“I do not know, that’s the problem. However, I am to act as her guardian so I cannot very well lounge about here.”
Burke was thoughtful for a moment. He said, “Very well. I was to take Belle, I mean Miss Minkerton, to walk the pier this morning, but I am sure she will not mind a change of plans. We will all go together to Miss Danworth’s aid.”
Charles only nodded, but he could not help but be a little irritated that Burke should wish to run to the rescue. The fellow had been told clear enough that Miss Danworth did not care to marry and that should be sufficient. There was no need to charge in and present himself as a knight answering a call of distress.
Chapter Eight
Though the summer had so far provided very few entertainments, Daisy and Mrs. Jellops found themselves unexpectedly delighted at this moment. They sat in the drawing room with the door open to listen to Mrs. Broadbent’s interview with the proprietor of the watchmen’s services. The indomitable lady had just led Mr. Deer into the dining room and did not waste a moment before launching into thewhat forshe had promised he would receive.
Mr. Deer was to understand that the men he’d sent as watchmen had proved woefully inadequate—a gaggle of children might have protected them better. While Mrs. Broadbent thought herself exceedingly liberal regarding what sort of duties she was willing to take on, chasing housebreakers was beyond the limit. She pointed out that it was hardly a recommendation for his business that such a thing had occurred, and she darkly hinted thatsomething would be doneif the situation were not rectified. Daisy had not the first idea of the something that would be done and doubted poor Mr. Deer knew either.
Mr. Deer made some feeble attempts at explaining or promising but was just as quickly run over by Mrs. Broadbent’s boundless fortitude. As Daisy listened to her housekeeper’s tirade, she came to two conclusions—she must learn some of Mrs. Broadbent’s arts and she must keep the lady always in her employment.
The end of it was: they were to have six men for the price of three, and Mrs. Broadbent was to hold off on the threatening and mysterioussomething would be done. Mrs. Broadbent then added the final stipulation that if these men were to encounter a tabby cat prowling the garden, they were not to chase it off. It was Lord Dalton’s particular cat and he would be most put out.
Mr. Deer very unconvincingly put forth that, down to a man, his fellows possessed a general love of cats. Then he fled the house.
After the door shut behind him and Mrs. Broadbent charged off to manage some other matter, Mrs. Jellops said, “I hadn’t the first idea that Lord Dalton kept a cat.”
“Nor I,” Daisy said. “How odd.” In truth, it was more than odd. Where had the cat come from? How on earth did a gentleman like Lord Dalton come into possession of a cat? He seemed more the type that would have dogs for hunting that he laid eyes on only during the season. How strange to think of him caring for an animal other than a horse.
“Our Mrs. Broadbent is very determined. I quite take comfort in it.”
“As do I,” Daisy said. “I do not know how we would have hoped to sleep a wink this coming night if we did not have that good lady nearby.”
There was a knock on the door and a footman hurried to answer it.
“Dear me,” Mrs. Jellops said quietly, “it cannot be Mr. Deer coming back for a second round. If it is, he is very foolish.”
“Maybe it is the cat,” Daisy said. She and Mrs. Jellops suppressed their laughter as the doors swung open.
It was not Mr. Deer or the elusive cat. Lord Burke and Miss Minkerton, and then Lord Dalton, were shown into the drawing room.
Bellamy led them in and then closed the door behind them.
“Goodness,” Daisy said, certain she was blushing from the surprise of it, “I had not expected you to be risen from a sickbed so soon, Lord Dalton.”
“I could hardly stay in it after Bellamy informed me of the housebreaker,” Lord Dalton said.
Daisy was pleased by the sentiment, but did not wish to appear pleased. It was the stupidest thing in the world, but it was so. She did not wish Miss Minkerton to think there was any competition in her admiration of Lord Dalton. She did not wish Lord Dalton to have any hint that she might admire him too much. Sometimes one’s feelings were not pointed in the direction of one’s own good. In this instance, they certainly were not.
The convenient thing about feelings, though, was they could be put down and dismissed with the proper determination.
“Are you quite recovered from your ordeal, Miss Danworth?” Lord Burke asked.
“Yes, I suppose,” Daisy said. “Mrs. Broadbent chased the man off.”
“Mrs. Broadbent?” Lord Dalton said.
“Oh yes,” Mrs. Jellops said, “she’s a terrifically brave and stalwart lady. We’ve just listened to her give the proprietor of the watchmen thewhat forand it was striking. It sent shivers down my spine for poor Mr. Deer.”
Lord Dalton nodded and said, “I might have thought my butler and footmen would have been of some use in the situation.”
Daisy pressed her lips together and would not for the world give away Bellamy’s pointless bluster in front of his master. Mrs. Jellops, however, was not of that mind.
The lady sniffed and said, “Talking about pounding somebody to bits when the somebody is long gone is rather closing the barn door after the horse is out. At least Mrs. Broadbent had the good sense to charge after the fellow with a wood bat.”
“You must have been so frightened!” Miss Minkerton said, sitting down beside Mrs. Jellops.
