The Heiress - Lynsay Sands [99]
At least she would have had she cared for him, Daniel thought as he pushed the empty bowl aside and pulled the plate with beef and rumbledethumps on it in front of himself. Rumbledethumps was a combination of potatoes, onion and cabbage that was common along the Scottish border. Daniel generally enjoyed them. He hardly tasted it this time though; his mind was on Suzette and her betrayal. Did she really think he could be so callous as to take her innocence and then break off their engagement?
“So, from what you boys told me at the house, there have been a couple of accidents this last week,” his mother said suddenly into the silence as they ate.
Richard nodded. “It looked as if someone had cut three quarters of the way through three of the spokes of one wheel on the carriage we men were traveling in, and then Daniel and I were nearly trampled in town.”
“You thought those accidents were not accidents at all, but murder attempts on you, Richard?” Lady Woodrow queried.
“Yes, but we decided they might be accidents after all when it turned out that wasn’t the case,” he said evasively.
She didn’t press him to find out how he knew that, but merely said, “However, Daniel was also nearly a victim of both accidents?”
“Well, yes,” Richard said slowly, obviously not following her.
“Considering his being shot today, I would guess he was really the intended victim of the other two incidents, wouldn’t you?” she asked gently.
Richard’s eyes widened and he glanced toward Daniel with surprise, but got no reaction.
“And these attacks only started once Daniel agreed, or seemed to agree, to marry Suzette?” his mother asked next.
“It did occur to me that the friend of Dicky’s who was supposed to marry her may be behind the accidents,” Daniel admitted quietly.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Richard asked with amazement.
Daniel shrugged. “It was just a suspicion. We didn’t know the name of Dicky’s friend who was supposed to marry Suzette, just that his nickname was Twiddly, and we were heading for Gretna Green right away. I assumed that once we were married the fellow would give up, so why worry about it? I felt sure that so long as we checked the carriages over thoroughly before leaving each morning, all should be well. And it was.”
“Until you were shot,” Robert pointed out dryly.
“That was unexpected,” he admitted grimly. “I didn’t expect such an open assault. Being shot would hardly be thought an accident.”
“Did Suzette take the letter she received with her?” Lady Woodrow asked suddenly as he took another bite of food.
“No.” Christiana leaned forward to peer past Lisa toward the woman. “I have it.”
“May I see it?” she asked.
“Of course.” Christiana pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and held it out.
Daniel’s chewing slowed as he watched his mother uncrumple the paper and try to flatten it out on the table. When she bent her head to read it, he leaned close to her side to read it as well, and sucked in a horrified breath as he read the cold words.
“How the devil did whoever wrote this know about the stables?” he asked with alarm.
“What about the stables?” Richard asked with confusion.
Daniel’s mother ignored the question and murmured, “Hmm. Obviously whoever wrote this was watching you. If the two of you thought you were alone it’s no wonder Suzette believed this letter could only be from you.”
“Yes,” he realized with dismay.
“And not only was this letter meant to break her heart, but her spirit too,” his mother pointed out grimly. “The poor girl must have writhed with shame.”
“Yes,” Christiana