Sweetie was wrong-he was unconscious, not truly resting at all.

Phyllida straightened. Guilt swept her. It had been her fault he'd been hit. She glided back to Sweetie. "I'm going to the Manor-I'll be back in an hour."

Sweetie smiled and nodded. With one last glance at the bed, Phyllida left the room.

"I really couldn't say, sir."

Phyllida entered the Manor's front hall to find Bristleford, Horatio's butler, being interrogated by Mr. Lucius Appleby directly before the closed drawing room door. They both turned. Appleby bowed. "Miss Tallent."

Phyllida returned his nod. "Good afternoon, sir." Many local ladies considered Appleby's fair good looks attractive, but she found him too cold for her taste.

"Sir Cedric asked me to inquire as to the details of Mr. Welham's death," Appleby explained, clearly conscious of the need to excuse his intrusion. He was secretary to Sir Cedric Fortemain, a local landowner; no one would be surprised at Sir Cedric's interest. "Bristleford was just telling me that Sir Jasper has declared himself satisfied that the gentleman discovered by the body is not the murderer."

"That's correct. The murderer is as yet unknown." Unwilling to encourage further discussion, Phyllida turned to Bristleford. "I've asked John Ostler to tend the gentleman's horses." His magnificent horses-even to her untutored eye, the pair were expensive beauties. Her twin brother, Jonas, would be over to see them just as soon as he learned of their existence. "We'll put them in the stables here-the stables at the Grange are full now my aunt Huddlesford and my cousins have arrived."