“Well, my lord, if you already know all about it, I can see no harm in telling you that those of us here at the Hall told Addison in no uncertain terms that if his wife spread any more tales, he would suffer for it, and that’s a fact. There’s none of us willing to hear such lies about the family.”

Hugh stiffened. “About the family?”

His valet’s face turned brick red. “But…but you said you knew, my lord.”

“Come on, man, tell me the tale.”

Martin’s eyes flickered everywhere but towards the master. A clock ticked loudly in the room, and Hugh waited. At last, seeing there was no help for it, the valet swallowed hard. “It’s about that terrible day, my lord. Lady Thatcham’s death, I mean.”

He glanced up at Hugh’s face, saw the master’s expression and looked down again. “Addison’s wife told the post mistress that one of the kitchen maids from Fairview Manor told her she saw Lady Thatcham riding out that morning. She said someone else rode along behind her on a black horse: a black horse like Thunder.”

Hugh’s breath stopped in his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment. The valet twisted his hands together. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have mentioned such nonsense, my lord. You know how these old wives talk. Addison won’t let her tell any such tales after the drubbing Ince and some of the others gave him; you may be assured of that, my lord.”

Hugh, seething, contained his fury in front of Martin, made as light as he could of the matter as no more than ludicrous village gossip and sent the man away. Thank God for the loyalty of his servants.

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Philomena could not sit still next morning, nor control her restless agitation. She had set out on this adventure perfectly sure of her own ability to make a new start in life. She must be her own mistress. The last thing she expected was to find her determination undermined by outrageous feelings.

No man, she had long ago decided, was worth a moment’s thought. Her circumstances prevented her from showing any interest in men. After all, the unpleasant fact was that she was already married to an unknown man with cold green eyes, who had remained comfortably out of sight since the wedding, eight years ago. With luck, she would never see him again and would remain entirely free to live a life of hard won independence. Philomena had no fear of hard work and no need of a man’s protection. Had she ever felt the slightest wish to consider allowing a man into her life, Joseph’s advances would have cured her of such foolishness.