He mentally winced at the slightly accusing tone to her voice. Although she didn’t say anything accusing, there was a hint of betrayal in her eyes that bothered him. Determined to allay any doubts she might have, he sighed and dragged her back down to lie beside him again.

“I haven’t been home in many years, to be honest with you. War changes a man. Can you seriously see me giving sermons?”

Hetty’s lips twitched.

“Or blessing people?”

She coughed uncomfortably, and looked down at the thick patch of hair on his chest.

He tipped her chin up until she was looking at him again. “Or judging the jam competition at the summer fete?”

She couldn’t withhold it, she burst out laughing. He chuckled and shook his head.

“God, then I would know that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he added dryly. He shook his head and returned to his memories. “I went to join the fight against France. The rest, as they say, is history. You know that I was sent back to England with messages for the War Office but, once here, I was seconded to the Star Elite. I have been working with them ever since.”

“Why have you never gone home?”

Charlie sighed, and tucked one long arm behind his head as he frowned up at the sky. “I was never close to my brothers. We were essentially raised by nannies, so I wasn’t all that close to my parents either. When my father ordered me to join the clergy, I refused. It caused many arguments, I can tell you. In the end, he gave me the choice of the army or the clergy, so I joined the army. At the time the eldest brother hadn’t joined but I understand that he did buy a commission a year or so later.”

“So, why haven’t you gone back to see them?” She leaned back to look up at him.

The humour had gone from his face, and been replaced with a dark frown. She knew from the distant look in his eye that he was miles away, locked in the past somewhere, and didn’t know whether to prompt him for an answer or not.

Eventually, he seemed to realise that she was still waiting.

“I heard from my boss that both of my brothers were killed in battle a couple of years ago.”

“God, I am sorry,” she whispered.

“Unfortunately, I am the last person who would be happy running an estate the likes of Ryder Hall. My father has asked me to return. Several times in fact. I have no doubt that he wants to mould me to take over running the estate when he passes. To be honest with you, after what I have experienced at war, I have no intention of living amongst such pomp and circumstance. The Ryder estates have always been my father’s domain, and he can keep them.”

Hetty frowned. “But it is your heritage. Your birth-right.”

“It is stiff and formal beyond belief. It sucks the life out of you. I don’t want any part of that. I have been at war; I have fought, killed, and maimed to stay alive. Even since the war, as a matter of fact. I cannot go from the life I have lived with the Star Elite, to one of arranging roof repairs, and rubbing shoulders with nabobs at Whites. It’s just not me.” He grinned at her. “I am more of an ale, or two, down at the tavern kind of man.”

“I know that,” she huffed. “I had to drag your carcass off our doorstep the last time you had an ale or ten,” she reminded him.

“That you did,” he whispered as he leaned over her intently. “That you did,” and he proceeded to show her just how very grateful he was.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Later that day, Hetty rode quietly beside Charlie toward Afferley. Although she was outwardly relaxed and at ease, her mind refused to settle. Her thoughts jumped from one thing to another in a confusing jumble until she wasn’t sure what to think.

She was still reeling from the fact that he was the third son of Lord Crombie. Although she had no idea who Lord Crombie was, or where he came from, she suspected that Charlie had a title or two somewhere given that his brothers, the heirs to the estate, were now dead.

She decided to let the matter drop for now. They had other things to think about, like how they were going to get to Afferley without being followed.

“What is it?” Charlie murmured when he saw the thoughtful frown on her face.

Hetty looked across at him. “How will Sir Hugo expect to get Meldrew to step down? I mean, the man is so arrogant that nothing, and nobody, stands in his way. Although Sir Hugo comes from the War Office, he is still one man, whereas Meldrew has many men working for him.”

Charlie sighed. “I cannot speak for him directly, you understand, but I think that we are going to have to gather evidence so that Sir Hugo has something to present to Meldrew, or another magistrate. Without visible evidence that Meldrew has been involved in any crimes, the crooked magistrate could walk free.”

Charlie had dealt with many men like Meldrew before. However, in all of his years with the Star Elite, he had never met anyone as ruthlessly determined to use the gallows as a method of threatening his victims before, and been in a position to get away with it so frequently.

“At some point someone is going to have to go through all of the trials Meldrew has presided over, and revisit them to make sure that crimes were actually committed. Someone needs to make sure that proper trials took place, and appropriate sentences were issued. I strongly doubt that anything Meldrew has done has ever been fair, to be honest with you. We just won’t know for certain until everything has been investigated thoroughly.”

“That’s going to take a very long time,” Hetty replied with a scowl. “I have to wonder if Meldrew would be foolish enough to leave any incriminating paperwork in place. After all, he could lie, forge documents, etc., etc., and nobody is in any position to call him a liar and come up with any proof to say otherwise.”

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