Page 71 of The Cornish Inheritance

“So, you’re saying he tried to kill me today?”

She nodded. “I’m almost sure he did. Think about it again. He won’t start with the first in line—your grandfather. He’ll go last because he’s sure he’s going to die soon and he can afford to wait for nature to take its course. All he needs to do is remove you and Yves, then marry Hetty and the inheritance is his to keep. Yves, whom everyone’s been told is weakly and not expected to live. You and Yves are in terrible danger.”

“And my grandfather.”

“Him too, but nowhere near as much as you and Yves. Trefusis tried to kill you today and failed. That saddle’s probably down an old disused mineshaft where you’ll never find it. And he won’t stop at today. He’s going to try again. Don’t forget what Hetty said—that there’s a curse on the male Treloars. If something happens to you, the locals will say it was the curse.”

“And Yves?”

“At first I thought it was only your stepmother who wanted him gone so you could inherit, but now I think it’s not just her. It has to be Trefusis, although how he would have persuaded Bridget to do it for him, I don’t know. Well, I can imagine but that’s too horrible to put into words. I think it’s probably both of them. Together.”

“What’re you talking about? Explain yourself.”

“Bridget has been dosing Yves with large quantities of laudanum. Miss Hawkins discovered it and was dismissed, as was Hester the old nursery maid. She thinks—Yves and I met her in Penzance—that whoever’s behind it—she thinks it’s Mrs. Treloar—was trying to make her the scapegoat, so they could blame her for doing it to him. I found the bottle in Bridget’s room and swapped it for a harmless liquid, but last night it was topped up again and Yves was half asleep this morning. It’s a very dangerous thing to give so small a child.”

She waited, hardly daring to breathe, gazing up into those troubled blue eyes.

“How long have you known?”

“I didn’t know all of it until you told me you were only Mrs. Treloar’s stepson. Before that…” She hesitated. “Before that I thought perhaps it was you who wanted Yves out of the way so you could inherit. When you told me she wasn’t your mother, I realized she couldn’t be doing it for you. And then I worked out it had to be Trefusis with his eye to marrying Hetty and taking the inheritance all for himself.”

He nodded. “Quite the detective. I’m impressed.” Exactly what his grandfather had said.

“We have to stop them.”

He nodded. “There’s nothing I can do tonight, but I’ll speak to my grandfather in the morning about dismissing Trefusis. That would be a start. He seems the catalyst to all of this. Without him here, my stepmother will have no reason, surely, to ill wish Yves and me.”

“You think? She’ll still want Hetty to be the only heiress, you mark my words. If she’s involved in this, and I’m becoming more and more certain she is, although it might not be her idea and she may just be under the influence of Trefusis because she thinks he loves her.” She refrained from mentioning how convinced she was of Mrs. Treloar’s guilt. Let Nat accustom himself to this first.

“I think after today Yves should be safe tonight,” Nat said with a sigh. “And I should be, too.” He gave her a wry smile. “But tomorrow, I promise, we’ll see the back of Trefusis if I have to kick him down the drive myself.”

Caroline chuckled. “I have to say, I’d like to see you do that. If you decide to, promise to warn me in advance so I can come to watch.”

He chuckled. “I promise. Now, you’d best get back to your watch on Yves, I should think. Just in case. It doesn’t do to become complacent. I shall be quite all right now. Trefusis won’t dare do anything to me right here at Roskilly. He’ll be planning to wait a while before he strikes again.”

Caroline nodded. “I’ll go and read Yves a chapter of his favorite story.” She laid her hand on Nat’s. “Goodnight.”

His blue eyes met hers. “Goodnight, Caroline.” For a moment she couldn’t drag her own away. His were almost hypnotic, or was she just at her most vulnerable right now?

With an immense effort of will, she tore her eyes away and hurried out of the stables. Yves would be very pleased to have her read to him.