The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online Page B

a respectable, middle-aged man whose ordinarily cheerful countenance was just now overlaid with gloom, came in at that moment. His brow lightened at sight of Carlyon, and he said, “I don’t know when I’ve been more glad to see your lordship. I’ve been thinking to myself it was a lucky chance I happened to see your lordship on the road to Highnoons, so it was, for poor Master Nick was in a rare taking, and small blame to him! But what I say, and will swear to anywhen, my lord, is that he never had no thought to go sticking my knife into Mr. Eustace! And as for the start of it all, I’ll tell the crowner to his head Master Nick was speaking comely as you please to Mr. Eustace, until Mr. Eustace went beyond what flesh and blood could stand, let alone a high-couraged young gentleman, which we all know Master Nick is!”
    “Is Mr. Eustace alive?” demanded Carlyon.
    “Oh, ay, my lord! He’s alive, but none so valiant, by what I hear from the doctor. Don’t you be afeard for Master Nick, my lord! I saw the whole, and there’s no crowner going to shake me.”
    “The whole village will just about say as how it were Mr. Eustace as done the thing!” said the helpful Jem eagerly.
    “I’ll go up to Mr. Eustace. Do you keep this fool, Jem, from ruining all, Hitchin! And bring coffee for the lady, and for Mr. Presteign!”
    He left the room, the landlord at his heels, and strode up the short corridor to the staircase. Hitchin said, “I see your lordship’s brought Parson along, but asking your pardon, it ain’t a parson Mr. Eustace is in the mood to see, nor ever was. I misdoubt me Parson won’t like it, for he’s got no know, though a pleasant enough gentleman, and preaches a comfortable sermon, I’m sure. Howsever, it’s as well to have everything shipshape and aboveboard, I dare say.”
    “Exactly so!” Carlyon said.
    Chapter IV
    The room which Carlyon softly entered at the head of the staircase was a wainscoted apartment, hung with dimity curtains and containing a four-poster bed which stood out into the room. Under the patchwork quilt, and propped up by pillows, lay a young man, his head a little fallen to one side. One lock of his lank, dark hair was tumbled across his brow; his lips, which were almost bloodless, were slightly parted, and he was breathing short and fast. The light cast by a branch of candles on a near-by table showed that his countenance had assumed a ghastly pallor. He seemed to be sleeping.
    A grizzled man, wearing the conventional frock coat, but not the wig, of a doctor of medicine, was seated by the bedside, but he looked up when he heard the door open, and at once rose and went to meet Carlyon. “I thought you would come, my lord,” he said, in a lowered tone. “Upon my soul, this is a bad business—a very bad business!” “As you say. How is he?”
    “I can do nothing for him. The knife entered the stomach. He is sinking, and I do not expect him to outlive the night.”
    “Is he in possession of his faculties?”
    The doctor smiled grimly. “Quite enough so to be casting about in his mind for some means of doing you an injury, my lord.”
    Carlyon glanced toward the bed. “I hope he may not have hit upon the only way in which he can accomplish it.”
    “He has done so, but you need feel no alarm on that score.” “He has done so?”
    “Oh, yes! But no one but Hitchin and myself has heard what he has to say. When I found what he would be at I took care to send the nurse about her business. If this had to happen it is as well it has happened where he is too well known to have the power of working mischief.” “What are you talking of?”
    The doctor looked at him under his brows. “No, it would not occur to you, I suppose, my lord. Mr. Cheviot, however, knows well that he can best hurt you through your brothers. He has told me that Mr. Nicholas set out to murder bun, and at your instigation. He would like to think that he could bring Mr. Nick to the scaffold.”
    For a