Page 38 (1/2)

Her talents didn’t make for impressive exhibitions She wasn’t an artist like Delia, or a scientific scholar like her sister Minerva Foolish as she iined it would sound to others--in particular, to Piers--solving thisfor her It was her chance to claim an accomplishment With each suspect she’d crossed off her list, she’d felt herself closer to the moment where she could stand back and say, "I did that"

And now, it seereat deal of effort and tie a treasured friendship Her entire visit in Nottinghamshire had been one ht, a sense of true despair came over her Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes

In a week’s time, all her foolish errors would be exposed to the world She had only a few days re here? She should return to spend the afternoon with Delia, before Delia stopped speaking with her at all

Chapter Thirteen

After co, painfully audible stream of urination, Sir Vernon buttoned his falls and stepped out fro like a good ride to hounds to get the bodily hu Eh, Granville?"

Piers coirth and saddle "Pity the hunt was for naught"

"Oh, it’s never for naught No, no It’s not the fox we’re after It’s the chase The thrill We sportsmen can’t live without it, can we? Feeds one appetite as surely as it works up another" He gave Piers an elbow in the ribs "Now let’s turn our sights to prettier quarry, shall we? The ladies will be waiting for us on the hill There’s a vixen there you should be chasing I understand Miss Highwood h Delia wouldn’t She entle with the ladies on the hill Her golden hair co loose, her cheeks pink froht, clear blue as the sky He thought about sitting next to her, acceptingher suck the juice fro her back on that picnic blanket to taste those berry-stained lips

And then he thought better of the entire plan

Even though Sir Vernon saw hientleman of leisure, Piers had a task to complete He couldn’t let pass the opportunity to have Parkhurst Manor to hiet to opening those locked drawers in the library

In the grand schenment But to Piers, it had become vital He needed to prove to himself that he could still carry out his role Because if he couldn’t? All the sha for the past twenty years would catch up to him

He would die inside

"Thank you," he said, "but I’ll ride back to the manor I agement before the end of my visit, the betrothal contracts need to be settled"

Sir Vernon gave a deep belly laugh "I never met the female mind ooed by contracts You need to pass soround today, but you can’t have Miss Highwood doing the saan to reply, but the older man interrupted

"No," he said, in a manner of confidentiality "You’re a man of trehwood changed her , we both know that wouldn’t be without precedent Your previous would-be bride slipped away"