Death at the Wedding Feast by Deryn Lake Read Free Book Online Page A

and enquired if this was the post chaise to Exeter. They were so obviously madly in love and probably newly married as the female had not a chaperone in sight, that to have kept them apart would have been cruel beyond belief.
    â€˜Do take my seat,’ she said to the man, who bowed then banged his head on the coach’s ceiling. She moved over to John, with a great deal of clambering. ‘May I sit next to you, Sir?’
    â€˜It will be my pleasure,’ he answered politely.
    As she sat down one of the postilions put his head through the window. ‘Well, we’ve a full complement, ladies and gents, so we’ll be off. Ready, Rob?’
    â€˜Aye.’
    It was a four-horse team pulling a fairly light weight, and so they made good time, especially as the coach was built to literally fly across the countryside, its high back wheels eating up the miles. A glance behind him told the Apothecary that the young couple were locked in a deep embrace, while the woman sitting beside him was reading a novel as best she could with the jolting and swaying. He closed his eyes and when he woke up it was to find that they had covered the thirty miles or so between the Gloucester Coffee House and Bagshot and were briefly stopping to change the horses.
    He bowed his head to his fellow passenger. ‘I’m so sorry, I indulged in a little snooze. I hope my snoring did not keep you awake.’
    She laughed. ‘It was a light, pleasant buzz. Allow me to be so forward as to introduce myself. I am Lettice James, a resident of Exeter where my husband is employed as a merchant.’
    â€˜I am delighted to make your acquaintance, Ma’am. I am John Rawlings, an apothecary of Shug Lane, Piccadilly, London.’
    â€˜And what are you doing travelling to Exeter, Mr Rawlings, if I may make so bold?’
    John felt he could hardly say that he was travelling to see his mistress who was about to give birth to their child, so muttered something about visiting friends.
    Mrs James nodded. ‘Anyone I might know? I am quite a socialite in my quiet way.’
    The Apothecary felt truly uncomfortable and could think of no answer except the truth. ‘Lady Elizabeth di Lorenzi – or the Marchesa if you prefer it.’
    â€˜I don’t really. I prefer English titles. Lady Elizabeth, now let me see. She has not been seen at any social events for the last . . .’ She ticked them off on her fingers. ‘. . . five months or so. Tell me, is she unwell? Are you visiting her in a professional capacity?’
    John hesitated, wondering what to reply. Eventually he said, ‘No, just as a friend.’
    â€˜Then you will know the reason why she has been absent, surely.’
    The Apothecary stared into her face and realized that she was not as attractive as he had first thought. There was a certain hardness about her eyebrows and her lips were thinner than they had initially appeared. He mentally put her down as Exeter’s queen of gossip.
    â€˜I think she has been busy with her numerous business interests,’ he answered.
    â€˜Business interests?’ said Mrs James, all aflutter at some juicy piece of new information.
    â€˜Indeed. Her late husband, you know. He left her vast estates in Italy and many and varied companies. Export and import. Wine, lace – you know the sort of thing.’ He waved a hand vaguely.
    â€˜Really?’ Lettice’s eyes were round with delight at learning some new facts. ‘I had not realized that the Lady Elizabeth is a business woman.’
    â€˜Oh yes,’ answered John expansively, ‘she also travels a great deal. Did you not know that?’
    Lettice lowered her eyes. ‘Well, yes. Of course. But Lady Elizabeth is very discreet. She does not boast of her dealings.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Has she been abroad recently?’
    â€˜I believe so,’ John answered vaguely. ‘But I am not privy to all her