Chapter Two #2
Mary frowned. “That is disconcerting. Have any of your clients told you things that might prove incriminating down the line, things that would be dangerous?”
“Not that I can think of.” Slowly, Henry bounced his gaze between them. “My work has bordered on dull, if you want the truth.”
“Have any of the people you’ve met with over the past few weeks seemed out of character or overly worried?” Bright asked with concern creasing his brow.
“I can’t think of anything of the sort.” Henry peered at his father. “What should I do? Though nothing seems out of sorts in my life, I can’t stop feeling that something is wrong.”
“I can understand that, and because you are feeling that warning, it can very well mean that something is brewing.” Bright frowned and glanced at Mary. “What do you think?”
She shrugged. “Always listen to those gut instincts, Henry.” With a nod and a tight smile, she rested her gaze on the younger man.
“Where is Priscilla?” He had married nearly a year and a half ago, and in that time, Henry and Priscilla were frequent guests in the townhouse.
They even enjoyed watching over the children to give her and Bright time alone and away from the daily schedules.
“Oh, I put her in a carriage and sent her to stay with her parents for the time being. If there is a true danger, I don’t wish for her to be in the middle of it.”
“Good man.” Bright nodded. “That’s the safest place for her. While I appreciate how stalwart Mary is, your wife is a more delicate sort.”
At the last second, Mary stifled a snort of derision.
“Women possess strength men have no inkling of how to gauge.” That is all she would say about that.
“However, I agree with your father. Priscilla needs people around her, so she’s not made a mark if things come to that.
In any event, you should stay here with us until we can get things sorted. ”
Surprise jumped into Henry’s eyes. “That isn’t necessary, Mary. I should be fine and I know how to defend myself if I’m not.”
One of her eyebrows rose. “Yet you ended up here, at the place where you consider your safe place, the place where your father and your greatest protector resides.”
“Oh.” Another wave of ruddy color rose on his neck. “Perhaps you’re right.” A frown tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I don’t understand what’s going on, and I do truly need the counsel of my parents.”
“What a lovely sentiment.” A rush of love and joy went through her chest in a warm tide.
Though she was Henry’s stepmother, it was glorious to know that he thought of her as his mother.
“You are welcome here any time, and if your father and I weren’t kept busy by his detective schedule, I’d welcome Priscilla here too. ”
“I quite agree.” Bright’s grin lit up the space. “Have any of the clients you’ve seen during the past week brought you questionable stories or requests?”
“Not that I can recall…” As Henry frowned again, his eyes widened. “My diary has been full of mostly tame requests. Meetings and such, except one.”
“Oh?”
He nodded. “A couple of days ago, I’d taken dinner at one of the hotels with a close friend I’d met while in university.”
Mary perched on the edge of a chair near his location while trying to ignore the sound of the rain and the glittering shards of broken glass on the floor across the room. “Is all well with him?”
“I’m not certain, but now that I think upon it, my conversation with him was quite cryptic.
” Henry’s hand that held his top hat trembled.
“His name is Anthony Corbett, and he’s married to the Duke of Boddingford’s youngest daughter.
Perhaps he is merely anxious because he and his wife are expecting a baby in a few months’ time. ”
“That is a cause for worry.” Bright’s gaze narrowed. “Why do you believe he was anxious? What was the gist of your conversation?”
“Not much, actually. Anthony was skittish. He kept scanning the dining room with his gaze every ten minutes or so.” Henry shook his head.
Puzzlement filled his expression. “I’ve never seen him like that before.
Usually, he is a calm person; it was why I gravitated toward him in university days.
It helped me to strive for calm as well. ”
Bright frowned. “Why do you say his words were cryptic? In what context?”
“Well, for the most part, we talked about our livings as well as our wives and our plans for the future. It had been an age since I’d been in his company, and eventually, I asked him why he sought me out.
” He fussed with the brim of his top hat.
“When he got ‘round to the heart of the matter, I realized he wanted me to draw up a few legal documents that would protect his wife and child if anything were to happen to him in the future.”
That made sense to a point, but since the man was Henry’s age, there shouldn’t be a concern, yet he did have a babe on the way. Mary blew out a breath. “Does he suffer from health challenges?”
“Not that I am aware, and none of what he told me that evening hinted at an illness.”
Bright cleared his throat. “What of his wife? Is she ailing?”
“No. Mallory is a few years younger than Anthony. She’s fairly glowing with pregnancy, and from what I could ascertain, they enjoy the perfect life.”
“There is no such thing as perfection, even when one adores their life.” Mary glanced at her husband, who looked back with an inscrutable expression. When she landed her gaze back on Henry, knots of worry pulled in her belly. “Does she believe there is cause for concern regarding the pregnancy?”
“Anthony didn’t mention it, but as far as I know, there hadn’t been a miscarriage before.” Henry released a huff. “I’m baffled.”
Bright tapped a finger on his knee. “Did you draw up the documents he asked for?”
“I did. He was supposed to come by the office this morning to look them over, but he never kept the appointment.” Henry remained silent for the space of a few heartbeats before he spoke again.
“As for cryptic part, I couldn’t make heads nor tails over it.
Anthony mentioned that there were heavy, disconcerting secrets in the duke’s family and that he could no longer bear witness or keep them. ”
A gasp escaped Mary. “Did he tell you what they were?”
“He did not.” Henry shook his head. “He said that since he would have a child soon, he didn’t wish to bring a baby into a family where such horrors and misdeeds made up their foundation, and that he refused to play a part in keeping those secrets.”
Oh, dear. “Do his in-laws know how he feels?”
“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
It was Bright’s turn to ask a question. “How did you counsel him?”
“I told him that before he did anything, he needed to speak candidly with his wife.” A slow grin curved Henry’s lips as he bounced his gaze between them. “I learned that from the two of you. Conversation and truths must be the foundation of a solid marriage.”
Mary couldn’t help but smile at the young man.
“I’m glad you have kept that advice.” So many misunderstandings happened when a couple failed to talk about the things bothering them.
It had happened between her and the inspector more than once, and since they’d both come from horrible marriages prior to wedding each other, perhaps that was part of the issue.
But that didn’t matter, for any marriage took time, attention, and work.
“Though it is difficult at times, I feel that Priscilla and I are better connected and can meet any challenge in a stronger front together.” Another wash of ruddy color suffused Henry’s cheeks and neck.
“Regardless, I told Anthony that they can’t move forward until he’s honest with his wife about her family. ”
Bright nodded. “Does his wife know about the secrets in her family?”
“It’s difficult to say, for Anthony didn’t mention it.”
“And you didn’t ask?” A hint of annoyance went through Bright’s voice.
“Gabriel, stop. Henry is not a detective, and there was no reason during that meeting to think anything was amiss,” Mary reminded her husband in what she hoped was a soothing tone.
“Right.” He sighed. “I apologize, Henry.”