Chapter Twelve
A fter a late breakfast on Monday, Edith drove from Hanover Square to Lord Harbury’s mansion in Grosvenor Square to collect Alicia to volunteer at the registry office.
While eating her meal alone in the breakfast room, she’d received a note from Charlotte telling her that she still felt unwell, but perhaps she and Louisa would visit her the next day.
“Thank you for collecting me,” Alicia said once she settled in the carriage. “My brother had some business to attend to with Lord Wycliffe. The viscount sent a missive to the house, and my brother was off like a shot.”
The lobby was closing when the women arrived at the registry office. Mr. Porter opened the door to them as he ushered out a veteran.
“Good afternoon, ladies.”?
Once they’d entered the lobby, Mr. Porter made his way to the door that led to the small kitchen area.
Mrs. Stafford was seated at one of the desks in the lobby studying the entries in a ledger, Diana looking over her shoulder. “Both of the veteran ledgers are up to date.”
“One of you ladies can add these employers to the appropriate ledger.” Mrs. Stafford looked up and handed a sheet of paper to Edith.
Diana asked, “Shall I make some tea?”
“That sounds a treat.” Alicia smiled brightly.
“I’ll only be a few minutes.”
Edith and Alicia settled in the backroom, where Alicia volunteered to add the information for new employers to the employer ledger. There weren’t a lot of entries for Alicia to make, and soon the ladies began the task of matching veterans to employers.
When Diana returned with a tea tray, she commented on Alicia’s work. “You have the loveliest hand.”
“Thank you.”
Edith had noticed that herself. Diana poured, settling a teacup on the corner of each desk.
“How was your morning?” Edith asked Diana after the other was seated on a side chair.
“Everything ran smoothly. Mrs. Stafford really is a wonder.”
Edith took a sip of her tea before asking, “Would you like to leave for the day? Alicia and I can manage.”
Diana nodded. “That would be lovely if you’re sure you ladies will be fine alone. I’ll speak with Mrs. Stafford. Mr. Porter and Mr. Taylor were in the kitchen having a meal.” Diana smiled. “I have an afternoon event and should check in on Charlotte to see how she feels today.”
“Please give her my best.”
Alicia nodded. “And mine. I hope she has not been too ill?”
“Charlotte tells me it is merely a minor stomach complaint.”
“Perhaps I can speak with Mrs. Stafford?” Edith asked quickly. “I would like to get to know her a bit better.”
“Oh yes, of course,” Diana replied.
She also wanted a moment to speak with Mr. Porter and Mr. Taylor. To see if anything didn’t feel right about the men or Mrs. Stafford.
Edith nodded to Alicia. “I’ll return in a moment.”
After Diana exited the building, Edith locked the door to the lobby behind her. She entered the kitchen to see all three employees seated at the table eating a meal.
“My lady.” The two men rose to their feet.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you. I wanted to let you know Lady Diana has gone home. Miss Tilford and I will be able to work on our own.”
“Just let me know when you’re finished.” Mrs. Stafford added, “I usually stay until everyone is done for the day.”
“I will make sure to do so.” She couldn’t think of anything else to say. She looked about her, seeing nothing odd or out of place. “I’ll just get back to my work.”
As she returned to the backroom, Edith glanced about the lobby but saw nothing in her surroundings that warranted further scrutiny. She resumed her work, leaving the door to the backroom wide open.
Sometime later, a loud knocking at the front door of the registry startled her.
Edith entered the lobby to find Lord Ashford and Lord Wycliffe waiting outside the front door.
She unlocked the door, opened it, and asked, “Gentlemen, how can I help you?”
Ashford replied grimly, “We need to be discreet. Lord Harbury told me that you know about the missing veteran. Unfortunately, another man has disappeared.”
* * * * *
I t was Monday afternoon , and Nathaniel hadn’t heard any news from Cecil or Ashford. He journeyed to the registry to collect his sister, and Mr. Taylor informed him his friends were in the backroom with Edith. Alicia was in the lobby speaking to Mrs. Stafford, and his sister merely raised a hand in greeting as she continued to talk to the other woman.
“Mrs. Stafford, you are doing an excellent job. We all appreciate you.”
He knew he should only be thinking about the missing veteran, but he was happy to have the opportunity to see Lady Edith again.
Nathaniel knocked on the backroom door, opened it, and walked in. He found Ashford and Edith examining one of the ledger books as Cecil stood nearby.
Ashford looked up, his expression troubled. “Nathaniel.”
“Is anything the matter?”
“Another veteran has gone missing,” his friend responded in a low voice.
Edith was writing some information on a card. “Here is his home address. And there is no news on Mr. Fleet?”
Ashford took the card Edith handed him. “None at all. Thank you for your help, Lady Edith.”
The lady replied, “Do give Charlotte my best. I’m sorry she has been unwell.”
“Charlotte is feeling poorly again?” Nathaniel asked, concerned.
Ashford replied, “Charlotte tells me she is quite recovered. Her doctor advised rest and good food.”
“With your chef, good food shouldn’t be a problem.” He paused. “Lady Edith, perhaps you could see my sister home?”
“It would be my pleasure, Lord Harbury.”
The look she gave him conveyed her understanding of the matter. He needed his sister out of the way so he could investigate this latest disappearance with Ashford.
The lady added, “If you promise to call on me at your earliest convenience.”
Ah. There was payment to be made for her assistance. His respect for her grew.
He nodded. “Of course.”
Nathaniel followed her from the room, and Ashford and Cecil trailed behind.
“Alicia!” Lady Edith rushed forward and briefly touched his sister’s arm. “I have an appointment with my modiste. Perhaps you would accompany me. I could use your opinion on a new riding habit I’m being fitted for.”
Alicia’s face lit up at the suggestion. “Me? I am flattered, Lady Edith. Lady Louisa is such an arbiter of fashion, I’m surprised you didn’t ask her to go with you, but I am happy to be of service.”
“You don’t mind if I commandeer your sister?” Edith asked him without guile.
“Not at all. You ladies enjoy yourself.”
Once the other women had departed, Mrs. Stafford frowned as she let out a breath. “I’ll be off myself. I should have been gone several minutes ago. Good day.”
“What was that about?” Nathaniel asked once the woman was gone.
“Lady Edith set your sister on the poor woman to keep her from wondering what we were up to in the backroom,” Ashford replied.
A necessary evil. Nathaniel asked his friends, “How did you hear about the missing veteran?”
“Let’s discuss this outside.” Cecil walked forward, opened the front door to the registry, and waited for Nathaniel and Ashford to exit the building before closing the door behind them. “The missing man has a wife and two sons. The wife had one of the boys notify the runners her husband was missing.”
Ashford shook his head. “We may not be able to keep this disappearance out of the papers if the runners are involved.”
“Where does the veteran live, and who is he?” Nathaniel asked, afraid Ashford was right.
Looking at the card in his hand, Ashford replied, “Watch Captain Henry Davidson, Navy. He lives in Cheapside.”
“You two can visit the man’s wife while I locate Bones and see if he has any intelligence to share.” Cecil strode away down the street toward his nondescript coach.
The carriage ride to King’s Street in Cheapside took nearly thirty minutes. Nathaniel had advised his driver to halt the carriage down the street from the address. As both men descended from the coach, the sky darkened, and a light breeze kicked up.
“You said the man is married?”
Ashford nodded. “He is. He also has two sons.”
This area of Kings Street, with its tall, narrow attached houses, was more affluent than he would have imagined a former Watch Captain of the Navy could afford.
Nathaniel knocked on the door of number fourteen.
The door was answered by a young maid. “Good day.”
“Is Mrs. Davidson home to callers?” he asked.
There was a long pause before the girl replied, “You don’t look like tradesmen.”
He smiled kindly. “We’re not. We are the gentlemen who founded the veteran’s registry office.”
Ashford let out a disgruntled noise. Nathaniel shrugged. What other explanation could they give for disturbing an anxious wife?
“Come in.” The girl stood aside to allow them into the small entry hall. “I’ll just ensure that my mistress is available for callers. Your names?”
The girl looked like she might faint when Nathaniel introduced themselves as a baron and a marquis.
At that moment, he wondered what their reception would be like if they had Lady Edith with them. She could have spoken with the veteran’s wife and reassured her that everyone involved with the registry was concerned about her husband’s disappearance.
The maid returned and said, “The missus will see you now.”
They were shown to a small parlor, the curtains on the windows in the room drawn back to allow in what little light there was from the gray sky outside.
“Ma’am, Lord Ashford and Lord Harbury.”
There were two women in the room. The elder said, “Do see to tea, Maisey.”
The young maid rushed away.
“Please have a seat, my lords.”
He settled on a not uncomfortable stuffed chair while Ashford perched on a hard-backed chair.
“I assume you’re here about my son-in-law?” the older woman asked matter of factly, without emotion.
“We’re here to speak with Mrs. Davidson.” The older woman winced at the name as Nathaniel turned his attention to the other woman in the room.
“I’m Mrs. Davidson,” the younger woman said softly. Her eyes were red as if she’d been crying, a handkerchief clutched in one hand.
“You had one of your sons report your husband as missing,” Ashford replied gently.
“I sent William to the runners.” She glanced nervously at her mother. “Henry would never have disappeared. He loved his family too much.”
“Are your sons at home?” Ashford asked.
“They’re in school.” She leaned forward, and her voice broke as she said, “My mother thinks Henry left us or went on a bender. He didn’t. He wouldn’t.”
There was a short silence in the room.
The older woman sighed. “What other explanation can there be, my dear?”
The tea tray arrived, and both men accepted a teacup of the brew, his with sugar. Ashford took his black. He thought it was strange to sit and sip tea calmly while interviewing a distraught wife about her missing husband.
After the maid departed, Nathaniel asked, “When did you last see your husband, Mrs. Davidson?”
“Saturday morning. He went along to the new position he was assigned to by your registry office. My Henry was always good with horses, mind, and was to work in the mews of Lord Norwich himself.”
The young woman took a sip of her tea, the hand that held her cup visibly shaking. He’d already sampled his own tea and found it surprisingly good. He nodded at Mrs. Davidson to encourage her to continue. “Did he leave home on foot?”
“Yes, my lord. He never made it to Hanover Square. His lordship’s man of business came around looking for my husband the next day, Saturday afternoon. Said he never showed up for work.” The woman bit her lip, blinking rapidly.
He wasn’t good with tears. Heavens, he wished he’d had the foresight to bring Lady Edith to this interview.
Ashford replied, “You didn’t think to talk to anyone at the registry office?”
“I wasn’t sure what I should do, my lord. My son said the runner he spoke to knew an owner of the registry, someone named Lord Harbury. I guess that’s you, my lord. Said as how you would make sure anything they could do was being done.”
“Very good. The runner spoke correctly.” He nodded. “Did your husband take any extra clothing with him that morning? Did he seem unwell or as if something was bothering him?”
“Not at all! He was happy about working with horses again.” She stopped speaking, took a deep breath, and continued, “We were looking forward to having our own house again. My husband worked as a groom before the war and hoped to be a head groom someday.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us that might help to find your husband?” He added hastily, “Information that we could pass on to the authorities.”
Mrs. Davidson shook her head, wiping a tear from her cheek with the handkerchief. “I’m sorry, Lord Harbury. My husband is gone, and I have no idea how or why.”
He took a few more sips of tea. Ashford nodded toward the door, and both men got to their feet, placing their teacups on the table in the center of the room.
“We won’t take up any more of your time, ladies.” He pulled a registry card out of the inside pocket of his jacket. “If you think of anything else pertinent, Mrs. Davidson, please do not hesitate to bring it to our attention. We will do everything we can to see your husband returned to you.”
Mrs. Davidson got to her feet. “Thank you, my lord. I’ll see you to the door.”
As they made to leave the house, the woman said in a voice trembling with emotion, “My parents didn’t approve of my marriage. My mother thinks she finally frightened Henry away. No matter what anyone says, Henry would never leave us of his own volition.”
He replied kindly, “I believe you, Mrs. Davidson. If we hear any news about your husband, I will contact you immediately.”
Once they were back in the carriage, a light rain began to fall. Ashford sighed. “Let us search out Cecil before we interview Lord Norwich.”
He let out a whistle. “I’m surprised the earl used the registry. Perhaps he doesn’t know I’m involved in the enterprise.”
“Nathaniel?” Ashford frowned.
“Don’t you remember? Lord Norwich is the father of Lt. Cooper, the suspected spy on the Cressy.” He shook his head. “The earl hates the very sight of me.”