Chapter Twenty-Six
E dith’s father was not downstairs for breakfast the next morning.
“He has already gone out, my lady,” a footman replied to her query after she arrived in the breakfast room.
She ate alone as Louisa preferred a tray in her room in the morning.
“It has become a habit as growing up with four brothers, I learned to enjoy any peace I could find in a day.”
The women would meet Lord Harbury in Kensington Gardens that afternoon. She wondered if Charlotte and Ashford had been invited to promenade. As for Lord Wycliffe? She hadn't thought of him much the last few days and wasn’t as eager to see him as she thought she would be. His recent condescension toward her had decidedly taken the bloom off the rose.
After breakfast, she settled in the library where her father would deposit copies of the daily newspapers after he’d read them. Rifling through the news sheets, she discovered they were all a week old. She asked the butler about the papers.
“Your father has the recent newspapers in his study at present, my lady.”
The study was the one room in the house she didn’t enter without her father’s permission.
A few minutes later, Louisa entered the library. “Your maid told me you were in here with your nose buried in the papers.”
She shook her head. “My father seems to have appropriated this week’s news sheets. How is your migraine?”
“You know very well I merely wanted to leave that dull reception. Although if we had stayed much longer, I might indeed have come down with migraine. Are you looking forward to our afternoon appointment?”
She nodded. “I hope there is some news about our veterans. Perhaps Lord Harbury has some information about transportation that will be of use.”
“You did find out there is a Transport Board.”
“I hope the baron has already spoken to someone at the board. He is very clever, after all. And intuitive.”
“And handsome,” Louisa replied lightly.
She looked up.
“Although not as handsome as Lord Wycliffe.”
Edith sighed. “Nobody is as handsome as the viscount.”
A maid entered the room with a letter on a silver salver.
After reading the note, Edith handed it to Louisa. “Charlotte wants us to visit for nuncheon. It sounds as if she has something important to tell us. I will go upstairs and change into a walking dress, as we should probably leave for Kensington Gardens afterward.”
When they reached Ashford House, it was to find the townhouse in an uproar and servants rushing about. Charlotte awaited them in the drawing room.
“What is going on?” Edith asked Charlotte as the two ladies shared a brief hug.
She took a seat as Charlotte embraced Louisa. Their friend was not a hugger, but she did often allow Charlotte to embrace her as there was really no escaping it.
“Tea?” Charlotte sorted cups and saucers. “Ashford and I depart for Kent tomorrow.”
“I thought you weren’t leaving until November?” she asked before taking a sip of tea.
“After hearing about the murder yesterday, Ashford and I both decided we should depart for the countryside.” She asked with raised brows, “Would you believe Diana is going with us? She wants to see me settled in Kent and then plans to return to Town.”
Edith hadn’t heard anything Charlotte said after the word ‘murder.’
“Murder?” Now she knew why there were no recent copies of the morning newspapers at Hanover Square available for her perusal. “Who was killed?”
Charlotte leaned forward in her seat, extending a plate of sandwiches. “Lady Sandhurst’s scullery maid. It seems Lord Harbury was in the house when the murder occurred.”
“Lord Harbury?!” She reached a hand to her earlobe, then dropped it. “My goodness!”
“He came to no harm,” Charlotte assured her.
Louisa did not comment on the murder but said, “We are to meet with the baron this afternoon at Kensington Gardens. Were you and Ashford invited?”
“My husband informed Nathaniel and Cecil that we are leaving town in the morning and will not investigate further.” Charlotte paused. “If I weren’t with child, I would stay. My main concern is keeping the babe safe. The missing veterans are important to me, but I trust Nathaniel and Cecil to find them.”
Edith replied, “Oh yes! You must take care of yourself and the child. We will miss you, of course.”
Louisa asked, “What happened to the snuff box?”
Charlotte replied, “Ashford gave it to Cecil.”
Edith had been worrying about Lord Harbury, or she would have remembered to ask about the snuff box. Another thought came to mind. “Louisa told me that Lord Harbury had a rather adventurous career while serving in the navy.”
“I’m not sure I would call it adventurous.” Charlotte shook her head. “There was the suicide of a man Nathaniel was investigating for espionage.”
“Oh goodness! Was the man truly a spy?” she asked.
“Ashford told me the Navy covered up the incident. He only knows the little he does from Nathaniel, but Lt. Cooper was indeed a spy. He drowned after jumping into the water from the HMS Cressy , and his father blames the baron. Soon after, Nathaniel’s former ship, the HMS St. George , sank with few survivors.”
“That must be why he often seems melancholy.” She paused to look at her friends. “He hides it well behind his smile, but I can tell he is occasionally sad.”
“Ashford has tried to talk to him about his melancholia, but the baron insists he’s fine.” Charlotte took a sip of her tea.
“It is hard to understand what he went through,” she replied. “We have none of us experienced such a serious loss.”
“You lost your mother,” Louisa pointed out.
“It was so long ago, Louisa. The difference is I don’t blame myself for my mother’s death. Lord Harbury must feel some guilt to be so unhappy.”
They were silent a moment.
“We should be trying to cheer Charlotte up.” Louisa added softly, “We will miss you terribly, you know.”
Charlotte’s smile was bright, if a bit forced. “You both must come visit us in the country and soon. Do try and keep me updated on what is happening with your investigation, and do not put yourselves in danger.”
“Don’t worry about us. I’m sure Lord Harbury won’t let us get into too much trouble,” Louisa replied with a wink. “He will surely want to keep Edith safe.”
* * * * *
B efore he departed for Kensington Gardens, Nathaniel looked in at the Bow Street Runner headquarters to give his statement regarding the murder the day before. He wasn’t surprised when the clerk who had taken down his account of what happened at Lady Sandhurst’s townhouse exited the room, and Black Jack entered.
“Harbury!”
“Black Jack.”
The runner sat down and looked over Nathaniel’s statement. He nodded several times. Without looking up, he asked, “Do you have any theories?”
“The killer was someone in the house. My driver said no one exited the house and went through the mews. Unless the body was there for some time.”
Jack looked up. “The maid was killed only a few minutes after you arrived at the house. The cook remembers seeing Agnes in the scullery when you arrived.” He frowned. “There was no reason for the young woman to be in the music room.”
“Perhaps she was lured there.”
“Do you have any evidence to support that theory?” Jack asked, staring at him intently.
Nathaniel still had the scrap of vellum but wouldn’t share it. There was no reason for anyone else to know he’d been the target of the poisoned food. He might trust Black Jack, but he had no idea if any of the other runners were members of the RA.
He lifted a shoulder. “I have no proof, but it would explain why Agnes was in a room she had no business in.”
“And there is nothing else you wish to share with me? I’m sure Lord Wycliffe would like to tie this crime to the Rogue’s Alliance, but we have found no link to the organization.”
“I have nothing to add.” He rose to his feet. “Will that be all?”
“For now. If I need you, I know where to find you.”
Nathaniel exited the building as a cloud moved, and the sun shone brightly upon him. The carriage ride to Kensington Gardens took him past St. James’s Park, Green Park, and most of Hyde Park, as Kensington Gardens was adjacent to that expanse of green.
His pocket watch showed it was just on two o’clock when he took up a place at the head of the gravel walk for the promenade. The path ran north to south, and several people were already promenading. Looking about him, he spied Lady Edith approaching the walk.
She wore a lovely peach Spencer over a cream walking dress, her bonnet trimmed in peach ribbons. She looked so fresh and pretty that it took him a moment to realize Lady Louisa was at her side.
“Lady Edith, Lady Louisa.” He bowed. “We have much to speak about.”
“I believe we do,” Edith replied softly and stepped toward him.
He put out an arm, and the lady took it. “Shall we?” Louisa took up a place on the other side of her friend.
They started forward, and Edith said, “Charlotte informed us of the murder at Lady Sandhurst’s home.”
“Then you know I was there when it occurred?” He looked about, but no one was close enough to hear their conversation.
“We do. Louisa and I spoke to Charlotte before we arrived at the park. She and Ashford are leaving London.”
“I think that is an excellent idea. I don’t believe Charlotte is in danger, but it will ease her and Ashford’s mind to be gone from Town.”
There was a crunch of gravel behind them. They stopped walking and turned to see Cecil behind them.
“What are you doing here?” he asked the viscount.
“I have news.” Cecil held out his arm, and Lady Louisa took it with a too-sweet smile. “Let us continue on and not attract attention to ourselves.”
When their party resumed walking, Cecil and Louisa were a step behind himself and Edith.
“What news have you?” he asked without turning his head.
“The body of one of Lady Sandhurst’s footmen has been found in the Thames. Although the runners assume he murdered the maid, we may never know if he did the deed or if he is merely a scapegoat.”
Edith gasped. “Would the RA do such a thing? Kill an innocent man to cover their tracks?”
“If it draws suspicion away from the remainder of the household,” Cecil replied grimly.
They passed several couples strolling in the opposite direction, so their party remained silent for several moments as they nodded to the other walkers.
“You do know Ashford and Charlotte are leaving London?” Louisa asked her companion.
“I do, Lady Louisa,” Cecil replied. “It is a very sound idea.”
Nathaniel was glad his friend spoke politely with none of his usual arrogance. “Has the snuff box found at the registry afforded you any leads?”
“It could belong to anyone. I have investigated the registry employees but can’t find a connection to this business. Perhaps one of the men looking for work dropped it in the lobby, and someone placed it on the bookshelf.”
Nathaniel would like to believe that theory so he wouldn’t have to suspect any of the registry employees of being involved in the disappearance of their veterans. “And you found no ties linking Lord Sidmouth to this business?”
Louisa gasped. “The Home Secretary?”
Cecil replied, “He was to be the employer of the third missing veteran, Seaman Wilson.”
They approached a bench, and he asked, “Would you ladies care to rest a moment?”
“Please.” Edith released his arm and was seated, Louisa beside her.
He wanted to stop a moment and release Edith for his own sake. Her nearness was wreaking havoc with his brain-he needed to concentrate on the missing veterans.
Cecil said quietly, “I have found no evidence that the Home Secretary is involved in the disappearance of the veterans.”
Nathaniel stood near Edith’s end of the bench, watching anyone approaching from the north. Cecil was situated to observe any walkers coming from the south.
“This whole affair is getting very complicated,” Louisa said grumpily. “There are any number of people that could be involved. The next order of business must be to rule out transportation to New Holland.”
“I agree,” Cecil replied in a low voice. “If we can locate the missing veterans, then we should be able to find the culprit or culprits behind their disappearance.”
“Have you ascertained that our veterans are not in one of the gaols under false identities?” he asked his friend.
“That took longer than I would have thought, but I have. They are not incarcerated in a land-based gaol. I have gone through proper channels to determine if the men are on a hulk. The problem with a hulk is that the ships are privately owned, not under the control of the prisons or the navy. Neither Bones nor I have any contacts that would allow us access to a hulk.”
“I spoke with a man who profits from the transportation of criminals.” Edith explained, “His name is Mr. Lambourne, and he owns a sheep station in New South Wales.”
“You did? How extraordinary.” Nathaniel couldn’t help but smile at the lady. She constantly surprised him with her initiative.
Lady Edith recounted her visit to the reception for Mr. Lambourne. “The only thing I learned is that there is a Transport Board. Have you contacted the board, Lord Harbury?”
“I have.” He encompassed the group in his gaze as he added, “The Morley is leaving London in December. The hulks used for the ship are in Woolwich. Evidently, it is rare for a transport ship to leave from Town.”
Louisa clicked her tongue. “December is a long time away.”
“And the poor men and women will be stuck on that horrible ship until then.” Edith sighed. “How awful.”
“It will give us time to figure out how to get on that hulk,” Cecil replied practically.
“Shall we continue?” Nathaniel extended his arm to Lady Edith.
Once they were again in their places and walking, he looked down at his companion, who glanced up at him. “If either of you ladies think of any way to get on those hulks, you must let us know. Shall we all meet up tomorrow evening at my home for supper? We can discuss any further developments then.”