Thomasina made him forget.

Reynolds came to a halt at the entryway. “My lady, I didn’t know you were here. Many felicitations on your wedding.”

Thomasina was blushing, but Jasper watched as she wiped from her face any embarrassment she might have felt at the interruption. She moved toward Reynolds with a pleasing smile and an outstretched hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Reynolds. We were sorry you missed the ceremony, but I have it on good authority that Mrs. Jennings has saved a piece of the cake for you. Now it seems as though you may have some business with the earl, so I will leave you. Welcome home.” She turned toward Jasper. “And I hope you and I may…may continue with our conversation later today.”

His eyes went wide at the implications in that statement, given so casually in front of his friend. “Yes, I would like that,” he managed to choke out past a very dry throat.

She exited the room, closing the door behind herself and leaving him alone with Reynolds. Reynolds, who stared at him with a knowing gaze that made Jasper shuffle as he retook his place behind the desk.

“What do you look so smug about?” he muttered. “Sit down, won’t you, and stop giving me that look.”

“I’m not giving you a look,” Reynolds said, and continued to do just that as he sat down on the other side of the desk. “I will just say that you and your bride seem happy enough. Perhaps you ought to lock your door a bit more often, but I suppose you’ll learn that with time.”

“Do shut up,” Jasper said with a shake of his head. He straightened his shoulders and shoved teasing aside as he asked, “Any further news on Anne?”

Reynolds’ expression grew serious. “No more than I what I wrote last night and this morning. She was in the company of Rook Maitland, no given name yet since I’m guessing the first is a nickname. No one in the area was completely clear, but he may be a cousin or a brother of Ellis Maitland.”

“That is little comfort,” Jasper muttered.

“This might be, though: when I spoke to the villagers about this Rook person, there was nothing negative said about him.” Reynolds leaned back. “He seems to have been unmemorable.”

Jasper nodded slowly. “I suppose that is some comfort. Though I cannot imagine someone linked to Ellis Maitland isn’t a villain.” He drew a hand through his hair. “But Anne went with him of her own volition.”

“Seemingly. They were seen getting onto a small craft—no one knew the captain—and sailing off toward Scotland. But my sources in any town they could have made landfall in have not reported their arrival.”

Jasper jerked in dismay, and Reynolds held up a steadying hand. “It is likely they did not come to a town. There are dozens of small islands along that part of the coast and places along the mainland where they could have come in without notice.”