Harriett (The Tipton Hollow 1)

“Because that is where the threats come from and the bodies are all connected with the circle. You may be right in that the carriage could be a separate issue, but it seems like an awful lot of time and trouble for someone to go to.”

He didn’t expand on the fact that the carriage had turned up in Great Tipton. At the time, he and Isaac had just left Madame Humphries’ house, and were on their way to Miss Hepplethwaite’s property nearly a mile away. It wasn’t feasible that either woman could have been anywhere near the black carriage.

If he took into account everything that he had garnered so far, he had only one potential suspect left who wasn’t around when the carriage was.

Miss Smethwick.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

He just had no idea yet how she would get hold of a carriage and horse, or why she was so interested in the investigation, or wanted to kill Harriett. The wizened old spinster looked like the last person who would turn to murder, but he knew from professional experience that he couldn’t discount anyone, no matter how old they were.

“I can walk with Harriett whenever she needs to go anywhere, that’s not a problem,” Babette offered. Her eyes glowed with outrage th

at anyone would dare threaten one of her family and Mark almost groaned at the militant gleam in his mother’s eyes.

“She is one of us now that she is soon to be one of the family. It is down to all of us to protect her.”

“I need you to let me get my job done, mother. I am going to be the one who escorts her everywhere. If the killer does make themselves known, neither of you are in a position to arrest them.” This had the desired effect and both ladies lapsed into disgruntled silence. Somehow Mark just knew that they wouldn’t leave it at that. His suspicions were confirmed when he caught sight of the look they shared.

He mentally shook his head and heaved a sigh. “I am going to be here first thing in the morning,” he glanced at Harriett enquiringly, “say eight thirty? I will escort you to the tea shop and will be back to escort you home, at what time?”

“I leave at five o’clock when the shop shuts.”

“Anywhere else you need to go will have to wait for the time being. Right now, I have to consider that the threat is directly toward Harriett and not yourself, Babette, so you are safe to go about your business, just be careful. Don’t go out at night unless you absolutely have to. If you do go out, make sure that you take Charles with you and he is available to collect you when you are ready to return home.”

He glanced at Harriett and sighed. He knew that if anyone was likely to sneak off on a quick trip anywhere it was going to be her, but could see no way of being able to protect her during those trips unless he dogged her every footstep. It was imperative to everyone that he get this investigation completed as soon as possible. The quicker the killer was brought to justice, the sooner he and Harriett could get on with their future together.

Harriett felt strangely overwhelmed by the concern on everyone’s faces. She had never really considered just how serious, or precarious, her situation was before. Although she had been present at the scene of the two recent deaths, she had never really felt as though they had any direct association to her. Now she knew differently, and was scared witless. However, although she was very grateful for Mark’s kind offer of protection, she couldn’t help but want more of the man beside her rather than the police officer, especially after his kisses tonight.

“I will stay in the tea shop throughout the day. I don’t need to leave until the shop shuts, and I am sure that Uncle Charles will pop out for anything we need throughout the day.”

“I will go with you if you need to go out in the evening.”

“But you have work to do. It is inevitable that you cannot be here all of the time,” she protested.

“I am going to be here as much as I can be. It is important now that I get this investigation moving a lot more quickly, but my work can stop in an evening to enable me to be free to take you wherever you need to go,” Mark argued.

He mentally planned a second early morning visit to the redoubtable Miss Smethwick. This time though, he was going to take her to the station if she didn’t tell him everything he wanted to know.

“As I said to you earlier, if I cannot be here then I will ensure that someone from my team will be able to take you where you need to go.”

Harriett nodded and felt strangely threatened by the concern on his face.

As if he sensed her fear, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He was aware of the looks his mother and Babette threw at their clasped hands but didn’t give a damn what they thought.

“Just work with me on this Harriett, and I will keep you safe. Nobody is going to harm you, darling.”

He thought he heard someone say ‘aah’, but couldn’t be sure and didn’t pay all that much attention. When his mother yawned, he glanced at the time and was shocked to note that it was well past midnight.

“If you have to be up early in the morning, I suggest you get some sleep,” he added ruefully and tugged Harriett upward as he rose. “I am going to get mother home and then head off to bed. I will see you first thing in the morning. Don’t leave home without me,” he tipped her chin up and, in the shocked presence of their mothers, dared to kiss her on her startled lips. He quickly said goodnight and waved his delighted mother toward the door.

Later that night, Harriett lay in bed and listened to the chimes of the clock on the mantle. Sleep eluded her. She knew that she would be exhausted tomorrow. Although the tea shop was relatively civilised, it was very busy all the time and she was going to be half asleep on her feet if she didn’t get at least a few hours of rest. Unfortunately, her mind wouldn’t close down and flipped from the near-death brush with the carriage, to the wonderful sensations Mark’s kisses brought forth.

The soft click of a door broke the stillness of the night. She frowned into the darkness. She was fairly certain that the noise wasn’t from inside the house. Her heart began to beat loudly in her ears and she pushed the bed covers off her legs. She crept quietly across the room and eased the corner of the curtain aside so she could see the street beneath the window. The gas lamps hadn’t been installed on Daventry Street, and the lights situated on the main road weren’t bright enough to eradicate the gloom, but she was still able to see Babette scurry down the street.

Harriett scowled at the time and wondered just where her aunt needed to go at such an ungodly hour in the morning.

Was it Babette, or had it been someone else?