“Think I’ll ride over and pay my respects to Mr. Markus this afternoon,” Derek said.

“I’ll go with you,” Reggie offered. “I’ve a few Christmas presents I still have to buy, so I was going to stop by Havers anyway.”

Warren shook his head in bemusement. “I don’t understand all this morbid curiosity about an old grave. It’s obviously not someone in the family, or the grave would be in the family crypt.”

“I suppose you’d think nothing of it if someone got buried in your backyard, and no one bothered to tell you who it was or why they picked your backyard?” Anthony asked. “Perfectly normal occurrence in America, is it, Yank, having unmarked graves show up on your properties?”

“I would imagine someone was asked and did know—at the time,” Warren replied. “Or the grave would probably have been removed to a more proper location—at the time. And it seems pretty obvious that the grave is older than any of you, since none of you know when it got there or who’s in it.”

“Well, that’s what I object to,” Reggie put in. “It’s just too sad, really, that whoever it was has been so completely forgotten. At the very least, her name should be added to that stone marker that merely says ‘SHE RESTS.’ ”

“Think I’ll join you as well for that jaunt to Havers,” Amy said. “I was going to help Molly fetch the rest of the Christmas decorations from the attic this afternoon, but that can wait until tonight.”

Molly was sure she’d learn later, whatever they found out in Havers Town, but right now she really couldn’t care less. With her cheeks still heated, she slipped out of the room unnoticed. And it was already going through her mind, what she was going to say to Jason when she got him alone tonight.

That had been too close by half. If his relatives hadn’t all been so interested in the subject at hand, at least one of them would have noticed the way he had looked at her. And that would be the end of their secret.

But what good would it do? It still wouldn’t change her mind about marrying him, though that was something she wished she could do, with all her heart. But one of them had to remain sensible about this. Even if he did marry her, she’d never be accepted by the ton. She’d be nothing but another Malory scandal.

Chapter 3

AS IT HAPPENED, THE TRIP TO HAVERS TOWN TURNED out to be utterly unsatisfactory. John Markus was indeed still living at the advanced age of ninety-six. He was bed-ridden, yet his mind was quite lively for his age, and he did indeed recall the grave.

“I tended that grave for nigh on sixty-eight years,” John proudly told the group gathered about his bed.

“Goodness!” Reggie exclaimed. “That’s long before even you were born, Uncle Jason.”

“Aye.” John nodded. “Since I was a lad of thirteen myself. Turned the task over to my nephew when I retired fifteen years ago. Wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it proper. He ain’t been slacking, has he?”