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“You didn’t answer me by the way Who are you?” She prompted when she realised he had yet to tell her aited him in London

“I can’t go into that right now,” Barnaby replied He knew from the look on her face that she was about to protest and held up a placatory hand “It isn’t that I don’t want to, I just cannot risk so able to overhearas soon as I can but not right now”

Rose had to concede defeat If she was honest, and it galled her to adotten them out of numerous scrapes since the murders Had she been left on her own she probably wouldn’t even be alive by now

“Tell ed her when he couldn’t stand the silence aon him but he actually wanted her to talk to him

“What do you want to know?”

“They are drunkards but are they wealthy? What does your father do? How long have you lived around here? How old are you by the way?”

“I am five and twenty,” Rose replied

Her declaration stunned hilance from him that made her lips curve

“You are not wed are you?” Barnaby demanded suddenly

“No,” Rose shook her head but didn’t expand She didn’t want to divulge that particular hurateful when he didn’t push “There is no husband or suitor My parents ealthy but their fortune has dwindled considerably over the last several years My father doesn’t do much at all these days except drink He used to dabble in business here and there but I have never really gotten to the bottom of what he really did I know he inherited fortunes from several elderly members of the family over the years and has lived off the money”

A dissolute waster, Barnaby thought

“Our house was part of an inheritance he received I cannot reer, but I do know that when I was about five years old, we moved into the house we call home and have been there ever since”

There was a dispassionate tone in her voice that warned him her childhood hadn’t been a particularly happy one He suspected that astrel parents nobody’s childhood could be enjoyable

“What about you?” Rose asked

Barnaby mentally winced and knew his questions had been foolish because they would naturally reciprocate a likewise enquiry