Page 89 of A Misguided Devotion
“It’s unavoidable—unless you leave.”
Did she think he would desert her now? “Gladly—but I’m not going without you.”
“You know I can’t abandon Laura whilst her husband fights for his life.”
William had expected as much. How like Kitty to put others’ needs before her own. It was in both their interests that the man recovered. “I’ll stay too.”
“I won’t pretend I’m sorry. It would be a lonely business trying to solve the mystery on my own. What do you suggest we do? How can we prove it was smugglers who pushed Mr Jenkin over the cliff?”
“If it was smugglers.”
“What do you mean? You cannot suppose that Hugh would try to murder Mr Jenkin for marrying his daughter. If he even knew. I don’t think he could have faked the shock on his face when he found out.”
“No. Their secret was well kept. The maid must have known, as she was with her mistress on that trip to Weymouth, and presumably the other witness. His mother?”
Kitty grasped his arm and gaped up at him. “His mother? Has anyone told her what’s happened? I need to ask Laura if she’s sent word.”
They hurried back to the house and after eating a hasty breakfast, they visited Mrs Jenkin’s bedchamber. William waited outside the door whilst Kitty went in. He could hear mumbled voices, and a few moments later, the maid ushered him into the room.
The riding officer lay motionless in the bed with his wife beside him. William knew he needed to say something, but what?
“I’m truly sorry for what happened to your husband, Mrs Jenkin, and for my part in the events that…um…led up to the fight. Please believe me when I assure you, I didn’t push him over, accidentally or otherwise.”
She stared up at him. “Then how did it happen?”
“I don’t know. Someone knocked me senseless with a blow to my head.”
“Smugglers?”
“Most likely, given your husband’s line of work. I’m convinced he recognised the person who hit me, because the last thing I remember before everything went black was the shock on his face.”
Mrs Jenkin raised a thumb to her mouth and chewed on the nail. “I don’t like the sound of that.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You don’t think my father—”
“No,” said Kitty. “He was shocked when you announced that Mr Jenkin was your husband. Your marriage did not cause his accident, if that’s what you fear.”
“That is a relief. I couldn’t bear to be responsible for him being like this.”
He understood her reasoning, but it would not have been her fault if her wedding had provoked such a violent reaction.
Kitty took her friend’s hand. “Have you told his mother?”
“Not yet. I can’t leave David’s side, and I didn’t want a servant breaking the news to her. He’s an only child and very dear to his mama. Would you visit her and explain what has happened and bring her back with you?”
William exchanged glances with Kitty and nodded.
“If Lord Droxford will drive me, I’ll go at once.”
“Thank you. That would be a great comfort to us both,” said Mrs Jenkin. “Please don’t tell my father unless it’s unavoidable.” She wrote down an address in Charlotte Row and thanked them once more as they quit the room.
“My carriage is at Pennsylvania Castle. I left it there with my man because —”
“Because you wanted to hide the fact that you didn’t have to paint for a living.”
He shot her a sheepish look. “Yes. I’m sorry. Please don’t scold me again. I’ll leave now and get it.”
“No. Let’s walk over there together. There is no need to advertise our trip to Hugh. Wait for me outside the back gate whilst I fetch my bonnet, and I’ll join you shortly.”
William put on his greatcoat and hat and strolled through the garden and onto the path beyond. He wondered how long Kitty would be. Ten minutes? Twenty?
