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Jeb shook his head. “I think Myers has been living around these parts somewhere. We need to interrogate him to find out where he lives. Right now, all I am interested in Sophia.”
He looked toward the ceiling longingly and wished the Hell the doctor would appear.
“You care a lot about her, don’t you?” Barnaby murmured. He took a seat at the table and watched Jeb nod.
“I didn’t expect it, I will be honest with you,” Jeb whispered. “But now that it has happened I cannot help but be delighted. I think I have wanted to settle down for a long time, but the circumstances just haven’t been right. It is safe to say that my work for the Star Elite needs to continue for the time being, but Sophia has to be my priority. She is too important to me to lose. I will quit if I have to, just to be with her.”
“It won’t come to that,” Barnaby assured him. “I think it is going to take some time to get to the bottom of this investigation and put Sayers behind bars, but we can do it. If you are sure that you want to see this through to the bitter end then I am immensely grateful to you. We could use your help, but if you want to leave us then I completely understand. However, it is possible to have both you know. Look at Archie, Christian, Sir Hugo, Simon, and all of the others. They are
all happily married with a tribe of children, and they still work efficiently. You can have it all. It just takes a little juggling, that’s all.”
“And one heck of an understanding wife,” Jeb smiled.
“That too, but if you keep your wife busy with children then she won’t really notice you are gone all that much,” Barnaby retorted with a smirk.
Jeb shook his head but conceded that Barnaby may well have a point.
“I am pleased for you,” Barnaby assured him with a grin. “Now all you have to do is persuade her that you a likeable man.”
Jeb smiled. “I am a likeable man.”
He knew his friend was trying to lighten his worry but couldn’t shift the fear and anxiety riding him. He wouldn’t until could be sure that Sophia was going to survive.
“I think we need to decamp to the Squire’s house once we are sure Sophia is alright. We need to inform his wife about his death, but also warn her about the intended theft. I think it would be best if, for the time being, we sent her to stay with relatives. Then, once someone does try to steal the jewels, we can hopefully capture Bamber, and close this part of the investigation.”
“Then it is back to Sayers in London,” Jeb murmured, partly to get confirmation from Barnaby that was where they were going to go next.
He had no doubt Sophia wasn’t going to want to stay in this house indefinitely, and he couldn’t expect her to go all the way to London to stay in some hotel while he worked. Neither could he contemplate her returning to Hooky in Buckinghamshire. He knew Hooky hoped to be here by the end of the week in three days hence. That being the case, Jeb could remain in Framley Meadow until Hooky arrived. Hopefully, Sophia would be at Briggleberry recuperating, and getting to know his father a little better by then.
Thankfully, the doctor chose that moment to appear in the kitchen. Jeb shot to his feet and turned to face him, his heart in his throat.
“Well?” he demanded without preamble.
Used to dealing with fraught relatives, the doctor recognised the look on Jeb’s face and immediately offered him a placating smile.
“She is well enough given what has happened to her. She has bruising on her throat, and there will be some soreness there for a while yet, and considerable markings. Other than that, she should make a full recovery after a period of convalescence.”
“Can I see her now?” he demanded.
Before the doctor could reply, he stormed through the house, raced up the stairs, and swept into Sophia’s room.
The last thing he expected was to find her propped up in the bed plucking absently at the bed sheets across her lap.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
“Jeb,” she whispered tearfully as soon as she saw him.
Within seconds, he had her settled in his lap and held her close while she wept into his shoulder.
“I am sorry, Sophia,” he murmured over and over. “I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry.”
When she had calmed down, she leaned back so she could look up into his face. “It’s not your fault.”
“I should have protected you better,” he said softly.
“I lived with her and she has never given me any reason to fear for my life. She has been nothing but surly and mean, but I didn’t think she would try to kill me,” she replied.
“Don’t even think about that woman now,” Jeb ordered darkly. “She is on her way to jail and won’t ever be released.”
