“Penrose,” I said, heart skipping as I met his gaze. “Mina Penrose.”
Again he frowned. “Well, Mina Penrose, don’t you think it might be better if you kept close to home for a while? No one would want to see something like that happen toyou. An out-of-town solicitor is one thing, but a young woman who must be familiar to many—”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but I don’t see how my comings and goings are any of your concern.” Tears stung my eyes, as I regrettedmy words almost before they’d finished coming out. But he’d sounded so like Jack for a moment, and I supposed I was still raw from our argument last night. Still raw fromallof last night.
“No, of course not,” he replied coolly, eyes lowering to his book. I had opened my mouth to offer an apology when he continued, “Thank you, Miss Penrose. That will be all.”
I strode quickly back to the kitchen, cheeks burning. I found Mrs. Moyle there, hurriedly arranging scones and tea things on a tray.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, moving to take over for her. “A tray was sitting here, and I took it out, meaning to help you, but got held up.”
She laughed. “No need to apologize for getting held up by a young gentleman. I only wish we got more of them in here. He’s an odd fellow, though, isn’t he? I don’t recognize him.”
“Mrs. Moyle, it’s Mr. Tregarrick!”
She raised her eyes from the laden tray. “Heavens! I’d thought him an old man.”
“So did I, though I don’t know why. I’m sure no one’s ever told me anything about him.”
Tipping milk into a pitcher, she said, “Did he mention his solicitor?”
“That’s how I learned it was him. He asked if I was the one who found Mr. Roscoe.”
Her brows lifted. “And did you tell him?”
“I didn’t like to lie about it.”
“What did he say?”
I let out a sigh and picked up the notebook of tea orders. “That I ought not to be walking around the village on my own.”
“Well,” my employer replied, lifting the tray, “he likely has a point. Frankly, I thought your brother would insist you stay home today.”
“I’m too old for Jack—or Mr. Tregarrick—to be telling me what to do,” I said shortly.
I felt Mrs. Moyle’s eyes on me. “I’m not going to join the chorus, but if anything happened to you, Mina, I’d never get over it.”
With that, she took the tray out to the dining room.
I was uneasy after that, and my thoughts kept drifting back to the master of Roche Rock and his oddness. There were things other than the ones I’d first noticed. Contradictions, you might call them. For example, though he was quite a handsome gentleman, as well as finely dressed, neither his face nor his clothing had looked verylived in. The wealthy could of course afford to take better care of themselves, but despite his paleness, Mr. Tregarrick looked fresh from the shop. Had he not been moldering away for years in that old tower?
There was something more that I struggled to put my finger on until almost closing time, when business had finally slowed. His address to me had been too familiar for a stranger.
I wonder at your being out alone on the road again today.How had he known I was alone? Something in his way of speaking had made me feel as if he were aware of my habits. It was true I walked alongside his estate going to The Magpie, but I’d never once seen him. I couldn’t help wondering—had he been watching me?
Ridiculous. Why would he do such a thing?
By the time Mrs. Moyle locked the front door behind the last customers, we’d served every scone and pasty in the house. I heard the floor creaking as she made her way to the kitchen.
“You’d best start soon,” she said as she joined me. “I want you home before sundown.”
“I will, Mrs. Moyle. There’s time for washing up.”
I’d had to do some of the washing as we worked today so we could keep up with the orders. But there was a stack of dishes on the worktable I hadn’t gotten to yet. As Mrs. Moyle heated water on the stove, I noticed the teapot decorated with blackberries—and went cold inside. My employer started chattering lightly about the day’s business, but I heard not a word of it.
I’ve done it on purpose.Left his teapot until the end, without being fully aware of it.
I stepped to the worktable and picked it up.
