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“Don’t otten who paid his wages? “You can play escort while I fetch a constable Great Marlborough Street is the closest office”

“No!” Mr Daventry barked “I’d no ues If you want to be of help, search the boot for a length of rope”

Sybil glanced at the empty box seat

“The driver is unconscious and is no threat But be quick”

Slightly alarmed, but pleased to be of use, Sybil climbed up to the box seat The driver lay sprawled across the footboard, blood seeping fro the arue, she rued around in the skeleton boot until she found the rope

Mr Daventry used his blade to shear the rope in two, and with the help of her butler bound the thugs’ wrists

Straightening, Mr Daventry turned his attention to her In a voice surprisingly war with concern, he said, “If you wish to be of further help, I ask that you wait indoors I shall meet you there—you have my word—and then we shall decide how best to tackle our problem”

Perhaps it was the way he asked or his choice of words that called to her sense of reason “My father trusted you, Mr Daventry, and so I shall afford you the saainst their restraints Despite knowing the gentleman could handle hier a threat, she said, “Please be careful”

Theemotion in his eyes, but he inclined his head and reiterated his earlier instruction for Harris to guard her front door

Once inside the house, Mrs Goodhope arranged for tea It came as no shock to the housekeeper that Blake possessed a hunting knife or that he wasthe weapon

“Your father hired Mr Blake because of his round” Mrs Goodhope poured the tea as Sybil watched the scene outside fro room

“Strange that he never told me” Sybil took her tea fro spot “I presueing Hanley mere months before her father’s death

“He was in service before co here, in service to Mr Daventry”

“Mr Daventry?” Sybil whipped around to face the housekeeper, spilling her tea onto the saucer “And no one thought to mention the fact?”

Mrs Goodhope’s brown eyes widened “I would have mentioned it, ma’am, if I’d known it was important”