The driver reined in. The groom jumped down and opened the door for us, gazing into the far distance and doing his well-trained best to look as though he had no idea what we were about.
Rowena and I picked our way into the coppice along what might have been a path made by animals, but more likely by local courting couples. Once we were no longer able to see the carriage I sat down on a fallen tree trunk and Rowena perched beside me.
‘What is it? Something is wrong.’
‘Arabella is frightened,’ Rowena whispered back. ‘Not grieving, but scared. She was genuinely relieved when I arrived, and I was a complete stranger. Now she stays in her room, but whenever she has to come out she clings to me.’
‘Who is she so scared of?’
‘I do not know. She hasn’t confided. But she avoids the men, all of them except Adrien.’
‘Do you think one of them has made an improper advance to her?’
‘I don’t think it is that.’ Rowena worried her lower lip between her teeth for a moment, then blurted, ‘I think she knows who the killer is.’
‘Then why doesn’t she tell someone? She could tell you, or Lady Radcliffe, or me.’
‘I don’t know.’ Rowena shook her head in exasperation. ‘We could try asking her directly. Surely she’ll feel safe with us and away from Tillingham Hall?’
‘We had better get back,’ I said. ‘Otherwise Lady Radcliffe will think we are flirting with some handsome hedger.’
‘More likely a poacher,’ Rowena said with a flash of her old spirit.
Chapter Fourteen
When we were on our way again I asked if there was a viewpoint we could drive to. ‘It is so gloriously clear, I am sure we could see for miles.’
Arabella nodded. ‘It is r
ather steep, but the horses are fresh. The next turning on the left.’
We wound our way up through the heavy woodland, startling a herd of fallow deer that ran across our path, making the horses shy. I thought at one point we would have to get out and walk, but the pair were strong and steady and we emerged out of the woods onto sheep-cropped turf dotted with gorse bushes and a view that took the breath away.
‘We could take the carriage rug to sit on and go and admire the prospect from over there.’ Conscious of listening ears on the box I pointed to a level patch of grass near the edge.
‘What a good idea. It will rest the horses.’
We settled down at our chosen spot and I turned to Arabella. There didn’t seem to be any point in beating about the bush. ‘What are you frightened of?’ I asked. ‘Or should I say, who?’
She made a sound like a kitten whose tail has been trodden on. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You are as pale as flour, you have lost weight and you look utterly miserable,’ I said. ‘And I do not believe for a moment that you are grieving so deeply for Lord Tillingham that you can neither eat nor sleep.’
‘And you are as jumpy as a cat and are clearly uncomfortable when the gentlemen are present,’ Rowena said. ‘You aren’t unhappy, you are scared.’
‘You can tell us, my dear.’ Lady Radcliffe spoke kindly, Good Cop to our two Bad Cops. ‘We can protect you. We only want to get to the truth of all this.’
‘Do you know who the killer was?’ I demanded when all Arabella did was shake her head and look away.
‘Of course not! Nobody is frightening me. I want to go home.’
‘Then why do you not do so?’ Rowena said. ‘You were here for the funeral, nobody can expect more from you.’
‘Mama says I must stay. And Mrs Horace Prescott says so too.’
‘They want you to marry one of Horace’s sons,’ I said. ‘Percy probably, he’s the eldest. But you can always say no.’
‘I think Percy is rather nice,’ Rowena said. ‘He has a sense of humour and he is kind. Don’t you like him?’