Lord of the Abbey (9 page)

The dark-haired, mysterious man whom Rowena now guessed to be Lord Wincanton waved Harry and Lyon away with his hand. “Don’t worry, Harry. I’ll stay with the ladies and um…”

“
Sir John Nunn.” Sir John stepped forward to greet the new guest.

“
Yes, I’ll stay with the ladies and Sir John,” the dark- haired man said matter-of-factly. He watched Harry and Lyon leave the room.

“
Micah Wychcombe. Wincanton. Please, call me Micah. I prefer it over formality.” The man left his satchel by the door. He moved to the sitting area.

After Rowena, Frances, and Sir John enlightened Wincanton in turns, he requested to be taken to the library. The three joined him.

Micah studied the window very carefully. He repeatedly opened the mullioned panel then pulled it closed by placing his hand underneath. He leaned very far out to study the foot prints and the area surrounding them. He adjusted his spectacles once or twice to have a better look.

“
I say,” he muttered. He moved back toward the table, then pausing, he studied the window from a distance. “Hmm?” Micah Wychcombe stood for a moment, seemingly deep in thought as he pulled on his chin. He returned to the window, turning to glance back toward the table. “Interesting.”

Rowena and her aunt exchanged curious glances.

He opened the window wide and called out loudly, “Harry!” He motioned for his friend, who must have been walking through the garden beyond, to come closer.

“
Micah?” Harry’s voice entered the room from the open window.

“
Stand here for a few moments. I want to see if I can see you and from what angles of the room. And I want to know exactly what you can see from where you stand. Can you step around the foot prints, please. We don’t want to damage them until I’ve the chance to examine them closer.”

“
Very well, Micah.”

Rowena hid a small smile. There was a hint of annoyance in Harry Bellingham’s tone.

“
Pay attention to what parts of the room you can see from that angle, Harry.”

“
Of course, Micah,” Harry uttered dryly.

Letting the window hang loose, Lord Wincanton left Harry, then proceeded to walk all around the large library. He returned to the window. Swung it open. “What parts of the library could you best see from where you stand, Harry?”

“
The table. The far side of the room, and the room directly in front of me in the area of this window.”

“
Can you see the ladies and Sir John?”

“
I see Lady Rowena, but not Lady Sperring. I only see half of Sir John,” Harry provided.

“
So, you can see pretty much everything in the room except the far corner and along this wall, the same wall as the window. Am I correct?”

“
Yes, Micah. I believe that was what I said,” Harry answered.

“
The only time I can see you particularly well, Harry, is when I’m here in this part of the room near the window, and only slightly from the other side of the room. By the foot prints, our perpetrator stood nearly where you are and watched the room, but it appears he moved over there to the other side of the window to avoid being seen at some point. Someone must have entered the room and walked up near where I stand, in this general area, where there was a risk he might be seen.”

Micah turned to Lady Rowena, “Lady Rowena, can you see Harry from where you stand?” He stepped far back from the window to allow Rowena an unobstructed view.

“
I can barely see him from this angle, sir. Due to his dark coat, the grayness of the overcast day, and the mullioned windows I can honestly say I don’t think I would notice him standing there unless I was looking for him or he moved quite abruptly.” Rowena now understood why Harry sent for Lord Wincanton. He turned out to be an exceedingly helpful addition to their party. Even if he was a trifle unique in character.

Micah nodded. “Precisely what I thought.”

“
Are you saying that someone watched as we were in the library earlier, Micah?” Frances queried, remembering that he preferred to be called by the familiar.

“
I cannot say for certain, Lady Sperring. But I do think it to be a possibility. At the very least, someone was in here and heard you coming when you came to retrieve the books, or was watching from outside when someone came into the room. The dropped copy of
The History of the Dulacs of Glastonbury
suggests the thief was in a hurry and had no time to retrieve the dropped book.”

“
Oh my!” A worried frown darkened her face.

Rowena placed her arm around Frances’ shoulders. “Don’t worry, Aunt Frances. Hanford said the window shall be fixed well before dinner. He assured me the locks on all the ground floor windows shall be checked.”

“
Are we finished, Micah?” The irritation was apparent in Harry’s voice coming from outside, where he still stood beyond the window. His presence was entirely forgotten by all in the library.

“
Oh, Harry! Of course. Thank You. By all means go, get on with your search,” Micah dismissed Harry with a quick hand gesture. He turned back to Rowena, her aunt, and Sir John. “Shall we return to the drawing room? I think that perhaps Lady Sperring could do with some tea. She looks a trifle pale.”

“
I think I desire something a little stronger than tea!” Frances declared.

The surgeon advised that Seth would recover quickly from his ordeal, though he sported a large purple egg on his forehead along with a jagged cut which did have to be stitched. Rowena checked on him while they waited for Doctor Price to arrive. The lad did not see the face of his attacker. The description Seth gave was a man wearing a brown coat and wide-brimmed, brown hat. He could not say anything of the man’s face, for chasing him as he was, he saw only the coat. The wide-brimmed hat covered the man’s face even when the thief turned his head.

Charlie, who turned out to be Charles Inwood, Viscount Silverley, found nothing amiss inside the rest of the house. Harry and Lyon found nothing except some additional footprints in a patch of mud near the stone wall at the rear of the garden.

The servants were questioned with the help of Charlie. Another of Harry Bellingham and Lyon Ravenscroft’s Society members, Charlie was visiting Micah when the message from Harry arrived at Horethorne Hall in Templecombe. Charlie jumped at the chance to join Micah on his journey to Glastonbury.

With all of the excitement going on at Stonedown, the search for a secret chamber was postponed until the following day.

Harry Bellingham volunteered to stay as a guest at Stonedown for the evening to make certain the ladies were safe. His wish was for them to feel safe and protected so they might enjoy a good night’s sleep. Of course, Sir John first volunteered to stay with the ladies at the Manor.

Rowena noticed that the white-haired, elderly Sir John looked vastly relieved when Harry volunteered to stay also. Sir John looked to be as weary as her aunt.

At dusk, they bid Lyon, Micah, and Charlie good night. Frances invited them to stay for the evening meal, but the men declined.

The trio of gentlemen returned to Abbey Grange to sup and send a servant back to Stonedown with the clothing Harry required for his stay. They planned to peruse the Grange’s library for any information on Stonedown Manor to help with tomorrow’s search and keep an eye out for intruders at the Grange, just in case.

Rowena entrusted the still damp copy of
The History of the Dulacs of Glastonbury
along with William Dulac’s letter to Micah Wychcombe’s care, so that he and Charlie might read them before they all began their search, in earnest, late the following morning.

Due to the trying day, Frances declared their small party would dine informally, and none needed to change their attire. It was well past the customary dinner hour when the Stonedown Manor household finally settled down.

“
Harry, I know you and Sir John are reluctant to speak of this incident in our presence, but I want to know your opinion. Do you think someone else is after the Abbey treasure?” Frances asked.

Rowena noticed her aunt felt more like herself this evening, there was a bit of fire back in her eyes. Ever the proper hostess, her aunt’s friendly, outgoing manner cloaked any fears or concerns she still might have. Rowena was relieved her aunt no longer looked as fearful or victimized, as she seemed to at the initial shock of the break in. Knowing the stable lad was not seriously harmed also calmed her aunt’s nerves. Of course the glass of port Lord Wincanton poured for Aunt Frances earlier that afternoon helped her immensely.

“
It seems that way, Lady Sperring. Why else would someone make off with those specific books and no others?” Harry saw Rowena cast a worried glance in her aunt’s direction. It was obvious to him that Rowena worried about the toll the day’s happenings had taken on her aunt, whom if Harry remembered correctly was in her mid to late fifties. “If not the treasure, then the thief has a very strong interest in Stonedown Manor and the Dulac family.”

“
Those were my thoughts as well,” Rowena confessed. Though she did not wish to cause any further worry to her aunt, she must be honest.

“
Harry, please, I insist you call me Frances. This is all so very strange.” Lady Sperring shook her head in bewilderment. “Everyone hereabouts knows Rowena and I have been interested in the Abbey history for ages. We never mentioned the treasure specifically to anyone as far as I know. Nor did we mention the letter.”

“
I made a point never to mention the treasure for this very reason. After I found William Dulac’s letter, I was more determined to protect his secret, until I met with you, Harry, as the rightful owner of the Abbey. I did not enlighten anyone to my beliefs and suspicions that Abbot Whiting had time to hide the Abbey’s treasure. Unless of course this thief, whoever he may be, doesn’t know
what
we are doing and took the books so he might find out what we are interested in,” Rowena suggested.

“
They are willing to hurt people to get what they want.” Sir John spoke softly. He glanced worriedly at Frances.

“
We are aware of that fact now, John.” Frances patted his arm. “So we will be very careful and aware going forward. And we have Harry and his society members among us. We are prepared now.”

It was clear to Harry that Sir John and Frances were, if not lovers, then very close. Sir John’s worry for the welfare of Rowena’s aunt was evident. His high regard for both ladies was communicated when Sir John met with him to set up the initial audience with Lady Rowena.

“
Can either of you ladies recall anyone in Glastonbury being overly curious about the Abbey? Or anyone who might have mentioned treasure?” Harry queried, offering his arm to Rowena as they moved from the dining room to the drawing room.

“
I can’t say I do,” Frances said.

“
Nor I.” Rowena shook her head.

“
And you were in Glastonbury for most of the year?” He continued, “What of last season? Were you in London?”

“
We have been in Glastonbury for the last year and a half, Harry. We don’t go to London much at all,” Rowena answered hastily.

The subject of London seemed to be a touchy one for Lady Rowena. He overlooked the obvious unease the mention of London caused her. “Hmm. So the thief must be local. Or someone associated with someone local.” Harry thought aloud as they entered the drawing room.

He waited for the ladies and Sir John to be seated. “If we subtly questioned the acquaintances you see and visit most often, especially those who visit you on a regular basis, we might discover something.”

Harry began to pace, “We do not want to call in the Constable. However, if any other incident occurs like today’s happening, we shall have to. It appears that either someone who knows your home well stole the books, or someone who has been watching you recently. That is why I think Glastonbury society must be questioned. Without of course, their knowing it. We might find something which points to one person over another. At the very least, we might discover that some one person has a motive for stealing your books.”

“
Ah!” Frances smiled smugly as she sat in her chair. “I have the answer, Harry! A Ball or a welcoming party! To welcome you to Glastonbury.
Everyone
will attend. We don’t have much society here except on occasion in summer when some gentry come from Town to their summer houses. No one shall be able to stay away. I am certain tongues are already wagging about town these past few days since your arrival. No doubt visitors will be lining up at your door soon to renew their acquaintance with you and your family and welcome you to our town. Everyone seems to know you’re now making Abbey Grange your primary residence.”