“Damned man came barreling out through the servant’s door.” His face ruddy, McGibbin pointed down the front hall. “No consideration as to who might be out here.”
“He slammed into my wife and sent her spinning.” Parrish was well-nigh apoplectic. “But did he stop? Did he even pause?”
“Inspector! Sir Humphrey!” Sebastian strode out of the corridor.
Keeping pace at his side, her hand still clamped in his, Antonia noticed Mrs. Parrish sprawled limply in a chair against the wall by the side of the stairs. The older woman had one hand pressed to her ample bosom; her eyes were closed, and she was breathing stertorously.
Parrish and McGibbin broke off at Sebastian’s hail. Crawford and Sir Humphrey spun around.
“Earith!” Crawford recovered first. His sharp eyes raked them both. “You have news?”
“Yes,” Sebastian said, “but there’s no time to explain.” He switched his gaze to Parrish and McGibbin. “Who was it who came charging out just now?”
McGibbin blinked. “Boyne. Connell Boyne. He came racing out and sent poor Mrs. Parrish flying.”
“He didn’t so much as glance her way.” Parrish returned to his complaint. “He just raced on”—Parrish waved up the front hall—“straight out through the front door. Disgraceful behavior!”
Along with Sebastian, Antonia had followed Parrish’s gesture; looking toward the front door, she saw that it stood wide.
She met Sebastian’s gaze briefly—Connell Boyne was their murderer, and he’d fled—then Sebastian looked at the inspector and Sir Humphrey and urgently said, “Lady Antonia and I found those signs we were searching for in a cavern off the beach to the east. But some man—one of the three younger Irishmen—found us there and shot at us. He missed. I didn’t—I’m sure I winged him. He escaped up a tunnel that we think leads back to the house. We couldn’t follow and had to race back across the fields.”
Sebastian looked at Parrish and McGibbin. “Was Connell Boyne injured when he came through here?”
McGibbin and Parrish blinked, then they exchanged a long look.
“Yes. He was.”
They all looked at Mrs. Parrish. Antonia had noticed that, as Sebastian had spoken, Mrs. Parrish had opened her eyes and slowly sat up. She’d been listening closely.
Now, her lips set grimly, she nodded to Sebastian, the inspector, and Sir Humphrey. “Connell was clutching his left arm, just above the elbow. I noticed when he ran into me.” She paused as if remembering. “I believe I saw blood.”
She looked down at the floor, scanning a certain area. “He ran into me about there.” She waved vaguely at the space before the side corridor. “Then he ran that way…” She followed the line, then triumphantly pointed. “There! That’s a spot of blood, isn’t it?”
Antonia slipped her fingers from Sebastian’s hold and walked over to look.
She was joined by the inspector, who crouched and examined the spot, then he rose and nodded to Sebastian and Sir Humphrey. “It’s blood.” His gaze locked with sudden intensity on Sebastian’s face. “Is Connell Boyne our murderer?”
His expression grim, Sebastian hesitated, then grimaced. “I can’t say—there might have been someone else working with him. But Connell Boyne is connected with the secret Ennis was killed to protect, so…” His voice hardened. “Regardless, Boyne’s fled, and we need to catch him.”
“Right, then.” Sir Humphrey looked up the hall to the front door. “He might have gone that way, but no doubt he circled around to the stable.”
“He was heading for the side door,” Mrs. Parrish said, “but he ran full-tilt into me, and then we were all milling there, so he changed direction and rushed for the front door.”
Sebastian swore beneath his breath. “We left our horses at the side door. We didn’t go to the stable yard.”
His gaze met Antonia’s, then as one, they turned and rushed back down the corridor to the side door.
As she passed them, Antonia saw the inspector and Sir Humphrey exchange a look, then both men fell in at her heels.
From farther back, she heard Mrs. Parrish saying, “I’ll tell the others. Go! Go!”
Sebastian hauled open the side door. He and she rushed down the steps onto the lawn. Their mounts had been grazing. They caught the reins and turned them, then, with the inspector and Sir Humphrey now leading the way, strode on toward the stable yard.
Sir Humphrey marched in under the stable arch. The stable master was standing in the open stable door. Sir Humphrey hailed him and demanded, “Did Connell Boyne come this way?”