She huffed out an exasperated breath. “And anyway, why here?”
“Because I need to think, and I’d just as soon keep Nicholas under observation while I do.” They reached the folly. He didn’t pause but towed her up the steps and along to the chaise with the best view, then faced her and released her hand.
Eyes narrowing, she glared at him, then, with a swish of her skirts, sat. He sat beside her.
“Very well,” she said. “If you must think, then think about this—why did whoever it was come to my room last night? Are we sure it was the murderer?”
He stared across the lawns to the house, screened by the intervening trees. “Why would some man come to your room at…what was it? Two in the morning?”
“Just before. Hmm…but even if he is the murderer, why?”
“That’s what I need to think about.” He’d left her discussing household matters with Mrs. Figgs and had gone to speak with Canter and the grooms. “I sent a message to Dennis Gibbs this morning, asking him to get the Gallants to keep their ears and eyes open regarding our five ‘visitors to the district.’ I spoke with Norris, too. Needless to say he was horrified.”
“Mmm…but I still can’t see why this person, whoever he is, would have any interest in me, not to the extent of breaking into the house and coming to attack me in my room. Anyway, how did he know which room was mine? Had he searched all of them?”
A scenario was taking shape in his mind. “I don’t think that’s how it happened. If we develop our theory of revenge…then I think he, whoever ‘he’ is, was watching the house, possibly with a view to making a move on Nicholas, and he saw Nicholas go out, leaving the front door unbolted. He must have thanked his stars, but then he was faced with two options. He could follow Nicholas and do away with him, or he could enter the house and do away with you—and leave suspicion hanging over Nicholas’s head.”
“But why me?”
“Two reasons. First, you’re Granville’s sister—he might well see you as Granville’s surrogate for revenge. He’s punished Gimby—the next on his list would be Granville before Nicholas. On top of that, he’d reason that Nicholas would know your death was, if not directly, then indirectly on his head. As a first attack on Nicholas, attacking you would do nicely.”
“You mean this man views me as a pawn?”
Her incipient outrage had his lips quirking. He closed one hand over hers. “Strangely, some men would see it that way.”
She sniffed, but left her hand under his. After a moment, she asked, “How did he know which room was mine?”
Charles thought back. “The open window. If he’d circled the house, that would have marked that room as the most likely. Once he got to the door and found it locked, he’d have been sure.”
She shivered.
He looked at her. ?
?He won’t come back—I can take an oath on that. He knows I’ll be there, and it’s no part of his plans to get caught.”
Penny considered, then nodded, feeling rather better, not least because it seemed Charles planned to spend all forseeable nights with her. That was reassuring, and…she wasn’t sure what the lightening of her heart meant.
They sat for a while, thoughts rambling, then saw an open carriage come rolling up the drive.
“That’s Lady Carmody.”
They watched as her ladyship was handed out and went inside. Ten minutes later, Nicholas escorted her back to her carriage. He stood watching it roll away, then returned to the house.
“A dinner or, horrors, a musicale?”
She laughed. “Not a musicale—she hates music.”
“One point in her favor.” Charles stirred, stretched. “I hope she’s already called at the Abbey.”
“Why?”
“Because I think we should ride over there.”
She remembered. “And check if Dalziel has discovered anything and sent word.”
Together they rose and headed back to the house.
“I’ll speak to Norris—we can leave Nicholas under his eye. I’m sure Nicholas will have understood the significance of last night’s intruder—given his behavior to date, he’ll most likely remain inside, in safety.”