Thrown Out on Christmas Eve, She Took Shelter in an Empty House — Unaware the Duke Was Coming Home
Chapter 10
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"Hannah—"But she had already gone to unbolt the kitchen door.Mr. Pike had dismounted by the time she stepped out into the yard. He was a tall, narrow man with a narrow face and very clean gloves. When he saw her, he smiled the same smile he had smiled at her on Christmas Eve."Miss Lowe," he said. "I had a feeling.""Mr. Pike. Constable."Mr. Pike did not take his eyes off her. "This is the woman evicted for non-payment of rent, and now broken into His Grace's house, as you can all see. I want her taken up." He raised his voice so the villagers could hear: "There was silver in this house. I dread to think what we'll find missing."There was a murmur from the crowd. Hannah felt her face grow hot."I've taken nothing," she said clearly. "I broke a window and I'll pay for it. I used coal and oats, and I'll pay for those, too. That's all.""So you say," said Mr. Pike. "Constable."Tom Fenn shifted his feet. "Miss Lowe," he said miserably, "I'm sorry. I've got to—""You haven't got to do anything, Tom," said a voice from the kitchen door. "Not today."Everyone looked up.Edmund came out into the yard. He had put on his coat; he had put on, too, the ring he had taken off to dig, and it shone gold on his right hand. He walked through the snow without hurrying, stopped beside Hannah, and looked at Mr. Pike.Mr. Pike's face went the color of the snow.For a long moment, nobody spoke. Then Mr. Pike took off his hat. His hands, in their clean gloves, were not quite steady."Your Grace," he said.The word went through the crowd like wind through barley. Mrs. Tibbs put her hand to her mouth. One by one, the men uncovered their heads, and the women dropped awkward curtsies in the snow.Hannah did not curtsy. She stood very still and looked at the man beside her—at the gold ring, and the way every person in the yard was now looking at him—and she felt something inside her go cold and quiet."Your Grace," said Mr. Pike again, recovering. "We had no word you were coming north. If I had known, I would have had the house opened, the fires lit—""—the candles lit," said Edmund.Mr. Pike stopped."I've been here two days, Pike," said Edmund pleasantly. "In two days, I haven't found a single candle in this house, except those Miss Lowe made with her own wax last night. So I find myself wondering where they've gone. Sixty pounds a month. That's a great deal of beeswax, Pike."The villagers were very quiet now. Mrs. Tibbs was looking at Mr. Pike with an expression Hannah had not seen on her face before.