“Unofficial part of the collection. The secretary went to school with my mum and adoresTheLondon Lark, and she told me I would find these here. These are chock full of names, dates, locations. Any mentions of Lord Croydon in Town while he claims to be elsewhere could be evidence against him.”
“But not evidence of an affair.”
Archie blew the layer of dust off a paper screamingLady L___, Loveless No Longer!, and Jasper sneezed again. “True. We need to find the mistress.”
Jasper followed at a safe distance as they made their way back to the common room, dropping his voice to a whisper. “How do we find her?”
Archie spun around. “We? Are you helping me?”
“Are you daft?” His bushy white brows had approached his hairline, which, despite his age, was remarkably full. “I’d find you stuck in an alley in a week with no recollection of why you’d gotten there, but a great story as to how. Helping you now will save me labor later.”
Archie grinned. “That’s the kindest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Jasper rolled his eyes. “Don’t expect more of it until you empty the last of those boxes.”
“It would be worth it.” He slapped a pile of tabloids on top of the books already weighing Jasper down. “Where was I? Ah, yes. Lady Croydon’s letters, combined with the gossip pages, should establish a rough timeline of his comings and goings in London. Unfortunately, the letters and, presumably, the mistress are in London.”
Jasper groaned as he dropped the stack of books on one of the few unoccupied tables. “What are all these for if everything you need is in London?”
“Case law on abuse.”
Both men stilled. “That’s a lot of case law,” Jasper said, a muscle ticking in his jaw.
“Each one expanded the definition, and my hope is we can find something to help us.”
“I assumed you’d be going to London to track down the mistress.”
“I am,” he said, double checking the list of cases he’d scrawled on the back of an envelope before handing it over to his assistant. “That’s why I need you to take notes on these while I go to London, find the mistress, and find a psychologist who will support our claim. A group of scientists from Austria is working with doctors at the University College, and I suspect they can help me.”
Jasper looked at the envelope and sighed. “This is a bill, Archie. We need to pay these!”
“We will,” Archie replied, rolling his sleeves down and buttoning the cuffs. The fickle weather had finally stopped resisting the approaching summer and delivered the warmest day of the year, with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze.
Perfect for being trapped in a library.
“When are you leaving for London?” Jasper had already settled at the table, copying Archie’s list into his notebook.
“Not until tomorrow. Lady Croydon has an appointment in the morning, and we will depart on the eleven o’clock train.”
“Lady Croydon?” Jasper shrieked, earning a chorus of hushes from the disgruntled men hunched over the library tables. “You’re traveling with her?” His voice was lower now, but lacked none of the condemnation.
“I know,” Archie said, shaking his head. “I don’t like it either.” He also hadn’t liked how his subconscious had supplied several nights’ worth of vivid dreams about fucking her in various positions in the train cars.
His cock had liked it quite a bit, though.
“But the only way to get the letters is if she goes to the Croydon House in Mayfair,” he finished, and Jasper scowled. “And I may need to use her title to gain access to the university.”
His assistant huffed and returned his attention to the list of cases. “As long as you don’t get access to anything else.”
Archie chuckled. “Why Jasper, aren’t you cheeky today?”
“You’re being awfully flippant for someone who is taking his career in his hands.” Jasper lowered his voice. “You’re lucky no one knows what happened between you two.”
“You know.”
“Someonebesidesme, someone whose best interest doesn’t require that they keep it a secret. If you’re seen together—”
“No one will see us.” Archie grabbed the stack of gossip rags and tugged, sending three colossal volumes careening to the floor. “Ah, Christ, the librarian is coming. Will you take care of this for me?”
