Page 33 of Winterset

They took Kyria’s open-air victoria into town, enjoying the summer day. They made a stop at the chemist first, for Kyria to pick up headache powder for Miss Farrington.

“Poor thing. I fear this killing has completely overset her,” Kyria said. “But your brother has been so kind—he quite took her mind off it for a while yesterday when he came to call. I believe they are going riding this afternoon.”

“Really? I did not know.” Anna felt another tug of worry.

As they left the chemist’s and started toward their carriage, they saw Mr. Norton standing beside the vehicle. The solicitor turned at their approach and bowed, smiling broadly. “Ah, my lady, Miss Holcomb. I thought this was your equipage, my lady. A very well-sprung vehicle, if I may say so.”

“Mr. Norton.” Kyria nodded toward the man.

Lawrence Norton was a thin, bony man, and though he was rather tall, hours spent hunched over books had given him a stooped appearance. Anna had never liked his obsequious manner, though she could not fault his competence, and she discovered as they talked that he was even more fawning with Kyria. After he complimented her carriage and horses, he went on to wax enthusiastic about the party she had given the other evening.

“Mrs. Norton and I were so honored to attend,” he gushed. “It was most generous of you. Such a beautiful affair—the musicians were excellent, the food divine.”

“Thank you, Mr. Norton,” Kyria said, continuing to move toward the carriage as they talked. “I am sorry that it had such a sad ending.”

“Oh, yes, terrible thing, terrible. It is awful that such a thing should spoil your visit here. I hope it will not leave you with a bad impression of Lower Fenley. Now that your brother is planning to remain here, I hope that you will return often.”

Anna felt the shock of the lawyer’s words all through her. Reed was planning on living here?

It was all she could do to maintain her composure as Kyria skillfully extricated them from the conversational tentacles of Mr. Norton. She sat down in the carriage, feeling a little breathless, and they pulled away from the curb, Norton waving after them as if they were embarking on a long journey.

“Ree—your brother is intending to live at Winterset?” Anna asked, struggling to keep her voice light. “I had thought he was planning to sell it.”

Kyria looked at her. “I believe he has decided not to sell the house after all. It is such a pleasant place, don’t you agree?”

“Oh, yes. Yes, it’s beautiful.” Anna’s mouth felt dry as cotton. What would she do if he stayed here? She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she did not even notice Kyria studying her thoughtfully.

Somewhat numbly, Anna directed the coachman to the house in the village where Estelle’s family lived. Fortunately Kyria did not talk much as they drove or Anna would have had trouble following the conversation, for her mind was racing, considering the prospect of Reed living at Winterset.

When they reached the Akins’ house, Anna forced herself to put Reed out of her mind for the moment and went inside to talk to the grieving parents. She and Kyria visited with the family at some length, expressing their regret and sympathy, and listening to Mrs. Akins explain what a good girl her Estelle had been.

When Anna asked if they had known the man whom Estelle had been seeing, Mrs. Akins fired up, saying, “She wasn’t like what that Mrs. Michaels is saying. She wasn’t seein’ no man—I don’t care what that woman says. Estelle wouldn’t ’a’ been sneaking out like that.”

Anna nodded and murmured something consoling. Clearly she would not be getting any information about the man from Estelle’s family. However, as they were leaving the cottage, Estelle’s next-oldest sister caught up with them. “Miss?”

Anna turned, and the girl slipped out of the door, closing it behind her. “I wanted to ask you—when you asked about that man?”

Anna nodded. “Yes?”

“It could be him what killed her, couldn’t it?”

“It might be, yes.”

The girl nodded. “She was seeing someone, no matter what me mum thinks. Stell told me she was.”

“Did she say anything about him? His name? What he looked like?”

The girl shook her head. “Not much. She just said he was goin’ to change her life, like. She said she wouldn’t be cleanin’ houses forever. But she wouldn’t say who he was, even when I teased her.”

Anna asked the girl a few more questions, but she could learn nothing more from her. The girl went back inside the house, and Anna and Kyria strolled out to the carriage.

“She was certainly secretive about this man, wasn’t she?” Kyria commented.

“Yes. She told my maid that he was a ‘gentleman,’ though what that meant in Estelle’s estimation, I’m not sure. However, she refused to tell Penny—who was, I think, her best friend—what his name was or, really, anything about him. I am not even positive that he was from Lower Fenley. He could have ridden over a few nights a week from a nearby village.”

“Still, it makes one think that he must be from around here. Else why would she be so determined to keep him a secret? I would think it must be because he was someone her family or her friends would know.”

Anna looked at Kyria. “It gives one the shivers, doesn’t it? What if he is the one who killed her? What if it is someone we know?”