Suitors and Sabotage(60)

“Well, that looks entertaining,” Imogene said as she got closer. Her brother exuded boredom.

“Yes. Indeed.”

“Have you seen Emily?”

Percy paused, holding the three of clubs between his fingers. “Going to drag her away from Jake?” His voice sounded hopeful.

“Well, I want to talk to her.”

With a smile, Percy grabbed his hat, dumped the cards into his hand, and jumped up from his seat. “At last. A reprieve.” He bobbed his head in approval. “I’ll show you where they are.” He started off down a gravel path, leading to the west side of the gardens.

“Why a reprieve?” Imogene asked as she hastened to keep up with him.

“Dictates. Mr. Tabard is suddenly full of them. Seems to think Jake is running wild. Accused me of the same. Can you imagine? Father would be the one to rein me in if it were necessary. First Mr. Beeswanger, and now Mr. Tabard quoting Cousin Clara against us! I don’t ever recall her saying ‘kindness is the cornerstone of a gentleman’s behavior.’ I’m starting to think he is making it up. Really, we are being hounded for no purpose, no purpose at all.”

Imogene kept her mouth firmly closed.

“Emily looked troubled when we all got back from … oh yes.” Percy glanced over his shoulder. “How are you feeling? You look fine.… Well, no. You look idiotic. What is that on your face?”

“Onion juice.”

“It doesn’t do you any favors.”

“Thank you ever so. Could we get back to Emily?”

“Oh yes. Emily was rather disturbed. Mr. Tabard thought Jake should keep her company until … well, until you were ready to face the world again. There you have it, and there they are.” As they crossed the grass, he waved at the couple standing in the shade of a tall elm. “Jake, I have come to rescue you,” Percy called.

It was no great surprise that upon seeing Imogene, Jake took his leave. Though that he did so with a gallant bow to Emily and a polite comment to Imogene was quite startling.

“Who was that?” Imogene asked after the boys had walked beyond earshot. “I don’t believe we have met him before.”

Laughing distractedly, Emily glanced around.

“Are you missing something?”

“Missing? Oh no. I was looking for a place to sit. Ah, there. That will do.” She led them over to the stone fence that marked the end of the gardens, choosing a spot out of the sun. Dropping her parasol, Emily untied her bonnet ribbons, pushed her hat back on her head, and exposed her damp curls. “You were wise not to wear your bonnet. It’s much too hot. Dinner is going to be delayed because of it. No one is hungry.… Although that might be as much the consequences of a topsy-turvy day as the temperature.”

“I wish I could claim wisdom. But I wasn’t thinking of the heat when I ventured out of doors.”

Emily snapped her fan open, wafting the air toward her face. “If I could hazard a guess, I would probably say that you were worried that the bees’ nest was another incident. Another—I beg your pardon? Oh, you are quite right. Wasps’ nest.” With a huff, Emily tore off her bonnet, dropping it onto the grass. “Ah, that is much better.”

“I know you think me to be tilting at windmills, Emily, but if we are going to spend any more time with the Steeples—and it would seem that we are—then I think we should know and understand what is going on. Ben’s safety is threatened.”

“I quite agree.”

With her mouth open, Imogene turned toward her friend, paused, and then frowned. “You do?”

“Yes, absolutely. One incident too many. No one can be that unfortunate.”

“That is tremendous.… Not the unfortunate aspect, but the not-having-to-persuade-you-that-it-is-serious aspect.”

Emily just nodded and turned her eyes to stare at Greytower Hall, looming large and … gray in the near distance. It had a formidable facade that Cousin Clara had softened with ivy and abundant gardens, but it would always exude a fortresslike character.

“I’m quite concerned, now that I have to admit that there is a problem.”

“Oh, Emily, so am I. We have to discover who is behind this and stop them … him … whoever it is! Can we say suspect? No. That smacks of melodrama. Perhaps dubious character.”

“Not certain that dubious character is any better. Let’s just say someone with questionable behavior.… After all, we are talking about people we know.”

“Too true. Unfortunately.” Imogene sighed very heavily. “We must consider everyone … at first. Though, the field of who might possess this questionable behavior was narrowed by today’s incident. Not everyone was with us at Taverock Castle, and only a smattering of servants. Right away, we can rule out Miss Watson. She stayed behind.”

“And her ability to throw a rock that high is doubtful. I know I couldn’t.”

Imogene nodded. “In that respect, I think Pauline and Harriet can be discounted as well. I have seen them toss a ball back and forth. Now let us cross off those who never entered the castle—”

“What if this person of dubious character paid one of the boys in the area to do the job?”

“Oh dear, that is a possibility, too.”

“Still, I believe we can eliminate my mother … and yours. They were quite content to sit and chat to each other all afternoon, watching the rest of us adventure forward. I didn’t see them talk to anyone outside our group.” Emily changed her fan to her other hand.