Page 87 of A Treacherous Treasure

Truly, she didn’t know why she felt the sting of shame. It wasn’t as if she’d done anything wrong, but she felt as if she had. And she hardly knew what to think when Thomas Westbrook strode away and out of the front door without a word.

“Oh, my dear.” Mrs. Westbrook put her arms around Rebecca’s shoulders, and Caroline did the same on her other side.

It must have been their compassion, coupled with the memory of Gilbert Heywood grabbing her, but tears started to fall from her eyes.

She kept her head down so they wouldn’t see. She didn’t want to be like Mrs. Heywood, making everyone around her uncomfortable with her displays of extreme emotion, trying to force people to feel sorry for her.

Thomas had been right all along to warn her about Gilbert Heywood. She should have listened to him instead of getting offended. But how could she have known?

She wiped the tears from beneath her eyes with her fingers.

“That man will be brought to bear for what he has done,” Caroline said hotly. “The king’s court will not look lightly upon his actions—assaulting a lady.”

“I doubt it will be necessary to bring that into court, to force Rebecca to speak of it publicly,” Mrs. Westbrook said. “He is facing far worse allegations, if he is responsible for the constable’s actions, as well as for his death.”

Yes. He would be held responsible for both Arthur’s murder and the constable’s.

She took a deep breath and let it out at the thought that she would not have to bring her own accusations to light. Perhaps it was weak of her to be glad of that, but she was.

She heard someone come in the front door, probably Thomas. She looked up and her gaze was caught by Thomas’s as he stopped in front of her.

“I hope you put your fist through his face.” Caroline said.

“Caroline!” Mrs. Westbrook gasped.

“I wanted to, but no. I also wanted to taunt him about being tried in court for murder, but instead, I told him if he ever laid a hand on a lady again, he would not walk away without some bruises of his own.”

“I hope he wet himself.”

“Caroline, please!”

“Well, I do. He’s a craven little worm.”

“He’s a murderer, if Strader told the truth, and he will pay for his crimes.”

“I should have listened to you,” Rebecca said, looking him in the eye, “when you tried to warn me about him. Forgive me.”

“You only wished not to falsely accuse anyone, which is good. I am of an overly suspicious nature, and that is not good.”

She smiled at his answer, which was not petty at all.

“Let us take some tea,” Mrs. Westbrook said. “That will make us all feel better.”

They followed her into the sitting room. Rebecca still felt a bit teary-eyed, but she managed to hold back any tears. Thankfully, her hands had stopped shaking when she accepted the cup of tea from Mrs. Westbrook.

They talked of pleasant things, and when the sun started to go down, Caroline said, “Please stay the night with us.”

“To be honest, I am loathe to return home.”

“With Mrs. Heywood there, I shouldn’t wonder.”

Rebecca waited for the gentle word of scolding from Caroline’s mother, but none came.

Thomas stayed with them, talking, until Benjamin came in.

“You all look very dull,” he said. “I have been out hunting and killed five pheasants.”

“I suppose you think nothing of great consequence has gone on here today,” Caroline said with a smirk.