“What the devil should he be wanting with a candle at all, if not to be up to some mischief? Sure, it’s not like you to be gulled, Deb!”
“Well, I should not like to be left in the dark myself,” she said. “Besides, he said there were rats.”
“He was quite right,” said Lady Bellingham faintly, opening her eyes. “The servants are for ever complaining about them but what can one do?”
“Whisht, Deb! Is it the likes of Ravenscar that would afraid of a rat or two?”
“Mortimer is afraid of them,” said Lady Bellingham. “He gives me no peace about it! I am sure Ravenscar may well have been afraid of them. Oh, I shall go distract He will tell everyone what you did to him, my love, and end of it will be that no one will dare come to the house again!”
“Who bound up Ravenscar’s hands?” demanded Kennet, eyes fixed on Miss Grantham’s face. “And if he burned cord, how came his ruffles to escape? Tell me that!”
“They didn’t escape,” said Deborah crossly. “I lent him Kit’s ruffles. Where is Kit?”
Kennet grinned. “Faith, I’m thinking he didn’t care for style of things here, me darlin’, for he took himself off to supper. Don’t be trying to dodge the issue, now! It was yourself tied Ravenscar’s hands up, was it not?”
“Well, what else could I do?” she asked. “When I discovered that he was free, I was powerless to resist him. Besides, he more than half a mind to shut me up in the cellar in his place and that I could not have borne!”
“Deb, there was Silas in the hall, and meself playing I abovestairs! And what must you do but let Ravenscar out of the house without a soul to hinder him!”