The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson (grave mercy .TXT) 📕

arms. “’Fraid I need to freshen up before joining the two of you . . . in whatever that was. Mother would have my head if one fleck of this dirt got on her precious furniture.”

Piers cast him a sideways glance. “Quite right.”

Avery picked up his drink. “Tell me, how is Mother today? She was in a frenzy when I left.”

Piers took a measured breath. “Not well. As to be expected, I suppose. She rarely leaves her room.” He glanced up at Avery,his voice a bit tight. “I hope you’ve come across some news that might pacify her.”

Avery pressed his lips together. “’Fraid not. I was just telling Charity there’s not a trace of which way they went.”

I couldn’t help but catch the uncomfortable shift Piers made in his seat at the mention of my Christian name. Why shouldn’tAvery and I use such familiarity? Heavens, we’d always spoken so as children.

“Baker told me you saw Seline the night she left.” At first I thought Piers was speaking to me, but his attention was on Avery,who took a quick drink before answering. “Yeah, well, the boys and I were in the meadow. Seline came flouncing down thereand, uh, had a few words with Kendal.”

Piers’s mouth fell open. “Lord Kendal was there? I didn’t realize the two of you cried friends.”

Avery tugged at his jacket sleeve. “Don’t get in a pucker, Piers. Besides, he’s not as awful as you remember him. After all,it was you who caused the rift. If only you’d have showed your face at that blasted duel, he never would have labeled youa coward.”

Piers simply stared at the fireplace, wholly unconcerned with the eyes of the room. “What time did you last see Seline?”

Avery swirled the last of his drink in his glass. “I don’t know exactly. I’m not her keeper. All I know is it was quite late.”

Piers’s attention remained fixed on the fire, but his voice was a bit more complicated, gruff even. “What did she say to LordKendal?”

“Curse it if I know. She pulled him off to the side. Whatever it was, it wasn’t pleasant. There was a great deal of”—he imitatedhis sister’s movements—“flailing arms and whatnot.”

“An argument?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “You don’t think she told Lord Kendal what happened with Miles Lacy?”

Avery shrugged. “I certainly hope not. She’d be a fool if she did, for I saw his announcement in the Post earlier that very day, along with the rest of Britain. Lord Kendal is engaged to Miss Honora Gervey. Can’t get out of it now.”

The room fell motionless around us, except for my eyes, which inched their way painfully toward Piers.

He seemed a bit stunned for a second, his face freezing in place, but he managed to straighten his shoulders and say ratherpassably, “It is a relief to know that Miss Gervey will be happy and taken care of. You know very well there was never anythingofficial between us, and I have always hoped the best for her.”

Avery gave a breathy laugh. “Still a bit ironic how she ended up with Kendal though.”

I saw Piers’s hand clench and release, and my heart twisted. What exactly had transpired after I left for Ceylon? Piers hadalways indicated to me he’d never been in love with Honora. A match between them was a fantasy of his mother and hers.

I leaned forward. “Kendal’s engagement could certainly be a motive for Seline’s sudden flight.”

The boys looked to me, and I said quickly, “I know for certain Seline still harbored a tender for Lord Kendal. She was worriedabout how the scandal with Miles Lacy might affect her chances.”

“The little nitwit.” Avery returned his empty glass to the sideboard. “Who knows? But does it really matter now? What’s done is done.” His arms fell loose at his sides. “Maybe Uncle Charles will come up with them after all. Either way, I ought to get out of these clothes and go check on Mother.” A shrewd glance at Piers. “She never handles these things all that well, and she’s bound to have heard I’m home.”

Piers rose. “I need to dress for supper as well.”

Moving quickly, I held out my hand to delay him just long enough for Avery to depart the room.

His eyes looked strained as he glared back at me. “What is it?”

I matched the severity of his countenance. “Clearly your mother and Avery believe Seline is on her way to Gretna Green, butdo you, Mr. Cavanagh—the scholar, the scientist—honestly think that as well?”

His gaze drifted to the window. “I’m not certain what to believe.”

“Piers.”

His focus snapped back to me at the mention of his Christian name. I was already tired of keeping things formal between us.

I went on quickly, “I’m only asking you to weigh the evidence. When Seline came to my room that night, she told me she hada plan, but I am quite certain it did not involve the likes of Miles Lacy. She fled the house to see Lord Kendal, not forany elopement. Avery said so himself. You see, we saw a light on the hill at Kinwich Abbey. She must have known Kendal wasthe person who lit it. She said something to that effect, then left at once.”

“What about the note she left?”

I stroked the armrest. “I’m not certain, but I didn’t see a note when I entered her room that night before it was discovered. Maybe she wrote it, maybe she didn’t. But I cannot help worrying she is in some sort of terrible trouble. I waited for her to return to my bedchamber for hours. I knew she was coming back, and now she’s vanished. Wouldn’t she at least have told me? She used to tell me everything.”

He grasped the far side of a slat-back chair with both hands. “You’ve been gone . . . People change . . .” He lowered hishead. “Yet I must confess, I, too, noticed inconsistencies in regard to the letter.”

“Then why didn’t you—”

He held up his hand. “I kept silent at the time in hopes of sparing my mother. She doesn’t handle