“What has happened?” she asked.

“Emily has found a body,” Colin said, pacing the perimeter of the room. Mrs. Hargreaves remained perfectly still, her face serious, as he recounted for her all that had transpired.

“The police?” she asked.

“Are already on their way,” he said and directed his attention back to me. “You’re quite certain of the location?”

“I’ll have to show you. I don’t know that I could explain how to get there,” I said. “I hadn’t followed a specific route.”

“I was frantic when your horse came into the garden without you,” he said. “I wanted to look for you but had no idea what direction you’d gone.”

“I can’t imagine you frantic. You’re beyond calm—infuriatingly calm—in the face of danger.”

“Not, my dear, when it comes to you. Not anymore.” He sat next to me and took my hand, rubbing it with both of his.

“I will not stand for you going all protective,” I said. “Next thing I know you’ll be sending me to bed early and censoring the books I read.”

“I know better than to try to influence your choice of reading material.”

“You do have excellent taste,” I said. “I might consider taking your advice.”

His mother sighed loudly and all but rolled her eyes. “I wish you would let me send for my physician to look her over, Colin,” she said. “Do you think, Lady Emily”—she insisted on addressing me formally, her voice full of sharp scorn, to remind me of her disapproval of the use of the courtesy title to which I, the daughter of an earl, was entitled—“that you’ll be quite able to bear the sight of the body again? I can’t help but worry about the constitution of such a delicate and sheltered girl.”

“I’ll be perfectly all right,” I said, feeling my cheeks blush unpleasantly hot. “Anyone would be upset by what I’ve seen, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of doing the work necessary to ensure justice for the victim of this unspeakable crime.”