The Major's Guarded Heart. Isabelle Goddard

the search for Gilbert. But she has been here, too, to ask something similar of myself.’

      Justin stopped in surprise. ‘That you should aid her? Surely not!’

      ‘That I should add my voice to hers in persuading you to commence your search immediately. I refused, I fear. I know how much work is before you. I know, too, that the Armitages have tried almost everything to find their son and not succeeded. How she imagines that you can perform miracles, I do not know.’

      The Armitages had said nothing to him this morning of the visit. Perhaps James was ignorant of his wife’s call and Caroline ashamed now of the disturbance she had caused.

      He pressed the old lady’s hand in reassurance. ‘Mrs Armitage is overwrought—understandably so—and we must not be too alarmed if she behaves unusually. But I confess that her reliance on me is worrying though Gil was, is, my friend, and I have promised to do all I can.’ He smiled wryly. ‘My promise was well meant, though I am at a loss where to start.’

      ‘That is hardly surprising. If all the enquiries the Armitages have sent out over these past months have come to nought, how can you, newly arrived and in the most difficult of circumstances, be expected to fare better?’ Henrietta looked searchingly up at her visitor. ‘It would not be wrong to forgo your promise, Justin, for it was unfair to have extracted it from you. Your focus must be on Chelwood and Caroline knows that. She will come to her senses soon and when she does, she will see what an impossible task she has given you.’

      ‘I can only hope so.’ He reached the door as Mrs Croft rang the bell for Hester. ‘But I do not want you to be worried by this business. If Mrs Armitage should call again, you must refer her to me.’

      ‘I doubt that she is likely to do so.’

      As soon as Hester had escorted their visitor to the front door, Lizzie bounced from her seat. She had been listening intently, but made no reference to the conversation. Instead she gestured to the sun beaming its way through the parlour window.

      ‘As the weather remains so kind, I think that perhaps I will walk to Rye, after all, Mrs Croft, if you will be comfortable for an hour. The haberdasher will not be closed for long. My second-best reticule is badly in need of retrimming and I can buy you the new cap you were mentioning.’

      Her employer nodded assent and settled herself wearily back into the armchair. In seconds Lizzie was slipping out of the front door just as Sir Justin jumped into the curricle’s driving seat. He saw her out of the corner of his eye and had no alternative but to offer to drive her into Rye. It was not at all what he wanted, but for the second time that morning, fortune appeared to favour him.

      ‘I prefer to walk, Sir Justin. It keeps me fit and healthy, or hale, as you would say.’ That was true enough, he thought—her slim figure filled the simple sprig muslin in all the right places. He wished he could stop noticing, but it seemed an impossibility.

      ‘There is something I might be able to do for you, though,’ she said pertly, ‘something you might be interested in knowing.’

      Her words took him aback and he paused for an instant before reluctantly deciding to clamber from his seat to stand beside her. The reins, though, remained firmly within his grasp for, whatever it was she had to impart, he had no intention of lingering.