Luke nodded. He saw nothing but pure honestly flashing back at him and was inwardly relieved that she may not be connected to the murder after all.
Aware that people were seated only a few feet away, Poppy kept her voice low. “How could I strangle someone of that size? Why would I?”
“Do you know who he is?”
“Why should I?” she countered in a voice that was nothing short of a hushed, slightly panicked whisper.
“He is a member of aristocracy; the ton and has several connections in high places. He has been identified. You must have read it in the broadsheets.” He watched her frown and immediately wondered if she could read because she looked decidedly evasive.
“I haven’t read the broadsheets of late.” She had, and had scoured every page for mention of Luke, or the body in the park, but so far had seen nothing but a brief article to say that a body had been found by persons unknown. The article had gone on to describe the life and work of a notable gentleman but she couldn’t remember much in the way of details. It was all connected to a world in which she didn’t belong.
“Well, the dead man was rich and had several friends in high places. He was strangled by someone who then dumped his body in the river.”
“What’s that got to do with me?”
“Why were you in that park?”
“Why were you in the park?” she challenged with a frown. She didn’t like the way he kept exchanging eye contact with the man at the bar. Her stomach was tied up in knots with the tension that thrummed through her. So much so that she knew that if she stayed there for too much longer she was going to be sick right in front of him.
“Look, who are you? Why are you asking me these questions? I told you that I didn’t kill him. I am sorry if you didn’t like the fact that I left the park and didn’t follow your orders but I don’t know you. I am under no obligation to explain my conduct to you, now or ever. I am sorry, but you are barking up the wrong tree if you think I had anything to do with that man’s death, or can tell you anything that might be of any use. I saw nobody you didn’t see. I didn’t even see the man in the woods you claim you chased.”
She swallowed as a tendril of suspicion began to formulate in the back of her mind. Was the man beside her the murderer? Was he pestering her to try to find out whether she witnessed him kill the dead man? Was that why his friend was standing beside the door, effectively blocking the exit? She had to walk right past him if she wanted to leave. She glanced down at her bags and moved her feet to reassure herself that they were still there. It was then that she realised that Mr Brindley had no bags with him. Nearly everyone else in the tap had bags of some kind with them, predominantly because they were travelling to and from places.
Had Luke, Mr Brindley, been waiting around the coaching inn for her to try to leave town?
Panic began to set in the more she contemplated what she knew. He had been just as evasive as her about whom he was and why he was so involved. His relentless pursuit of questions warned her that this was no ordinary run-of-the-mill gentleman with too much time on his hands. Nobody, no member of the public who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, would actively pursue someone across London like this. So who was he if he wasn’t the killer? Why wasn’t he being honest with her?
“Who are you?” she persisted with a frown.
“I am just someone who got stuck with a body in the park the other day because you left when I asked you to stay.”
“I didn’t realise it was that important. You left me alone in the park with a dead man. What would I have done if someone other than you had stumbled upon me? It looked suspicious even to me, and I didn’t do anything.”
“Why were you in the park then?” Luke challenged. “Who was that woman in the yard just now whom you claim tried to push you under the carriage?”
“I don’t know,” Poppy whispered. “I have never seen her before either.”
“Are you sure?”
Poppy nodded. “Yes, I am sure.”
“Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt you?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say ‘no’, but then she thought about what had happened in the kitchen with Clarence. As she remembered those fateful moments that had changed her outlook on life completely, she touched her cheek with tentative fingers.
Luke watched the shadows appear in her eyes and knew she was remembering a painful moment in time. He wanted to touch her, to reassure her everything would be all right, but had no idea what she had just remembered. He remained quiet and waited patiently until she remembered where she was.
“She wasn’t familiar to me,” she replied.
She tried desperately to block out the shiver of attraction she felt toward the man beside her, but couldn’t. It seemed to make the decision to return to Cumbria more important than ever. Life in Cumbria, although dull and boring at times, was a lot less complicated than here in London. She yearned for those peace-filled, tranquil days in some ways, but dreaded going back in others. At least here she had different opportunities. In Cumbria, she was very aware that life in the country restricted her ability to find suitable employment somewhat – whatever that ‘suitable employment’ might be.
So that’s a yes then, Luke thought but chose not to push for details right now.
“Last call for Northern, route 112,” the portly yard manager yelled through the door.
When Poppy picked up her bag, Luke frowned. “I thought you were from the south?”
She looked at him, painfully aware that he had just caught her out with a li