Chapter 21 #3
I placed a hand on her shoulder. “I very much appreciate your concern. Really, I do. But I’m fine. I’ll go see my sister and then return for a nap this afternoon.”
I watched Mrs. Ford mull over my words and finally give a stiff nod. “All right then.”
“Thank you,” I said with a gentle squeeze of her shoulder. And it was the truth. I did appreciate having someone looking out for my well-being.
After I finished my breakfast, I went to collect Tommy. He was reluctant to leave his little pile of books until I mentioned that my parents had a very fine library of their own that he could peruse. Then he was on his feet and barreling down the hall towards the door.
Once we arrived at Portman Square a short time later, I was happy to learn from Morris that Delia was awake and in the parlor.
Tommy wanted to escape to the library at once, but I made him come with me to greet his aunt.
Upon entering the room, I found Delia curled up on the window seat with a book.
She looked so peaceful that I almost hated to interrupt her, but then Tommy charged forward.
“Hello, Aunt Delia! What are you reading? Is it about dinosaurs?”
She broke into a smile and sat up. “Unfortunately, no. It is a book of poems by John Keats.”
Tommy immediately frowned, which was to be expected. “I think you would much prefer to read about dinosaurs.”
“I agree,” she replied before looking at me. “I’m glad you’ve both come.”
Delia wore a plain grey day gown, with an old shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her face was still paler than normal, but she looked better than the last time I saw her.
I patted Tommy’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go down the hall to the library. You might even find a book for your aunt.”
He looked up at me, his eyes wide with excitement. “All right.” Then he bolted from the room.
“No running inside!” I called after him, but it seemed to have little effect.
I turned back to Delia and sat beside her.
“How are you feeling?” I asked, taking her hand in mine.
“Better,” she replied. “Physically, at least.”
I gave her a sympathetic smile. “And what does Mrs. Reynolds say?”
“She has been an angel. I’m supposed to still rest, of course. But that is just as well. I have no desire to see anyone. Present company excluded,” she added.
I squeezed her hand. “I am here for you. Anything you need.”
“I know,” she said softly, as she squeezed back.
But I knew very well that grief was a road one had to travel largely alone. For after the rites were said and the dead were buried, others moved on much more quickly.
She then inhaled and straightened. “So then. Have you uncovered anything of note?”
I considered telling Delia about our meeting with Mrs. Pearson, but decided it wasn’t necessary at the moment. She deserved to mourn the Charles Pearson she had known and loved. And there were other things I could share in the meantime.
“I learned from Mr. Henshaw about a private auction that Charles frequented at the home of Sir Armstrong-Hughes. I thought we might be able to speak with some of the attendants and perhaps discover more about his business.”
Delia leaned forward, her interest piqued. “And?”
“Mr. Dorian was able to gain us admission, and we attended last night. I learned that Charles did not often sell his pieces. Rather, he found pieces for other collectors. And apparently was quite good at it.”
Delia bit her lip as she considered this. “That makes sense. And could explain his need for a telephone.”
“Yes, perhaps.” Then I hesitated. Delia rose a brow, compelling me to continue. “I did not only go there to find out about Charles, though. Months ago, while I was still on Corfu, I learned a rumor about Oliver and his work in the government.”
Delia frowned in confusion. “A rumor? What kind of rumor?”
I let out a sigh. “Mr. Dorian asked a friend at the Foreign Office to look into Oliver, and they revealed that he was suspected of selling Grecian artifacts on the black market.”
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “What?”
I hung my head and nodded. “They also suggest that that was the reason Oliver left the embassy and moved us to Corfu.”
Delia gripped my wrist. “Do you believe that?”
My nose began to sting as I met her concerned gaze.
“I don’t know. And I hate that I feel any kind of doubt about him.
But I cannot deny that it would explain some things.
His sudden retirement, his insistence that we move to Corfu.
And …” I swallowed hard, past the lump in my throat.
“Not long before he died, he made me promise him that I wouldn’t come back here.
He was quite insistent about it, in fact.
And for a long time, I thought it was because he simply wanted the children to have a different kind of childhood than we had.
But now I keep thinking that there was more to it.
That maybe he was trying to protect us from something.
But if that was the case, wouldn’t he have told me? ”
“Maybe he meant to,” Delia said gently.
But death had taken him first.
I wiped the heel of my palm across my eyes, where a few rebellious tears had fallen. “We found some papers in Sir Armstrong-Hughes’s study that included a number of items exported from Greece around the time Oliver was still in service. But the name of the procurer was deliberately withheld.”
“Good heavens, Minnie,” Delia said, looking properly shocked. “And you think it was Oliver?”
“I don’t know. But I need to find out who it was. If only to prove it wasn’t him.”
“How can I help?”
I let out a surprised laugh. “I can’t drag you into this.”
“Nonsense. After everything you’ve done for me, let me help you now.”
I shook my head. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” But just as I said the words, something came to mind:
Tell that imbecile to get my daughter out of here. That was our agreement.
“Actually,” I began. “Father said something the other day that was quite odd. He wasn’t in his right mind, I know, but he seemed very agitated to see me here and specifically said it wasn’t safe.”
Delia furrowed her brow. “He doesn’t always have a very good sense of time. It’s as if his mind is shuffling through the years.”
“Do you think it’s possible he worked for the government? Perhaps … in secret?”
“You mean as a spy?” She snorted. “He would have been terrible at that.”
“But he specifically mentioned someone named Mitchem. And Mr. Dorian said he was once the head of the Foreign Office.”
“Well, I can poke around his study, if you like,” Delia offered. “Though if he really was up to something clandestine, I highly doubt he would have kept a record of it.”
“That’s true. But something may turn up. Where is Mother?”
Delia waved a hand. “Out making her usual calls. Honestly, that woman will let nothing keep her from her social schedule. London could crumble all around us, and she would still see Lady Montgomery on Mondays, Mrs. Gilbert on Tuesdays, and Lady Asquith on Wednesdays.”
“Oh God,” I said with a start. “I completely forgot that I promised to call on Lady Asquith’s niece today. She is an old friend from Girton.” Then I glanced at the clock on the mantel. “Just about now, in fact.”
Delia tilted her head. “Well, go ahead. I can keep an eye on Tommy.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“It isn’t as though I have anywhere else to be,” she said. “And I could use the distraction. Perhaps he can tell me about dinosaurs.”
“Do not get him started, or you will never hear the end of it,” I warned.
But Delia just flashed me a grin. “I can think of far worse ways to spend a morning. Now shoo. I know you hate being late even by one minute.”
It was true. I was already mapping out the route to Cecelia’s house in my head. I could take the carriage, but decided it would be faster if I walked and cut through the park.
“Thank you, Delia,” I said as I stood. “I won’t be gone more than an hour.”
She waved me towards the door. “Expect me to be an expert on paleontology when you return.”