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.Or, since he isn’t investigating your father’s death any more, he simply outlived his usefulness to them.”“O’Grady dies less than twelve hours after Smyth; that had to be planned, don’t you think?”“I do, which rules out an accident.Smyth was either panicking, asking for more money, or he became expendable.”“But if incompetence wasn’t the reason for O’Grady’s murder, why kill him?”“Similar reasons.I doubt that O’Grady is a trustworthy ally.He seems like the sort who would sell his own mother for a farthing and if he was caught, he would probably turn on the others in return for clemency.”Dr Worthington coughed to get their attention and they turned to him.He had covered the body with the edges of the bed sheet.“As much fun as it is to listen to you two theorise, I should get this body back to my surgery.While Lady Wellesley is correct about the odd smell of the stout, I do have to rule out other possibilities.”“Of course,” Nathaniel nodded.“Do you know when you might have a chance to do an autopsy?”“I have a full surgery of patients this morning, which I’m late for I might add, and Smyth to autopsy.”“I think we know how Smyth died,” Nathaniel reasoned, “so I suggest you look at O’Grady first.”“Very well.Barring emergencies, I should be able to open him up this afternoon.”“Then we’ll stop by early evening, if we may?”“Of course.I’ve sent for a wagon, so I’ll remove the body as soon as it arrives.”“Thank you, Doctor.”“Have you given any thought to hiring a new constable?”“Not really, I haven’t had the chance but in the interim, I was wondering if Lady Wellesley would be prepared to take on the role, as Acting Constable.”She turned to him, surprised by his words.“Is that allowable?” Dr Worthington asked.“I don’t see why not, there are no rules prohibiting women from being constables, and it would just be until we found her father’s killer.”Damaris still didn’t say anything and he wondered if he had upset her.“Thank you for coming so quickly, Doctor.We had better start questioning the other guests, if you don’t mind?”“No, no not at all.I’ll come down with you and wait for the wagon.”Damaris remained quiet and followed behind him as he ushered everyone downstairs.He had just finished seating them at different tables and booths, when she touched his arm.“Might I have a word?” she asked.“Of course.”They headed through the closest door, into what appeared to be the kitchen.“Is something wrong?” he asked.Damaris crossed her arms over her chest.“Why do you want me to be the constable?” she asked, looking anywhere else but at him.“So that you will have the necessary authority to investigate your father’s death.”She turned further still so that her back was to him and he stepped closer.“You no longer want to investigate?” she asked, her voice sounding odd.“Of course I do, I just thought… Well, I thought that you might appreciate the gesture.I can’t keep introducing you as my assistant besides which, you are investigating so…”She wiped at her eyes and he realised that she was crying.“I’m sorry.” He stepped closer and put his hands on her shoulders.“I didn’t mean to upset you.”She turned to him then, tears still shining in her eyes but a smile on her lips.“I’m not upset,” she assured him, even as her tears spilled over.“I don’t know why I’m crying, exactly, I’m not usually this irrational, I just… no one except my father has ever shown faith in my abilities before.”He was beginning to realise that her hard exterior was actually a defence and in reality, she was as brittle as an egg shell.The more he understood about her, the more appreciation he had for her and at this moment, with mere inches separating them, Nathaniel had never wanted someone as badly as he wanted this woman right now.His hands balled into fists at his sides to keep him from acting on his desire; now was neither the time nor the place, so he was understandably shocked when she put her arms around his neck and pulled him into a kiss.Chapter ThirteenNathaniel tried to resist, not wanting to take advantage of Damaris but after a few moments, he couldn’t help himself.His arms went around her waist, pulling her against him and he deepened the kiss.He had never felt this way before, as if he had come home after years away, yet at the same time, as if he was perched on a precipice and at any moment, might lose his footing and plunge into the abyss.It was a thrilling and heady combination, and it soon drove any thoughts of decorum or propriety from his mind.She responded with enthusiasm and he wondered if she felt as good in his arms, as he felt in hers.He felt as if he had been kissing her for hours, when voices in the bar reminded him that he was here for a reason, and that reason had nothing to do with kissing a beautiful woman.From what he could hear of the conversation, he realised that the wagon had arrived to remove the body and reluctantly, he ended the kiss, although he didn’t move away
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