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“I came as soon as I heard.”
Cassie spied his glower and waved a hand in his direction. “It’s just a small cut.”
“Small cut,” he muttered. “You could have lost an eye or worse.”
Eleanor handed him a crumpled piece of paper. “This was attached to the rock.”
He read the note. “Did anyone see it happen?”
Eleanor shook her head. “None of the servants saw anyone and Cassie and I were the only ones at the front of the house.”
He hissed out a breath. He had no desire to frighten Cassie and her sisters but whoever had done this would have had to have come onto the grounds, and if Cassie was the target, they would have been watching her. Frankly, he was grateful whoever it was had not come into the house. It wouldn’t be hard to slip into such a big building.
“Does your father know what happened?” he asked Eleanor.
“We don’t want to worry him.”
“He’s going to notice the broken window surely?”
Chastity rose from the sofa and paused to peer out of the window. “I’ve ordered everyone to stay away from the front rooms, but I doubt that will make a difference.” She gestured Luke over. “What do you suggest we do? I am at a loss, I will admit.” She glanced over her shoulder at Cassie. “I cannot let anything happen to them.”
“Hire some men to patrol the grounds. I’m sure some of the runners will be happy to do as much. And ensure the servants look out for anyone they do not know.” Luke grimaced. “We should write to Anton.”
“No,” Cassie protested. “I am not having his honeymoon ruined.”
Luke twisted to view her. “He would want to be here.” He glanced at the note. “This is a real threat, Cassie.”
“I know that.” She lifted a cloth away from her head to reveal a thin gash marring her pale skin. “And they nearly hit Eleanor. Whoever this is, we need to catch them, as soon as possible.”
“Or you need to consider that this is too dangerous,” he said firmly. He’d been a fool to underestimate the danger to her. He’d thought since nothing had happened recently, all was well, and the threat had been nothing more than the words of an addled man. It seemed they should have heeded it.
“Do you not see?” Cassie said. “This means we are scaring whoever it is who is involved in this. We are getting close to the truth.”
He shared a look with Chastity, who simply shrugged.
“Can you not persuade your sister to cease pursuing this?”
Chastity gave a wan smile. “Have you not realized by now our sister has a mind of her own?”
“We cannot let Jane down,” Cassie protested.
“We can hire someone to look into it—a private investigator,” he suggested.
Demeter nodded. “That sounds a b-better idea, Cassie.”
“And you, Eleanor, do you think I should stop?”
Eleanor shrugged. “I want to help Jane as much as you do but we have never encountered such dangers before.”
Cassie stared at the blood-soaked cloth in her hands and folded it in two. “A private investigator will not understand the urgency of the case. Nor are they likely to take a woman at their word.”
“They will take my word,” Luke reminded her.
“I promised Jane, though.”
“She would not wish you to put yourself in danger,” Chastity reminded her. “She will understand.”
Cassie shook her head. “I want to do this.”
