CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I was sitting across the breakfast table from Laetitia early the next morning, when Smythe announced Ash’s arrival. I looked up in surprise from the newspaper to find the man in question standing there, looking quite as rumpled and disreputable as ever.

I hadn’t expected him to be an early riser, but then there was every chance he hadn’t been to sleep. I was so glad to see him that the feeling leaped up inside me – a quicksilver flash like a salmon jumping out of a stream – and I tried to tamp it down.

Ash eyed the scene with a sort of amused fondness that I couldn’t understand. Laetitia and I were simply sitting across from one another in silence, both concentrating on our own reading as we drank coffee and ate toast spread with thick jam the colour of garnets. It was the perfect way to start the day, as far as I was concerned.

“I’m afraid it’s bad news,” Ash said from the doorway.

He was forced to step into the room when Smythe appeared behind him with another coffee cup. Smythe set the cup and saucer on the table with a doleful glare, and Ash laughed, taking the seat and accepting the hot drink without comment, which I knew from the mischievous sparkle in his eye was a great concession.

“What bad news?” I asked, my mind flying to Laing and the Aviary.

“Oh, no – not that,” Ash assured me, with a glance at Laetitia, who sipped her coffee with a bland look. She seemed to have chosen to adopt a “don’t ask, don’t tell” position on the matter of my sudden appearance in her life. “Although in some ways it might be worse. My parents caught wind of our arrival together yesterday. I couldn’t think how to explain… I had to protect your reputation, so I told them you were here visiting Laetitia – that you’re considering a course of study in Cambridge and that I simply drove you up as I was on my way.”

“That seems a sensible plan,” Laetitia said serenely, and I warmed even more to this tough, clever woman.

“Yes, but” – Ash placed his cup carefully back in the saucer; he seemed to be avoiding meeting my eye – “they want you to come to the house for dinner tonight. They know all about you, Felicity – they know your mother, apparently. They see my interest in you as a sign I’m taking my responsibilities seriously. That I intend to … settle down.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. Whatever there was between Ash and myself, it was nothing to do with the rigid system of etiquette and rules that governed me at home.

“I am considered a good catch,” I said, the words mechanical, and colour washed Ash’s cheeks. I could only imagine what his parents had said to him.

“I see no problem.” Laetitia broke through the tension with her calm tone. “It’s perfectly possible for a man to show interest in a woman only to have his suit rejected further down the line. Let Freddie’s parents believe he’s trying to win you over. It will keep them happy, and they can’t force the two of you down the aisle, after all. I can come to dinner as Felicity’s chaperone, so there will be no impropriety.” Her eyes moved between the two of us. “Unless there is another problem I don’t know of?”

“No,” I said as evenly as possible. “That’s a most practical solution.”

Ash cleared his throat. “Thank you. I’ll let my parents know. I thought perhaps I could take Felicity for a tour of the city this morning?”

“You do understand I am not actually her chaperone?” Laetitia said dryly, shaking out her newspaper. “Felicity is a sensible young woman, more than capable of making her own decisions. You’ll find the rules in a university town are a lot less rigid than they are under the eyes of London society.”

“I’d be happy to,” I said, smothering the laughter that rose up at Laetitia putting Ash so smartly in his place. I thought I had a glimpse of the dynamic between the two of them when they were teacher and student.

“The weather is nice; we can go punting on the river,” Ash said.

“Ah, you are to show off your nautical prowess?” I raised my eyebrows.

Ash smirked. “I hardly think it will test anyone’s sea legs, but it’s a pleasant way to spend a morning, and an excellent way to see the city.”

“The morning post has arrived,” Smythe intoned, shuffling into the room with a silver tray trembling precariously in his hand.

Laetitia accepted the neat stack of letters.

“There’s something here for you, Felicity,” she said, replacing the envelope on the tray so that Smythe could bring it round to me. “I must go and see to my correspondence. I’ll be in my study should you need me.” She strode off, every line of her full of purpose. I wanted quite desperately to grow up to be her.

“It’s from Mrs Finch,” I said to Ash, recognizing the seal on the back of the envelope as I tore into the letter.

“ Dear Felicity ,” I read aloud.

Thank you for your telegram – while I had already received word of your plans to head for Cambridge from a contact in Pebton, I will admit that your sudden disappearance caused quite a stir here. You’ll be relieved to know that Izzy was careful to conceal the truth from your mother, who believes that your friend Cassandra Weston was taken ill and that you rushed to her bedside. Cassandra is aware of – and happy to maintain – this pretence. Sylla, who is gifted at mimicking the handwriting of others (she informs me that she finds the term forgery “vulgar”), is in correspondence with your mother on your behalf. I believe it will suffice for the time being, but with Queen Charlotte’s Ball only four days away, I do not anticipate her patience with the situation holding much longer. Best for all concerned if we wrap up the case as swiftly as possible.

You will, I am sure, be keen for an update on the situation with Laing, and, while we have not yet been able to determine the precise target of the anarchist plot, we believe the attack to be imminent. We’ve routed out several of the more minor players and interrogation is in progress. This is another area in which Sylla excels, and I’m confident that soon we will have sufficient information on that to proceed. Once we have enough evidence, we can hand Laing over to the authorities, making it safe for you to return. We are forced to tread carefully here – Laing’s influence is far-reaching and without an iron-clad case he may slip off the hook. This is unacceptable to the Aviary.

For this reason, I advise you to remain where you are as long as you feel safe to do so. Given the unorthodox and, crucially, unplanned nature of your escape, we have no reason to believe your location to be compromised. With his scheme at a critical point, we can assume that Laing may likely cut his losses where you are concerned. Nevertheless, remain on your guard.

Mrs Finch

“She knew we were headed here practically before I did,” I exclaimed.

“The Aviary are good at their jobs.” Ash lounged back in his chair. “Which is a relief, given Laing’s involvement. I knew from the first moment I met the man that something wasn’t right with him.”

“He seemed to take a great dislike to you too,” I said, frowning down at Mrs Finch’s letter.

“Probably jealous,” Ash said. “I think he saw that you and I were friendly.”

I shook my head. “It’s funny. I think he did notice that – but he didn’t seem jealous, he seemed pleased, almost. It’s like when I won the poker game – he should have been angry, but he wasn’t. He looked happy. I don’t understand it. I’m afraid Edward Laing is playing a deep game and we don’t even know the half of it. Reading between the lines, I think he has Mrs Finch worried.”

Ash sat, absorbing this for a while. I laid the letter down.

“I take it that Patty from the Red Lion is the one in contact with Mrs Finch,” I said curiously.

“The Aviary has locations all over the country for women who need a safe place to land.” Ash shrugged. “The Red Lion is one of them.”

“Patty and Ruth seemed devoted to you,” I pushed.

“I’m a loveable man.” Ash kept the words light, but I treated him to a stern look. He sighed, unbending slightly. “It’s nothing to make a fuss over. Joe and I both help with the Aviary’s work when we can.”

“And what shape does that work take?” I asked.

Ash shrugged. “A bit of this, a bit of that. We can provide places for people to lie low. The Penny is a good source of intelligence. The Aviary have their own useful contacts. They help us; we help them. We fund some of the projects that Mrs Finch puts in place.”

“Like the work at the Red Lion?”

After a moment he inclined his head, but clearly he saw some of the admiration in my face. “You needn’t go all gooey. It doesn’t make us saints, Felicity. We’re businessmen and working with the Aviary makes practical sense.” I could tell he was uncomfortable, which only made me like him more.

“Now,” he said, pushing away from the table. “As Mrs Finch has advised you to stay here, and Tiff has made it clear that you require no chaperone, shall we go and explore?”

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