Benjamin caught Miss Whitchurch when she swooned, scoopingher into his arms to carry her to the nearest armchair, where he sat and cradled her on his lap. Behind him, he knew Patterson and the others escorted Mr. Betts and the women outside. He heard Patterson instruct one of the footmen to accompany the women home safely, while the butler and Brunswick led Mr. Betts to the fellow’s carriage.
Meanwhile, Benjamin held the woman who owned his heart upon his lap. He rocked her as he might have rocked the child. “I have you, love,” he whispered close to her ear.
She moaned and snuggled closer to him. “Cold,” she sighed.
“A blanket, Mr. Patterson,” Benjamin ordered as his butler locked the outside door.
Within less than a minute, Patterson returned with a covering. “Here, my lord.” His man spread a small blanket over Miss Whitchurch’s shoulders and back. “Poor dear,” Patterson murmured.
“See the others, including Mrs. Sullivan and the boy, into the main part of the house and send someone to tend my horse. Miss Whitchurch has had a shock. We will join everyone later.”
“Assuredly, my lord.” Mr. Patterson gently tucked the blanket about the lady before he ushered everyone who was looking on in concern from the room.
“Just rest as long as you need,” Benjamin told her. “I will not leave you,” he whispered as he kissed the top of her head. “You are safe with me.”
How long they remained as such, Benjamin did not know nor did he care. The lady required someone she could trust, and, like it or not, he wanted to be that person in her life. Darkness had filled the room before she did more than trace the outline of his stick pin. “Could Mr. Betts have told the truth?” she asked at last.
“I cannot say with confidence,” he replied. “We know your sister did not apply for the cook’s position at The Red Rooster, but we do not know if she found work elsewhere. Now, with Mrs. Taylor’s demise, even if Miss Cassandra searched you out at your formerquarters, she would not learn of your directions unless she called at Sustar’s.”
“I thought I heard her that morning in the close when you pulled me into your arms,” she reasoned aloud.
Benjamin did not deny her hopes, though he knew she likely heard what she wanted to hear, as the mind sometimes plays such tricks upon a person. Instead, he said, “With all that has happened of late, I am confident Duncan has not completed his inquiries on your behalf. Lord Liverpool has demanded Duncan’s constant attention, but only a day ago Lord Graham volunteered to take up the cause. Graham performs often in a covert manner. He has many connections that others do not.”
“Do you think he could discover Cassandra?” she asked softly.
“I will send a message around to him and accept his assistance,” Benjamin assured. “You must understand, if Betts’s words prove true…”
“He was likely with her when Cassandra died. Perhaps he had something to do with her death.”
“Thank you forcoming so quickly, Graham,” Benjamin said as he shook his brother’s hand.
“Your message said there was some urgency.”
Benjamin poured them both a drink before he explained his purpose. “I wish to accept your offer to assist Miss Whitchurch in locating her sister.” He motioned Graham to a nearby chair.
“Of course, but what has brought on your heightened concerns?” Graham asked as he lowered his weight into the chair.
Benjamin sat heavily. “God was guiding my steps today. I arrivedhome to find Mr. Jonas Betts harassing Miss Whitchurch. He had forced himself into the house.”
Graham grinned, his scar puckering his lips on one side. “I pray you kicked his arse into the street. Betts is a prat of the first realm.”
Benjamin sighed heavily. “I was too busy slamming him into the tiled floor to kick his arse. He put his filthy hand on Miss Whitchurch.”
“Next time, remember, we all know permanent ways to be rid of a body.” Graham’s smile widened.
Benjamin permitted Graham’s easy manner to calm his frustration. “Next time,” he said, “I will follow your advice. Yet, what was worse was the dastard said something that I must investigate, but I have no idea where to begin.”
“As I have said previously, I am your servant,” Graham assured. “Do you possess a starting point for our search? What has been done previously?”
“Unfortunately, I have failed the lady in that manner. I have become accustomed to her presence in my house, and I fear I have unconsciously not pursued any leads because I did not wish for Miss Whitchurch to leave. Moreover, it has taken the lady longer than it should have to trust me,” Benjamin admitted. He sighed again. “While I was ordering Mr. Betts from my home, Miss Whitchurch was begging him to bring Miss Cassandra to see the child, to which Betts responded that Cassandra Whitchurch was dead. Has been dead since early June.”
“How would Betts know that?” Graham asked with a frown.
“Betts could have been performing in a purposeful manner to harm Miss Whitchurch, for she repeatedly rejected his advances, even going so far as to take up a position as a teacher in a girls’ school in Bath to avoid him, while the younger sister encouraged Betts’s advances,” Benjamin confided.
“And you came by this information how?” Graham asked with a lift of his brows in apparent amusement.
Benjamin found himself grinning. “I asked what those from Hampshire in Duncan’s office knew of Lord Betts and his son.”
