Nan’s sympathy shattered Mira’s tenuous control on her emotions. Without warning, she began to tremble and tears coursed down her face.
“Oh, Miss Mira, what is it?” Nan cried in alarm. “Has something dreadful happened? Are you ill?”
Mira swiped furiously at the tears and sniffed inelegantly. “No, no. I am fine, I assure you. Heavens, Nan, you must think I am one of those delicate women who turn into watering pots at the slightest provocation. I am so sorry. But, honestly, I am perfectly all right.”
Nan cocked her head skeptically. “Miss Mira, if you will excuse my impertinence, you are clearly not all right. You’re crying and shaking like a leaf. Something must have upset you.” Nan crossed to the edge of the bed to stand by Mira.
With a watery smile, Mira reached out to grasp Nan’s hand. “There,” she said, her tone one of forced good humor, “we have known each other for less than a day, and already you are acting the part of a good friend.”
Nan smiled slightly in return. “A good friend would insist that you confess the reason for your worry. These dour Cornish folk keep everything to themselves, grim-faced and silent as the grave. But my mum is Irish, and she always says that a trouble shared is a trouble halved.”
Mira hesitated. After all, she had only just met Nan, and she did not wish to impose by being too open with her. And she could not even be certain Nan could be trusted. But Mira felt so alone here, so overwhelmed by the enormity of her predicament. After a moment’s thought, the need to share her burden won out and she sighed.
“Oh, Nan, it is just that I am all in a muddle. I’m sure you know the rumors about Nicholas?” Nan nodded grimly. “You see, I have vowed—well, only to myself, but it was a vow nevertheless—that I will prove Nicholas’s innocence and find the murderer of those three young women before we marry. I must bring the true murderer to justice and lift the cloud of suspicion hanging over his head. Yet I only have a short time, probably no more than a week, to unravel this mystery. And thus far, every time I feel I am getting a sense of the truth, I learn something that leads me to believe I am all wrong. I cannot seem to square the facts given to me by other people—everyone from the gossips, to Olivia Linworth’s sister…even to Mr. Jeremy Ellerby—with my own observations of Nicholas. And I am not certain where, now, I should turn in my inquiries.”
The words poured forth in a rush, and a wave of intense relief swept over Mira once they were spoken.
Nan sank down on the edge of the bed, her eyes wide in a comical expression of shock. “You plan to investigate the murders? But you are a lady!”
Mira smiled wryly. “As I have said, at the moment I am only a ‘miss.’ And I am a miss engaged to a reputed murderer. Under the circumstances, I think I can be forgiven for behaving in an unconventional manner.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” Nan sat quietly for a moment, her gaze unfocused. Finally, she drew herself up. “I am here to do the same.”
At Mira’s puzzled look, she clarified, “To investigate the murders. I took this position, over my mother’s rather loud objections, so that I could learn more about the murders.”
She cast a look at Mira that mingled pity, apology, and resolve. “I have reason to believe that Lord Ashfield is as guilty as the devil himself, but no one with any power has the courage to bring him to justice. I thought that, maybe, if I could gather some sort of proof of Lord Ashfield’s guilt, I could force the constable’s hand. It was one thing for the constable to stand idle when there was only suspicion. After all, he is only paid at all through Lord Blackwell’s generosity. But with proof he would have to act, even against Lord Blackwell’s son.”
“But why should you go to such trouble?” Mira asked.
“Because the…the blackguard’s first victim was my older sister, Bridget.” Nan’s voice cracked slightly, and Mira saw the gleam of tears gathering in her eyes.
Mira went weak. “Nan. I am so sorry. I had no idea.”
Nan shook herself and cleared her throat. “Of course you didn’t,” she continued briskly. “How could you?”