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Tomas placed a tatty pocketbook on the table and flicked to the relevant page “I took notes on everyone who came in after you left, ma’am”

“So you remained in the taproom for two hours?” Lucius attempted to clarify It was the first chance he’d had to speak about the incident “Did anyone suspect you were there to spy?”

Lucius and his men rarely visited local establishments People were nosy by nature, and he did not need anyone prying into his affairs

Tomas shook his head “A fancy coach came in, and the bluffer took to—”

“Bluffer?” Sybil asked

“The innkeeper,” Lucius said and gestured for Tomas to continue

To while the lord barked orders”

Lucius’ heart thuainst his chest “Did you make a note of this lord’s na his pistols

“Faulkner Lord Faulkner A right old nabob who still wears powder and lace Had a young bit ofarmful”

The lord was a pretentious prat with the brain of a donkey “I doubt Faulkner is our man Do you have a list of those who entered after Miss Atwood left?”

Tomas nodded “A family of three from Grantham who never went upstairs A handful of people o

ff the stagecoach who had no time to eat and had to fill their pockets with bread”

Tomas continued with the descriptions of twofor work and a spinster and her young niece, who had an eye for anyone in breeches

Sybil looked up fro her toast “Did anyone else approach the innkeeper? Whoever instructed ement with the owner”

Tomas shook his head