Chapter 47

Over the

following week, nothing more was said or heard about Tom

Missinger. The week after

that, as Alessandra moved into her sixth month of pregnancy, Edward

and his father received notification in the steward's room that Old

John had come to the manor and was waiting in the stable to see

them. Edward and his father looked at each other before walking

quickly to see the man waiting for them.

"Master!" Old John said,

removing his hat and bowing his head slightly at the two men as

they got closer to him.

"What is it? What has

happened?" Edward's father asked, trying not to sound as desperate

as he felt inside.

"Oh, Master, we have

found a body, and we did not know what to do…"

Edward felt a sinking feeling

of dread inside of him, with the thought of anyone being dead and

having been found on the estate.

"Where?"

"Out by the waterfall,

Master. It looks like it has been there for at least two weeks, but

I do not know the man. I thought he could be the man you spoke of,

as it is not too far from Mrs Howard's cottage," Old John said,

pushing Edward's feeling of despair even lower still. The last time

that he had taken Alessandra there, they had thought they'd heard

someone in the forest. As Old John spoke, Edward felt another level

of horror inside, at the thought that perhaps whoever was there

might have seen his wife's body.

"Very well. We must

notify the constable at once. Edward, you will have to view the

body to check if it is Missinger," Edward's father said to him. He

could see his son was in shock, but he needed Edward to do what he

must. It was the only way they could all know if they would now be

safe and in peace once again.

Old John nodded. "I can ride

into Bath now, Master, if you need me to."

"Yes, thank you," Charles

said. He then remembered his manners, which he had always been

desperate to hold onto where all of his tenants were concerned.

"Before you go, come into the kitchen, and Cook will give you some

food and wine."

Edward saw Old John look

horrified and appreciative at the same time, torn between his

obvious hunger but also feeling it was not right for him to go into

the manor.

"Come with me," Edward

said, stepping forward to try and put the older man in front of him

at ease. "I believe Cook has some rabbit pie left over from last

night, which I can greatly recommend. I will ask you, however, to

please not talk about the issue of the body. We have worked hard to

keep the concern about Missinger from my mother and my wife. The

fewer people who know, the better."

Old John nodded in

response.

"Of course, Young Master."

~~~~~

When the constable came

to the manor to question Edward's father later that evening,

Alessandra suspected something serious had happened, but equally

felt like whatever it was, she was not to know about it. The way

Edward had avoided her for most of the day, even though he was in

the manor with his father - and the way his father looked at his

mother - all gave clues that something of great concern had

happened, and somehow the manor was involved.

The men escorted the constable

to the steward's room, where conversation began.

"We have removed the

body, but I must ask you questions about it," the constable began.

Edward and his father nodded. "Do you know the man who was

found?"

Edward's father was surprised

by the question.

"We have not

seen the body , so we cannot

know for sure…"

"But?" the constable

pushed.

Edward came forward, sensing

some frustration inside of his father.

"We received notification about

a week ago that a man who had known my wife when they were younger,

had gone missing from his home, and he might have been on his way

to this area."

The constable looked at him and

wrote notes in his notebook.

"So he knew your wife. Should I

be questioning her then?"

"No!" Edward and his father

both exclaimed simultaneously, causing the constable to raise his

head sharply.

"No," Edward continued

more quietly. "My wife is presently with child, and I would not

cause her any stress if we can help it. Please, I can tell you

whatever you need to know." He paused before continuing, seeing the

constable nod in recognition of what he was saying. "A short time

ago, we had a problem with letters from my wife's mother not

reaching us, so I rode to see my in-laws to check they were

alright. When I was there, it was revealed that the man in question

had been stopping that particular post from coming, as a way to

worry my wife and encourage her to go there, to her parents' home.

This man had earlier written to my wife, declaring his love for

her. I believe he planned to see her, if he could get her to return

to her family home. When she did not go there - when I went there

instead - he confronted me and told me he was determined to win

her. His plan was to encourage her to leave me and go live with

him."

The constable wrote carefully

but quickly in his notebook.

"And this man's name is?"

"Tom Missinger."

"And you say he was reported

missing?"

Edward nodded. "That is what we

were told, yes."

The constable wrote what

he seemed to need to, and then stopped and looked at

Edward.

"Do you know the man,

then?"

"I would not

say that I know

him…"

"Could you identify him?"

Edward nodded, dreading the

thought. "Yes."

"Right then. I shall leave you

now, but tomorrow you will need to come to see me, and see if the

body we have is this Mr Tom Missinger."

"Of course, Sir. I shall come

in the morning," Edward replied. He had never seen a dead body

before. It wasn't something that he particularly wanted to do, but

knew he had to.

The constable excused himself,

leaving Edward and his father looking at one another with shock on

each of their faces.

"If nothing else, Edward, at

least we will know for sure if it is him or not," his father

said.

Edward nodded before they both

left the room to see their wives, hoping neither of them revealed

the great deal of concern both felt.

~~~~~

"What are you keeping from me,

Edward?" Alessandra asked later, in their bed.

For Edward, the worst part of

the entire business was not being able to be completely honest and

open with her, as he always had been about everything so far.

"Alessandra,

there is something I am not telling you right now, but please trust

that when I can

tell you, I will," he said

softly.

Alessandra knew him well

enough to respect when he needed to keep quiet and think about

things before he spoke. She lay quietly, cuddling into his chest,

and pushing all things from her mind so that she would not be

sleepless. Soon she was deep asleep while he held her, thankful he

had a wife who did not pressure him into revealing words he did not

want to say.