Chapter 16
After taking Bannet to Ravenhurst House, Tilda and Hadrian made haste to Scotland Yard. Hadrian turned his head to Tilda, seated beside him in the coach. “Thank you for escorting Bannet inside and helping me introduce her to the housekeeper. I think that helped settle her.”
Tilda felt sorry for the maid. Bannet was devastated over the loss of Miss Chadwick, and now she’d lost her employment as well.
“I thought my presence would put her more at ease. In truth, I wanted to ask if she knows the identity of Miss Chadwick’s secret admirer, but I just couldn’t whilst she’s so upset.
” Tilda was desperate to know, however. “Hopefully, she’ll feel better later or tomorrow, and you can ask her.
” Her gaze lifted to Hadrian’s head. “How is your head?”
“Improved from this morning.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he grimaced comically.
Tilda shook her head at him. “It did hurt this morning!”
He actually blushed. “Only a little, but it’s completely fine now. In fact, I feel well enough that if Teague hadn’t taken Lea’s notebook, I would have tried to experience a memory from it.”
“Well, I’m glad he did,” Tilda said. “I don’t think you should overdo it today, even if you are feeling better. Plenty of time for that tomorrow. I’m sure we can come up with a reason to review the notebook.”
“Did you learn anything new from it?” Hadrian asked.
“Inspector Lea interviewed the property master of the Pavilion Theatre who offered a different manner of producing the blue flame that they sometimes used on stage. It requires more ingredients because a sponge is soaked with spirits of wine, then a certain kind of acid, depending on the desired color of the flame, is dropped onto the sponge. If I were Spring-heeled Jack, I should think the tube method would be easier, especially when trying to create a quick, seamless effect.”
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of a theatre trick,” Hadrian said. “Perhaps Spring-heeled Jack works in a theatre. He also has a costume.”
Tilda snapped her gaze to his. “What about the scent of greasepaint you detected from that cloak? The garment could have come from a theatre.”
Hadrian grinned. “I finally feel as if we’ve deduced something helpful.”
“I hope so. I look forward to hearing Teague’s thoughts even though we can’t tell him about the greasepaint.” She sent Hadrian a covert glance. “Do you ever think about revealing your ability to Teague?”
“Not at all.” He twitched beside her. “I wouldn’t want it to become widely known.”
Tilda lightly touched his arm. “I didn’t mean to agitate you. I won’t ever tell anyone. I do think you could trust Teague, but I understand if you don’t want him to know.”
“Thank you. It isn’t about trust.” He clenched his jaw briefly. “It’s just…private.”
“Of course.”
“I am slightly concerned someone will notice my odd behavior.” He turned his head toward her, his mouth curling into a half-smile. “I think I might borrow Wycombe’s migraine explanation.”
“I fully support that and will follow your lead should you wish to use it.”
They fell quiet for a few moments as they rumbled toward Scotland Yard.
“Have you given any more thought to attending dinner at Ravenhurst House tomorrow night?” Hadrian asked.
“Truthfully, no. I’ve been too engrossed in the case. Sorry. Remind me, which of your sisters is coming?”
“Beatrice—she’s two years older than me. They live in Wimbledon as her husband, Courtenay, prefers to keep more horses than he would be able to in London. He can be insufferable on occasion, and I confess your brilliant company will dull his presence.”
Tilda laughed. “Then I suppose I must come, and I will.” She met his gaze intently. “So long as no one else is kidnapped before then.”
“Of course.” He smiled widely. “I’m very glad you’re coming. I look forward to introducing you to my sister.”
“And how will you do that?” Tilda asked. “I hope you don’t want to tell her about our private courtship as you did your mother.”
His brows rose slightly as his eyes glittered.
“I want to tell everyone, but no, I won’t tell my sister.
” He brushed something from his knee. “I’ve been thinking about the romances between Lady Priscilla and Vincent and Delia and her mystery gentleman.
It’s too bad none of them were able to show their love for one another out in the open.
It’s a burden to disguise one’s true emotions. ”
Was he speaking for himself? “Is that how you feel?” she asked quietly.
“Not burdened, no. But I would dearly love for everyone everywhere to know how much I love you.” The smile he gave her could have lit the darkest night.
Tilda was suddenly overcome with emotion, as she’d been last night when Hadrian collapsed. She hadn’t thought about wanting to display or share her love with anyone but Hadrian. But as her affection for him deepened, it was possible or even likely that she wouldn’t be able to conceal it.
“I’m afraid my feelings were too exposed last night,” she said. “I can only imagine what Teague thinks, let alone your staff, although they seemed surprisingly comfortable with my presence in your household.”
Hadrian chuckled. “They were ready to let you run it.”
They arrived at Scotland Yard, and the desk clerk directed them to the courtyard behind the building.
Teague was there with three constables. They’d set up a table with tubing, matches, several strips of lamp wick sitting in a shallow vessel filled with a clear liquid, and a bottle that was certainly spirits of wine.
“You’ve arrived just in time,” Teague said.
“We just finished cutting the lamp wick. I sent these constables to fetch the various items, and of course, they want to observe. Poor Wycombe was not pleased about having to miss this to go to the magistrate’s court.
” Teague sighed. “Alas, it couldn’t be helped. ”
“I’m trying to understand how Spring-heeled Jack would produce this trick quickly,” Tilda said.
“We thought of that as we talked this through before we obtained the necessary supplies,” Teague said.
“One of the constables suggested he might use a wick to hold the alcohol. Then it would slide into the tube. The remaining question is how the wick stays in the tube as Spring-heeled Jack carries it around in his pocket or wherever.”
“The cap we found at Lady Priscilla’s would work!” Tilda darted her gaze to Hadrian. “That would fit on the end of a tube, wouldn’t it?”
He grinned. “Absolutely.”
“Excellent deduction, Miss Wren.” Teague looked from her to Hadrian and then to the constables. “Who would like to conduct the experiment?”
Everyone volunteered. Teague laughed. “We’ll see Miss Wren go first since she so brilliantly thought of the mysterious brass cap.”
Stepping to the table, Tilda removed her gloves and set them at one end.
“I take one of the wicks and insert it into a tube?” She pinched one of the damp wicks and slid it into one of the metal tubes.
“I can see why you’d want caps on the end of this when you carry it around in your pocket as you plan to frighten someone. ”
One of the constables chuckled.
Tilda ruminated on how someone might accomplish this so as not to draw attention to the fact that it was, indeed, a trick.
“Let us puzzle out how this would work. I would pluck the tube from my pocket, take one cap off and perhaps drop it back into my pocket. Then I’d withdraw a matchbook—perhaps from another pocket.
” She picked up a match from the table with her right hand whilst clutching the tube in her left.
“I would have to hold the book or box along with the tube in one hand whilst I struck the match. And I would need to pull the other cap off and hold it in my hand with the lit match.” She mimicked the movements as she said them but did not light the match because doing so would have tipped the tube, and the wick would have fallen out.
“I put the match in front of the tube, and blow. I see how he dropped the cap at Lady Priscilla’s,” she finished wryly.
“We must investigate that cap more closely now that we know what it is,” Teague said.
“I’d prefer not to juggle the tube with the spirits of wine and the match.” Tilda looked at Hadrian. “Would you mind producing the fire for me?”
“It would be my pleasure.” Hadrian plucked up the matchbook. “Ready?”
She lifted the tube to her mouth. “Ready.”
He lit the match and held it in front of the tube. Tilda blew through it, and the flame grew larger and turned blue.
Everyone gasped. This was followed quickly with laughter and applause.
“Spectacular!” Teague smiled broadly. “Our very own Spring-heeled Jane!”
Once the laughter died down, everyone took turns producing the blue flame. The last constable endeavored to manage the tube and the match as they imagined Spring-heeled Jack might have done. He received the loudest applause yet and took a bow.
“It really is a performance.” Tilda turned to Teague.
“I meant to tell you that Lea’s notebook included a record of his interview with the property master at the Pavilion Theatre.
” She explained how one might use acid to create different colors of flame.
“Ravenhurst and I discussed the possibility of Spring-heeled Jack working for a theatre. He does wear a costume, after all.”
“That’s not a bad theory. Let’s go to my office to look at that brass cap.” Teague led them upstairs where he went straight to his desk. He cleared a space on top of it before unlocking a drawer and removing the cap they’d found in Lady Priscilla’s bedchamber.
Teague placed it on the desk and moved a lamp to provide better illumination. Tilda withdrew her magnifying glass from her reticule.