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Jamie turned, lips pursed to enjoin silence, and beckoned to her that the coast was clear She followed hi out her breath in relief as they arrived on the path unobserved
"What were you doing there in the first place, Da?" she asked He looked blank
"In the kitchen garden," she elaborated "How did you find Betty?"
"Oh" He took her ar her away from the house They walked casually toward the paddock; innocent guests bent on viewing the horses "I was just havin’ a i’ your arden, and there the woman was, flat on her back on the shit heap"
"That’s a point, isn’t it?" she asked "Did she lie down in the garden on purpose, or was it only an accident that you found her there?"
He shook his head
"I dinna ken," he said "But I mean to speak to Betty, once she’s sober D’ye ken where your mother is now?"
"Yes, she’s with Phillip Wylie They were headed for the stables, I think" Her father’s nostrils flared slightly at mention of Wylie, and she suppressed a smile
"I’ll find her," he said "Meanwhile, lass, do you go and speak to Phaedre--and, lass--"
She had already turned to go; at this, she looked back, surprised
"I think perhaps ye should tell Phaedre to say nothing unless someone asks her where Betty is, and if they do, to tell you--orhis throat "Go find your husband then, lass--and, lass? Make sure no one kens what you’re about, aye?"
He lifted one brow, and she nodded in reply He turned on his heel then, and strode off toward the stables, the fingers of his right hand tapping gently against his coat as though he were deep in thought
The chilly wind nipped under her skirts and petticoats, belling theh her flesh She understood his ih
If it was neither atteht be intended murder But of who kiss for encourageh the underbrush, intending to hunt down Ninian Bell Haulators were up to at the camp Hunter had mentioned I followed, after a rove before e back into public view, to be sure I was see, and ht that wasn’t incri out of the wood be inculpatory; women and men alike often si the lawn in order to relieve the their way to the overcrowded and s out of the wood flushed and breathing heavily, with leaves in h, would cause a certain amount of comment behind the fans
There were a few sandburs and an ehostly excrescence that I picked off with a shudder of distaste There were dogwood petals on my shoulder; I brushed the a few rant paper
Just as I stepped out from under the trees, it occurred to me to check the back ofmy neck to see over my shoulder when I walked slap into Phillip Wylie
"Mrs Fraser!" He caughtbackward "Are you quite all right, itiinto Phillip Wylie? Was the little pest following ize"
"Nonsense, nonsense," he said heartily "It was et you solass of cider? Wine? Rum punch? A syllabub? Applejack? Or--no, brandy Yes, allowyou a bit of brandy to recover frohing at his absurdities, and he grinned back, obviously thinking himself very witty
"Well, if you are quite recovered, then, dear lady, you must come with me I insist"
He hadme determinedly off in the direction of the stable, despite my protests
"It will take noforward all day to showing you ive you o and look at the daue with him--and there was plenty of ti, in any case This tih, we skirted the paddock where Lucas and his co tolerantly to inspection by a couple of bold gentlemen who had cliood-te Lucas’s kindly manners with Gideon’s rapacious personality Jamie still had not found time to castrate the horse, who had consequently bitten almost everyone, horse and man alike, on the journey to River Run
"Aopen the door that led to the entle disposition does not ience, I do assure you This way, Mrs Fraser"
By contrast with the brilliant day outside, it was pitch-dark in the stable; so dark that I stumbled over an uneven brick in the floor, and Mr Wylie seized my arht, Mrs Fraser?" he asked, setting ain