“You didn’t answer me by the way. Who are you?” She prompted when she realised he had yet to tell her who awaited him in London.
“I can’t go into that right now,” Barnaby replied. He knew from the look on her face that she was about to protest and held up a placatory hand. “It isn’t that I don’t want to, I just cannot risk someone being able to overhear me even out here. I promise I will tell you everything as soon as I can but not right now.”
Rose had to concede defeat. If she was honest, and it galled her to admit it, but he had gotten them out of numerous scrapes since the murders. Had she been left on her own she probably wouldn’t even be alive by now.
“Tell me about your parents, Rose,” Barnaby urged her when he couldn’t stand the silence a moment longer. He had no idea why it was grating on him but he actually wanted her to talk to him.
“What do you want to know?”
“They are drunkards but are they wealthy? What does your father do? How long have you lived around here? How old are you by the way?”
“I am five and twenty,” Rose replied.
Her declaration stunned him and drew a swift glance from him that made her lips curve.
“You are not wed are you?” Barnaby demanded suddenly.
“No,” Rose shook her head but didn’t expand. She didn’t want to divulge that particular humiliation to the man and was grateful when he didn’t push. “There is no husband or suitor. My parents were wealthy but their fortune has dwindled considerably over the last several years. My father doesn’t do much at all these days except drink. He used to dabble in business here and there but I have never really gotten to the bottom of what he really did. I know he inherited fortunes from several elderly members of the family over the years and has lived off the money.”
A dissolute waster, Barnaby thought.
“Our house was part of an inheritance he received. I cannot remember where we lived when I was younger, but I do know that when I was about five years old, we moved into the house we call home and have been there ever since.”
There was a dispassionate tone in her voice that warned him her childhood hadn’t been a particularly happy one. He suspected that with wastrel parents nobody’s childhood could be enjoyable.
“What about you?” Rose asked.
Barnaby mentally winced and knew his questions had been foolish because they would naturally reciprocate a likewise enquiry.
“I think I had better leave that for another time as well,” Barnaby replied ruefully. “I will tell you everything, about me, what you saw, the people you are going to meet, and what will be expected of you in time, just not now.”
Rose sighed. Talking about her parents and home left her with a vague feeling of disquiet she couldn’t quite shake off. It felt as though she was shedding a skin and ridding herself of numerous illogical problems none of which she could resolve. Life with her parents was awkward and often humiliating and, in a way, she was glad to be able to leave it for a while. What that meant for her future she had no idea because at some point she had to face the consequences of simply vanishing for a while. Like Barnaby said though, not right now.
“You look pensive,” Barnaby murmured when he noticed her frowning down at her feet. “Are you missing home?”
“Not really,” Rose replied firmly.
Barnaby lifted his brows. “Oh?”
“I think it will do my parents good to be left to their own devices for a while. They will have to look after themselves for a change. It will give them something other than themselves to think about,” she declared firmly.
Unsurprised, Barnaby grinned. “You have a point there.”
“However, there is one problem,” Rose continued. Although she kept her face bland, she was inwardly bracing herself for what she was about to do. “I will go along with you to London and set aside my life to tell your colleagues what I saw. However, I want something from you in return.”
“I don’t think you are in a position to barter with me,” Barnaby said far too quietly for her peace of mind.
“I can leave,” Rose argued.
Barnaby snorted. “You won’t get very far.”
Rose looked askance at him.
“What do you want?” Barnaby said in a patronising tone.
Rose didn’t know if he expected her to ask to go shopping for a new dress or something and took a moment to contemplate how best to ask for what she wanted. Once settled in her mind, she lifted her brows at him.
“You are a total stranger to me. You are expecting me to follow you around the country on a whim, and leave behind everything I know,” she began.