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“Your presence may very well intimidate them, and I want to lure them into a sense of security,” Constable Philmont explained.
“Will you report your findings back to me?”
The constable nodded. “I will.”
“My wife mentioned that she spoke to her lady’s maid about the smugglers,” Oliver revealed. “You may want to speak to her first.”
Glancing down at the body, the constable said, “It was most fortunate for your wife that you had a pistol close at hand.”
“It was.”
“You have remarkable aim, especially considering the circumstances.”
“I am quite proficient with my pistol.”
The constable eyed him curiously. “You continually surprise me, milord.”
“That is not my intention,” Oliver said, his voice gruff. “I had little choice but to kill my wife’s attacker.”
“I am not contending that. I am merely trying to make sense of what happened here this evening.”
Oliver crossed his arms over his chest. “From what my wife told me, John was hiding under her bed and attacked her once she stepped out of bed.”
The constable walked over to the open window and looked out. “It would be quite difficult to climb these bricks with boots on, but it wouldn’t be impossible.”
“If one of the servants did let John in, then someone would have seen him making his way up to my wife’s bedchamber.”
“Most likely,” the constable remarked, turning back towards him. “Where is your wife now?”
“She is in my bedchamber with her lady’s maid.”
“Would you mind if I speak to her?”
Oliver frowned. “Is that truly necessary?”
“It is,” the constable replied, “but I assure you that I will attempt to be delicate with my questions.”
“See that you are.” Oliver walked over to the door that divided their bedchambers and knocked.
“Enter,” he heard his wife say.
He opened the door and was pleased to see that his wife was resting in bed. She had her back against the headboard as she sipped her tea. Her lady’s maid was sitting on a chair that had been repositioned next to the bed.
“The constable would like to speak to you,” he informed her. “Would that be permissible?”
Leaning over, Emmeline placed her cup and saucer onto the side table. “I assumed as much. You may send him in.”
Oliver gestured to the constable as Emmeline’s lady’s maid rose and went to stand against the far wall.
Constable Philmont stepped into the bedchamber and gave Emmeline an apologetic look. “I am sorry to disturb you, milady, but I have a few questions to ask you.”
“What would you care to know?”
“Did the attacker say anything to you?”
Emmeline shook her head. “He did not.”
“Have you ever seen him before?”
