Read Online The Heiress of Linn Hagh by Karen Charlton - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Charlton
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stagecoach again for a few weeks, and he would be able to give his aching limbs a chance to recover.
They went down to dine in the main room of the tavern, where a motley collection of local farmers eyed the two Londoners suspiciously. Lavender and Woods ignored them and concentrated on the food, which they were relieved to discover was both plentiful and passable. Woods was soon ordering a second helping. Lavender read a copy of The Newcastle Courant while he waited for his own food to digest.
Despite the lateness of the hour, he had sent a message with a potboy over to the residence of Mr Armstrong, their new client, announcing their arrival.
‘I don’t suppose he will want to see us tonight,’ he told Woods. ‘I get the impression he is quite elderly.’
He was right. A message came back from a Miss Katherine Armstrong that her father had already retired for the night, but Mr Armstrong would be pleased to receive them at his home on the High Street at nine o’clock sharp the next day.
‘That’s settled then.’ Woods said, clearly relieved. He beckoned a serving girl over to their table and helped himself to a third helping of the mutton stew. ‘At least we’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep and start fresh in the mornin’ .’
‘Yes,’ Lavender replied, more sharply than he had intended. ‘And in the meantime poor Helen Carnaby faces another night of God knows what while we sleep comfortably in our beds.’
Woods paused guiltily with his spoon halfway to his mouth.
‘D’ya reckon there’s somethin’ we can do tonight?’
Lavender smiled grimly and shook his head. The dreary travelling, the incident with the highwaymen and his unresolved encounter with Magdalena had affected his mood. None of this was the fault of his cheerful constable.
‘Other than setting off into the freezing, pitch-black night, and searching this unfamiliar and treacherous countryside for a body? No, my friend. There is nothing we can do at the moment. See here.’
He laid The Newcastle Courant on the table in front of Woods.
‘This is last Saturday’s paper.’
Woods examined it closely. The first entry in the Hue & Cry section was an offer of a reward for the safe return of Helen Carnaby.
One Hundred Pounds Reward
Whereas Miss Helen Carnaby, the sister of Mr George Carnaby of Linn Hagh, Bellingham, in the County of Northumberland, was, during the night of Thursday, the 21st day of October, removed from her home at Linn Hagh, Bellingham, by persons unknown. Whoever therefore will, after this notice, provide information to safely reunite Miss Carnaby with her grieving family, and apprehend the offender or offenders, so as he, she, or they may be brought to conviction, shall be paid a Reward of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS upon his, her or their conviction, by applying to Mr George Carnaby, Linn Hagh, Bellingham.’
‘Good grief,’ Woods said. ‘The poor gal has been missin’ for nearly a month.’
‘Yes,’ Lavender said. ‘We should have been summoned to this crime weeks ago—before the trail went cold.’
‘D’ya think she was kidnapped and taken for ransom? You said she’s wealthy.’
‘If the girl has been kidnapped and there is no ransom note, then her chances of survival are indeed very slim. The perpetrators of the crime will have disposed of her by now.’
Woods grimaced.
‘However, if no corpse has been found,’ Lavender continued, ‘then there is still hope that we are not looking at a murder. One thing is for sure, though: if a young woman who has not reached her majority disappears with a man—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—then he could face a series of charges brought by her family. At the conclusion of this case, it’s highly likely that someone will be transported.’
He sat back and realised that the smoky warmth of the inn, the good food and the prospect of a challenging new case had started to lift his spirits. This was what he needed to get Magdalena out of his
They went down to dine in the main room of the tavern, where a motley collection of local farmers eyed the two Londoners suspiciously. Lavender and Woods ignored them and concentrated on the food, which they were relieved to discover was both plentiful and passable. Woods was soon ordering a second helping. Lavender read a copy of The Newcastle Courant while he waited for his own food to digest.
Despite the lateness of the hour, he had sent a message with a potboy over to the residence of Mr Armstrong, their new client, announcing their arrival.
‘I don’t suppose he will want to see us tonight,’ he told Woods. ‘I get the impression he is quite elderly.’
He was right. A message came back from a Miss Katherine Armstrong that her father had already retired for the night, but Mr Armstrong would be pleased to receive them at his home on the High Street at nine o’clock sharp the next day.
‘That’s settled then.’ Woods said, clearly relieved. He beckoned a serving girl over to their table and helped himself to a third helping of the mutton stew. ‘At least we’ll be able to get a good night’s sleep and start fresh in the mornin’ .’
‘Yes,’ Lavender replied, more sharply than he had intended. ‘And in the meantime poor Helen Carnaby faces another night of God knows what while we sleep comfortably in our beds.’
Woods paused guiltily with his spoon halfway to his mouth.
‘D’ya reckon there’s somethin’ we can do tonight?’
Lavender smiled grimly and shook his head. The dreary travelling, the incident with the highwaymen and his unresolved encounter with Magdalena had affected his mood. None of this was the fault of his cheerful constable.
‘Other than setting off into the freezing, pitch-black night, and searching this unfamiliar and treacherous countryside for a body? No, my friend. There is nothing we can do at the moment. See here.’
He laid The Newcastle Courant on the table in front of Woods.
‘This is last Saturday’s paper.’
Woods examined it closely. The first entry in the Hue & Cry section was an offer of a reward for the safe return of Helen Carnaby.
One Hundred Pounds Reward
Whereas Miss Helen Carnaby, the sister of Mr George Carnaby of Linn Hagh, Bellingham, in the County of Northumberland, was, during the night of Thursday, the 21st day of October, removed from her home at Linn Hagh, Bellingham, by persons unknown. Whoever therefore will, after this notice, provide information to safely reunite Miss Carnaby with her grieving family, and apprehend the offender or offenders, so as he, she, or they may be brought to conviction, shall be paid a Reward of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS upon his, her or their conviction, by applying to Mr George Carnaby, Linn Hagh, Bellingham.’
‘Good grief,’ Woods said. ‘The poor gal has been missin’ for nearly a month.’
‘Yes,’ Lavender said. ‘We should have been summoned to this crime weeks ago—before the trail went cold.’
‘D’ya think she was kidnapped and taken for ransom? You said she’s wealthy.’
‘If the girl has been kidnapped and there is no ransom note, then her chances of survival are indeed very slim. The perpetrators of the crime will have disposed of her by now.’
Woods grimaced.
‘However, if no corpse has been found,’ Lavender continued, ‘then there is still hope that we are not looking at a murder. One thing is for sure, though: if a young woman who has not reached her majority disappears with a man—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—then he could face a series of charges brought by her family. At the conclusion of this case, it’s highly likely that someone will be transported.’
He sat back and realised that the smoky warmth of the inn, the good food and the prospect of a challenging new case had started to lift his spirits. This was what he needed to get Magdalena out of his
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