Under His Protection

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

"I have finished the journal, which by the way, stops the night before I was taken from my home in London," Val informed Oliver as they both readied for bed. "It seems I was seeing a Mathew Ebblewhite, Viscount Randall who is heir to the Earl of Melton."

"Seeing?" Oliver asked as his left brow rose.

Val couldn't help but chuckle at her husband.

"He would come by the house and we would go for walks in the park. I was in mourning if you remember. I was the proper matron until I met you."

Oliver chuckled

"And just what did you write in that journal of yours as to your feelings for Viscount Randall?" Oliver felt just a tad bit jealous at the thought of another man courting his wife. He certainly was glad he hadn't let anyone else snatch Val out from under his nose.

"That I liked him as a friend but nothing more would ever come of it I wrote in my journal. I also wrote that I would never ever marry again." Val smiled.

Oliver snorted.

"I soon changed your mind about that now didn't I?"

"Yes, my lord you did." Oliver drew her into his lap then kissed her soundly. Soundly enough for Val's toes to curl and heat flood her body.

"Now," he said when they both came up for air. "I need to add his name to our list of people to investigate. Did you mention any one else in your journal I should add?"

"No, not any single men or any other man that showed interest in me was named in the journal other then Viscount Randall. I met most of the people who attended our wedding over the months since my return from India. You were mentioned several times in the journal. It seems I used your agency to look into my servants and I noted the fact that you were out of town over Christmas and later on business and missed the ball Grandfather gave for Uncle Trey and Aunt Qiao along with Cat and Myles. I did learn of the boating accident and noted it in my journal. It seems I had met your father sometime or other at Grandfather's but never any other members of your family or you.

"Not that I would ever wish for what happened to your family but I am certainly glad I ran into you and Hellion that night and not someone who might had harmed me more."

"I am too," Oliver said as they both climbed into bed. "I received a missive from Rider that he will arrive tomorrow afternoon after church to bring a report on what my men have learned so far about the five lords who knew about Cat. I thought I'd warn you so as not to invite anyone home for luncheon tomorrow since I know you will want to hear what all Rider has to say."

"Oh yes, of course I want to be there," she replied.

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Val watched as Rider Hallam took a stack of papers from his briefcase. They'd gotten all the peasantries out of the way and were in Oliver's study with Val seated next to Mr. Hallam across from Oliver.

"Here is what we've learned so far on the five subjects you wanted us to look into. It's not been easy to learn facts about these five lords since the ton is not something we normally delve into. That has always been left to you in the past since you are part of it."

"Yes, I know, but I cannot leave here at the moment. You and the others will just have to do the best you can without me. I might inquire of Dalquist if he'd do some investigating for us if we cannot learn more. So just what have you and the others learned?"