The man stared down at his feet, obviously disturbed by the information Penny had given him.
“Do you suppose harm could have befallen Mr. Atherwald?” she asked after a moment.
“Harm?” he demanded irritably. “That’s sheer nonsense. The fellow probably skipped out. He ought to be tarred and feathered!”
“And you would enjoy doing it?” Penny interposed slyly.
The gardener glared at her, making no attempt to hide his dislike.
“Such treatment would be too good for anyone who hurt Miss Sylvia. Now will you get out of here? I have my orders and I mean to enforce them.”
“Oh, all right,” replied Penny. “I was going anyway.”
This was not strictly true, for had the gardener not been there she would have made a more thorough investigation of the locality near the lily pool. But now she had no hope of learning more, and so turned away.
Emerging from among the trees, she glanced toward the rose garden. Nearly all of the wedding guests had departed. Penny considered whether or not she should speak to Mrs. Kippenberg about finding the ring. Deciding against it, she joined a group of people at the boat dock and was ferried across the river.
Salt awaited her at the drawbridge.