Read Online Medicine and Manners #2 by Paula Paul - Free Book Online Page A

upon Daniel Poole, but I’m afraid I don’t know him terribly well. I believe he started out to be an articled clerk for one of the solicitors here, but never finished his apprenticeship. I’m not certain why he didn’t complete the endeavor, but—”
    Alexandra was interrupted by a dramatic cough from Nancy.
    “Is that a signal that you have something to add to the conversation?” Nicholas asked with a playful look on his face.
    “Well, since you asked, my lord,” Nancy said, “he’s a lazy lout. Smart enough to be a law clerk, I’d guess, but a bit of a laggard. That’s why he never finished the apprenticeship.”
    “Hmm,” Nicholas said.
    “It’s true, he moves around from job to job. Doesn’t seem to hang on to anything for long,” Alexandra agreed.
    “And this is the man you want me to spirit the young woman away to speak with.” Nicholas sounded doubtful.
    “Unless you can think of a better idea,” Alexandra said. “Or unless you can quickly locate Constable Snow.”
    “As I said, I’ll give the matter some thought,” Nicholas said. “And you can rest assured I’ll send that telegram to Captain Mitchell at Scotland Yard immediately. I’ll stop by the telegraph office when I leave here.” He glanced at Nancy and saw her intense expression. “Well, Nancy, what do you make of all of this? The horseman, the murders?”
    “Me?” Nancy said, pretending surprise. “What would I know of any such goings-on? Freemasons, Knights Templar, a father angry enough at his daughter to kill her suitors? None of that’s within the realm of my small world.”
    “I see,” Nicholas said.
    “Well, now that you mention it, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to find out about that horseman you claim you saw, would it?” Nancy said.
    “Perhaps you’re right,” Nicholas told her. “But how would one go about doing that?”
    “I’m not the one to come up with an elaborate plan, you know, me being a simple maid-of-all-work.”
    “Oh, you’re far from simple, Nancy, old girl.”
    “Nevertheless, such things are out of my purview.”
    “Of course.” Nicholas glanced at Zack, who was standing at attention, apparently eager for the earl to leave. Nicholas turned his eyes back to Nancy. “If those things
were
within your purview, what would you say would be the best approach to finding out who this horseman is and what his motive is?”
    “Why, I would conduct a secret surveillance of the Temple of the Ninth Daughter, of course,” Nancy said without hesitating. “That’s where most of the sightings have been. I’d watch to see when the horseman shows up, then follow him. He’s bound to ride home eventually, isn’t he?”
    “Oh, you are undoubtedly right,” Nicholas said.
    “But don’t go asking me to come up with any such harebrained scheme. I’ll have no part of such things.”
    “Of course not. I certainly wouldn’t expect you to.” Nicholas paused briefly. “If one were to follow the rider home, as you mentioned, one would assume he is from Newton, I suppose, or somewhere near here.”
    “Certainly he’s from around here. How else would he be able to show up so frequently?” Nancy said.
    —
    When Nicholas returned the next day and relayed the plan he had devised to have Judith meet, unseen, with law enforcement, Alexandra was disappointed.
    “It sounds rather like the same thing I suggested,” Alexandra said.
    “It’s hard to improve upon perfection,” Nicholas said. “Except I had to work at the details and arrange everything.”
    “I see,” Alexandra said.
    “Everything,” Nicholas said, “down to the scheduled arrival of Deputy Poole, ostensibly to speak with me on matters pertaining to the county and Parliament. I must admit, however, it did take some persuading to get the chap to agree to meet with me.”
    “I should have thought he would be eager to have such an important meeting,” Alexandra said.
    Nicholas shook his head. “Quite the contrary. Said he didn’t feel