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CHAPTERTWELVE
Clara gave Ralph a sidelong glance as they returned to the Earl of Kinross’s estate. The morning was warming a bit and the heat radiating from her cheeks was surely caused by the rising temperature and not her breathless curiosity over what he wished to say.
There is something I need to tell you. What was it? She searched her mind. Did he wish to tell her about the criminals? His past? Her breath caught and held. His feelings? Did he care for her the way she did him? Was that why he’d kissed her?
She looked over at him, his face set in hard, unreadable lines as they crunched down the isolated trail.
How did she ask? She needed another chance to speak with him privately.
Looking up at the clear blue sky, she tried to decide how she might find an opportunity. Surely there was one, this was a house party of sorts, after all.
But she didn’t know his schedule. Could she ask Priscilla for help? Ralph was her brother-in-law. It made her ideal in that she likely knew Ralph’s habits, but what would Priscilla think of Clara’s attempt to be alone with him?
The estate came into view, and the three of them made their way up the drive, birds calling in the sunshine as they traversed the large front steps.
The front door swung open, the butler greeting them as Clara began to remove her bonnet. But she’d not even untied the ribbon when Kinross came barreling down the stairs. His hair, as usual, had the appearance of being perfectly windswept, his shoulders set in straight lines as he scowled down at them.
“You,” he barked, pointing a finger in their direction.
Marcus straightened. “You’ll have to be more specific. Which one of us has caught your ire?”
For a moment a smile touched Clara’s lips. Her brother had always been young Kinross’s second, so to speak. But she could see how her brother had become his own man.
“Fitzroy,” Kinross said, baring his teeth. “What’s this I hear about you waving about the queen’s seal as you ask questions about my father?”
A wave of confusion traveled down her body. Did this have to do with the thieves? Why would Ralph need to ask questions about the former Earl of Kinross? “The queen?” she asked, her brow furrowing.
Ralph didn’t look at her, but his frown twitched as he looked up at Kinross, his chest expanding. “What’s your question?”
“I asked it,” Kinross barked, waving his finger.
“You said that you heard talk. I confirmed I had her seal. There’s no question there.” Ralph took a half step closer in front of Clara, crossing his arms over his chest.
But Clara’s mind still reeled.
“What does the queen wish to know about my father’s death?”
There was a moment of silence as Ralph’s jaw worked before he answered, “That is a question for her, not me.”
“But she’s not here, in my house, accepting my hospitality. So why don’t you answer? Why are you here, Mister Fitzroy?”
“To see to the safety of the Viscount Ware.”
“Lies!” Kinross boomed. “I know you’re here investigating my father’s death. Does the queen think I’m responsible?”
Ralph shifted to stand completely in front of Clara and quickly looked over his shoulder at her brother. “Get her out of here.”
She blinked several times as her brother’s hand came to her arm. But she didn’t move, not even when he pulled. She needed to know what was about to be said.
“Answer me,” Kinross yelled again. “You’ll tell me now or I’ll call you out, sir.”
“There’s no need for that.” Ralph raised his hands. “Her Majesty only wished to make sure that the earl’s death was natural.”
The conversation continued but Clara stopped hearing the words, a buzzing filling her mind.
Ralph was here to investigate thieves. He’d told her so… But it sounded as though he was also investigating the earl’s death?
How could he complete two investigations at once? Snippets of conversations floated back to her. His vagueness. The fact that he’d been so certain the highwaymen were not responsible.
