Read Online Penelope Goes to Portsmouth by M. C. Beaton - Free Book Online Page B

impatiently. ‘I packed everything myself.’
    A blast from the guard’s horn sounded from the roof of the coach. The waiter backed away.
    ‘Wait!’ shouted Hannah, thrusting her head out of the window. ‘Hold, I say!’
    She climbed out of the coach and called up to the coachman, ‘My servant is missing. Be so good as to wait a few moments.’ And before the coachman could reply, Hannah picked up her skirts and ran towards the inn.
    It was as the waiter had said. Benjamin’s little room was empty. Hannah stood, irresolute, strangely reluctant to believe her footman had run off and left her.
    And then she saw a dark stain on the floor. She picked up a candle and lit it after some fumbling with a tinder-box and then held it close to the stain.
    She put a finger down to the mark and then examined it.
    Blood.
    Her heart began to hammer. Carrying the candle, she inspected the narrow uncarpeted staircase closely. There were long scuff-marks on the treads and more marks of blood.
    Blowing out the candle, she placed it on the floor and hurtled down the stairs, out of the inn and up to the coach. She wrenched open the door and cried, ‘Benjamin was attacked during the night and taken.’
    Lord Augustus, who had been half-asleep, opened his eyes. ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Oh yes, my lord.’ She told him of the blood-stains on the floor and stairs and of the scuff-marks, which looked as if they had been made by Benjamin’s heels as his body was dragged from the room.
    The coach dipped and swayed as the coachman climbed down to find out what was causing the delay. ‘Then if you wish to speak to the authorities about your servant,’ said Miss Trenton, ‘you may wait behind.’
    ‘It has something to do with Lady Carsey,’ said Penelope suddenly. ‘I know it. I feel it here. ’
    She put a hand to her bosom. Lord Augustus immediately wondered what it would be like to put his own hand there and then quickly damned the fair Penelope for conjuring up erotic thoughts on a bleak morning.
    Hannah looked at Lord Augustus appealingly. ‘What am I to do?’ she asked.
    ‘Good Heavens,’ he said languidly. ‘Take note of this. The redoubtable Miss Pym at a loss.’
    The coachman angrily demanded to know what was going on. Hannah explained. The coachman saidcrossly that it was all a bad business but they had to be moving forward.
    ‘Stay,’ said Penelope. ‘Miss Pym must not be left with this great worry. I shall stay with you, Miss Pym.’
    ‘It ain’t all that very far to Esher,’ said Mr Cato suddenly.
    ‘My thoughts exactly,’ said Lord Augustus. ‘But what of your ship?’
    ‘With all these delays,’ snapped Mr Cato, ‘it’ll be a miracle if it’s still there.’
    Miss Trenton was almost gasping with outrage. ‘Are you proposing to take this coach back to Esher in pursuit of one shoddy footman?’
    Lord Augustus looked at Penelope’s beseeching eyes. ‘Why, yes, ma’am, that is it in a nutshell.’
    ‘Lookee here,’ said the coachman. ‘What do I tell the company when they find I’ve put yet another day on the journey?’
    ‘You tell them that the repairs took a day longer,’ said Lord Augustus equably.
    ‘It’s all very fine for you to talk, my lord,’ said the coachman. ‘But what if I loses me job?’
    Lord Augustus drew off his gloves and put one white hand up to the lace at his throat. He plucked out a fine sapphire pin and held it up for a moment to the light. ‘All my pretty baubles,’ he sighed. ‘And I did think this suited the colour of my eyes so well; did not you, Miss Wilkins?’
    Penelope said nothing, merely clasped her hands tightly and stared at him, her eyes enormous in her face.
    ‘There you are, coachman,’ said Lord Augustus. ‘Esher it is.’
    The coachman took the pin, his eyes gleaming. ‘Right you are, my lord. Reckon as how the old coach will hold fast. Right good job they did this time.’
    ‘I shall write to the company,’ screamed Miss Trenton, beside herself