Lady in the Mist - Laurie Alice Eakes [10]
Ahead of her, the man paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Please, Miss—” His color heightened. “I forgot to ask your name.”
“Tabitha Eckles.”
“Ah, then, Miss Tabitha Eckles, please say nothing.”
“I’ll take it under consideration.”
With a sigh, he turned his back on her and knocked. “Miss Tabitha Eckles, sir.”
“Well, send the girl in. Bring her some coffee.” Mayor Kendall’s voice boomed into the entryway.
Tabitha started forward. Her feet dragged, her shoes leaden. And at the end of the hall, the Englishman held the door open for her, holding her gaze with his beautiful eyes. If she could have done so without making a fool of herself, she would have turned back and not spoken with the mayor then and there. But she was committed now, so she entered the dining room and slid onto the chair the Englishman pulled out for her. She started to speak.
Mayor Kendall waved her to silence. “Fetch a fresh cup and pot of coffee.”
“Yes, sir.” The butler trotted from the room. A door opened, sending the aromas of bacon, bread, burned toast, and coffee wafting into the dining room. Then the door closed.
“This is a pleasant surprise, Tabitha.” The mayor smiled at her. “How may I help you?”
“It’s not for me.” She took a deep breath while the Englishman was gone and she could breathe properly. “Well, I suppose it is. I went to the sheriff first, but he was gone already.”
“That concerns me.” Kendall pushed his plate and newspaper aside and gripped the edge of the table. “I hope nothing too awful has occurred to take him out so early.”
“Maybe he’s fishing?” Tabitha smiled. “He does like his boat.”
Kendall chuckled. “Yes, indeed. He missed his calling, staying on land. But what was so urgent it took you to the sheriff this early, then back here to me?”
To give herself more time to decide on her course, she began, “You may wish to know, before I mention the other matter, that Mrs. Wilkins went to the Lord early this morning. She fell down the steps, and I was called—” Her throat closed and a tear formed in the corner of one eye. “Forgive me.” She drew a handkerchief from her reticule and dabbed at her face.
“Of course, my dear.” Kendall went white around the lips. “You’re too young to have to manage this sort of thing on your own. I don’t approve of an unmarried midwife, you know, but you’re all we have, and I know you did your best.”
“I hope so.” Tabitha swallowed. “Sir, I wouldn’t think anything of this if too many of our young men weren’t disappearing from the coastal villages.” Once started, she couldn’t stop, not even when she heard the kitchen door creak open. “There were strangers about last night. English strangers.”
China rattled behind her.
In front of her, the mayor’s eyes widened. “Where?”
“The tide was out, so I walked along the beach when I . . . er . . . ran into them.”
“How many?” The words emerged like two hammer blows.
“I—I don’t know.”
She sensed the stillness of the Englishman behind her. Her hand went to the scratch on her throat.
“It was dark,” she plunged on, “and I was understandably distracted.”
“Of course.” The mayor frowned. “And it was misty.”
“Yes. And, sir—”
Kendall raised one hand. “Why are you just standing there, Cherrett? Come serve Miss Eckles some coffee.”
“Yes, sir. I beg your pardon, sir.” He sounded subdued as he approached Tabitha and set the tray on the table. “Cream, Madam M—Miss Eckles?”
“No, thank you.” She didn’t look at him as she continued to address the mayor. “Whoever it was let me go on my way, but when I reached my garden”—a shudder ran through her—“someone threatened me at knifepoint.”
“Threatened you?” Kendall half rose from his chair. “What are you saying?”
Tabitha accepted the cup the Englishman—Mr. Cherrett—shoved in front of her and wrapped her hands around the