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“Smart girl,” Paul said with a warm smile for Margaret. “What happened after that?” He asked her.
“Sir Francis left and I told her ladyship that she should tell Lord Carrick, but she said it was nothing. She said that Sir Francis was just upset over some business from the summer, from when she was visiting her mother’s family in Ireland. But she said she would tell you and that it was best if I forgot about it.” She threw Lord Carrick a pleading look but he waved it off.
“You had no way of knowing.”
“No,” Reginald agreed. “Did Lady Carrick know anyone named Lois Mara?” He asked and Margaret paled.
“Lois Mara?” She said, then let out another nervous squeak. “Don’t you mean Lois O’Mara?”
“Possibly,” Reginald said quickly. “Who’s Lois O’Mara?”
“Well… She was the maid that died that summer. She was found drowned in a pond. Lois had tended to Lady Carrick, dressing her and delivering her breakfast in the morning and whatnot,” Margaret explained.
“Get out!” Reginald whispered and Margaret’s jaw fell as she slowly rose. “Not you!” Reginald said and gestured for her to sit back down. “Do they know what happened to Lois? Who did it?” He urged, signaling to Paul so he’d pay close attention.
“They didn’t, my lord!” Margaret said angrily. “It was such a terrible thing! They said she might have done it herself or had a falling out with her young man and they just left it at that.”
“Did Lois have a rosary by any chance?” Reginald asked. She covered her mouth and nodded as she looked at Carrick and then at Paul.
“She would have, being Catholic. But one of the other girls, Peggy, noticed that Lois’s rosary wasn’t in any of her things and mentioned it to the housekeeper, Ms. Donahue. She made a note of it in her journal and said she’d look for it but nothing ever came of it. No one ever mentioned Lois’s rosary again, as far as I can recall. How could you know, my lord?”
“I’m a time-traveling wizard!” He whispered.
“My lord!” She protested and crossed herself.
“That will be all,” Paul said as he helped Margaret up and turned her toward the door. “Thank you for your assistance.” He gave Reginald a hard look but Paul ruined the effect by smiling before he offered Lord Carrick his hand. “I have a feeling we’re very close to finding your wife’s killer.”
“I cannot thank you enough, Mr. Sloan. Perhaps this nightmare will finally be over,” he said. Reginald thought he saw Paul’s jaw twitch.
“It was all Lord Marston and he appears to have this just about sorted out for us.”
“He does, indeed. Thank you, Marston. I don’t know if there’s any way I can help with your current…nightmare but I’ll do what I can,” Lord Carrick said sincerely. Reginald raised a shoulder, not at all concerned because Paul was right, they were very close to solving this little puzzle.
“Don’t bother. It’ll be like none of it ever happened,” he said with a jaunty salute for Carrick. “Come along, Paul. I think that’s enough work for one day.”
“Work? We talked to one maid,” Paul argued but Reginald didn’t let his pouting ruin the mood.
“And just as I said, she was the key and she led us to Lois O’Mara!” Reginald said with an ecstatic cheer, then apologized to Lord Carrick’s butler as he was helped into his coat. He waited until they were back in his coach and headed home to explain. “She isn’t the first Margaret O’Reilly we’ve encountered. I clearly need to go back and reanalyze everything Mr. Lavender learned from her.”
“Mr. Lavender? Lord Lavender wasn’t with us,” Paul reminded Reginald but he wasn’t listening.
“She’s the key to this mystery as well. I just need a little ‘quiet time’ to dig through all of this,” he said and pointed at his forehead. His brain was a rolling stew of dates, names, and historical parallels. Reginald was getting anxious as he got closer to finding the answer, the nucleus of this nightmare, because it would all be useless if he couldn’t get back and tell Paul and Lavender. “Give me an hour or two with my kit and a little bit of peace and quiet and I’ll sort this out!” He reassured Paul but he looked pensive and crossed his arms as he watched Reginald from the other bench.
“And then what, my lord?” He asked hesitantly. Reginald wondered if Paul was bracing himself.
“I suppose I’ll prove that you and I are soulmates if you haven’t figured that out for yourself by then,” Reginald said with a shrug.
“I find it difficult to fathom, seeing as you don’t believe any of this is real.”
“I don’t see what that has to do with it. My soul currently resides here, does it not? So it only makes sense that it would seek out its true mate.”
“What?” Paul squinted at Reginald for several moments. “Can’t you see why I’d have reservations about caring for someone who doesn’t believe I’m real?”
“Absolutely. Which will only be a greater testament to the ardent and unstoppable passion we share,” Reginald said. He gave Paul’s knee an affectionate pat but he was still dubious as the coach slowed and eased out of traffic. “I promise, I will prove that Lord Winterstone and Sir Francis are behind this and that I’m not mad.”
“I am both encouraged and concerned for my future existence,” Paul replied with a wide smile.
“Why? You’re much happier in the future,” Reginald stated as the door was opened by a footman. He climbed out and Lavender was pacing on the stoop. “We were just about to retire for the evening,” Reginald informed him and Lavender frowned as he took out his pocket watch.
“We were not,” Paul said. “Did you learn anything at the Coonans’?” He asked, warranting a disgusted laugh from Lavender.
“You’re going to be thrilled,” he warned Paul with a withering glare at Reginald. “Lord Winterstone has decided to hold an impromptu concert at his house tonight and he insists that Lord Marston attend.” He widened his eyes at Paul. “I think it’s safe to assume that Lord Winterstone now knows that Marston’s been making inquiries about him and his involvement with the ladies Eldon.”
“What do you suggest?” Paul asked Lavender and he made a tired sound as he rubbed a temple.
“Neither of us wants to be within the vicinity of whatever uproar Lord Marston will create, but I think we should go and let Lord Winterstone make his move.”
There was a tight nod of agreement from Paul. “At least we know it’s an ambush.”
“So much for an evening at home,” Reginald said and sighed longingly at Paul. He’d planned to use the rest of the day to reexamine everything he and Lavender had learned from both Margaret O’Reillys. He was also going to seduce Paul but Reginald would have to hold off until later. “Come along, sir,” he said with a nod at Lavender. “Let’s see if we can find something for me to wear that won’t be a total disappointment.”
