stitching. It’s from too fancy a piece of clothing for anyone but a fine gentleman to have been wearing.”
“It could be a coincidence,” answered Marianne, though her voice lacked real conviction. “In any case, it’s hardly definitive evidence. I mean, you can hardly begin searching the closets of every gentleman in London for a torn waistcoat.”
Augusta’s eyes took on a speculative gleam for a moment, then she gave a curt laugh. “I suppose that’s out of the question. But nevertheless, it’s the only clue I have, so I must begin somewhere.” She turned her journal around and pushed it toward her sister.”You are more aware than I of all the gentlemen in our area,” she said with a touch of humor. “Am I missing anyone?”
Marianne took several minutes to study the pages. “Lord Jeffries, though he’s over seventy if he’s a day.”
“Then let us rule him out for the moment.”
“And the new tenant of Chilton Hall. Baron Blatchford, I think, though I’ve not met him. No one has.”
Augusta added his name to the list.
“How many are there?”
Her lips pursed as she added up the entries. “Eleven—no, twelve.”
Her sister was tactfully silent.
“I know it’s no easy task, but I feel I must try. I shall begin making some discreet inquiries into the character of each of our suspects and see what I turn up.”
“You must promise to be extremely careful, Gus. If you’re right about what’s going on, then you are pursuing averydangerous man.”
