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This made the woman’s eyes shift warily but she turned and huffed off Mandy stood a ht mode before she turned and headed t

oward the courthouse This was her uncle’s evil doing…his and Alfred’s

Herwith her brother had left her sick orry and when she returned to Chauncey aited her with the fa burly arms

He had been their driver and head stableood part of their lives, but he was also a trusted and beloved friend He had been with thehout their childhood escapades and had seen theh their share of scrapes over the years She sniffed and told him, “I fear the worst, Chauncey”

Chauncey set her apart and wagged an aged finger at her, “Lordy, Miss Mandy, jest look at ye carrying on like soht ye Don’t ye shame me now”

She laughed uneasily and leaned back against the carriage “It doesn’t auger well for Ned and he becomes more depressed each day he spends in that horrid place Those that don’t know Ned are inclined to think that if his uncle is against hiuilty And those that do know him, like Sir Owen, are inclined to look sour and keep their opinions to theuilty Horrid”

“Never ye ht and tight, see if he don’t” He sighed heavily, “What I been trying to do is put out feelers with ive us a lead as to Elly Bonner’s direction She can’t have just up and disappeared”

A livery boy ca at them at this juncture and it was obvious he was a friend of Chauncey’s He was out of breath as he said, “I heard tell Mrs Brinley just come forward she did, Chauncey Said it was her duty and went to Magistrate Connors direct, she did” He blushed as he saw Mandy’s face, but Chauncey pushed him for more

He eyed Mandy again for a moment, tipped his dark wool cap and said, “Sorry miss I don’t believe it for a istrate Connors that Celia told her that Lord Sherborne didn’t really love her, but that she had a way to force his hand”

“A whisker if ever I heard one,” Chauncey declared but Mandy saw the concern in his eyes

Mandy felt sick with dread How could Agatha do such a thing? She had a mind to ask her to leave her home at once Traitorous woman!

“This is bad, Chauncey…you see that, right?” Mandy said more than asked

“Aye, it ain’t good, but what ye need is to find that diary and Elly Bonner Think about Miss Celia and all the little hidey holes she ht would serve”

“What I think, Chauncey, is that we need to proceed with our alternative plan, at once We have no ti to be sick Ned was having innuendos piled on his head