The fair moon of Bath
Elizabeth Ellis
Paperback
(RareBooksClub.com, Sept. 13, 2013)
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ...summoned from the back regions, could shed no enlightenment, save that he had gone out in company with another man soon after his master's departure. She further informed Timothy that two gentlemen had called to see him, and had waited for an hour in his rooms, but had finally lost patience at the delay and had gone, leaving no message. Vowing vengeance on Simon's truancy, Tim mounted to his room, and prepared his toilette for the afternoon garden fete at Prior Park, whither he was bound in company with Lady Westerby. As he wandered into the outer room in search of a better light by which to tie his cravat, his eye was caught by a paper lying half hidden under his bureau. Mechanically he picked it up, and was surprised to find it was one of his private papers, which he was wont to keep in the inner compartment of his desk. With an oath of astonishment, he tried the lid of his bureau; it was locked securely. Taking out his keys he opened it. At the first glance, all was apparently in order, but further investigation confirmed his suspicions, that the place had been ransacked in his absence. He noticed that certain papers were folded differently and placed in a different order, that the dust on the inner compartments had been disturbed, that a smear of freshly spilled ink stained the wood. The discovery enraged him. His first supposition was that his servant had robbed him and absconded, but further search seemed to prove that nothing had been taken. As he puzzled over the matter, the door was burst open and Simon ran panting into the room. Timothy seized him by the collar and shook him savagely. "What have you been up to, you rogue?" he demanded sharply. "Why were you not here when I arrived? What the devil do you mean by...