‘Hmm? Nothing to say?’ teased Dora. The clock in the nearby church struck five. ‘We have an hour if you don’t mind missing dinner.’
‘Dinner? Who the h-hell needs dinner?’ He groaned as she slid to her knees and undid him.
Alex arrived back from the auction in time to accompany them to Vauxhall. As an open-air venue with many directions from which people could come at them, Jacob welcomed the extra person on their team. And perhaps it was as well he wasn’t alone with Dora in the carriage after that unplanned interlude– but, damn, she could make him blush like a maiden when he thought of what she’d done, wringing throaty cries from him that he hadn’t known he could make. Once the visitor had gone, he would repay his debt with interest.
‘Everything all right, Sandys?’ asked Alex from the backward-facing seat of the hired carriage.
‘Just a twinge. From my injuries,’ Jacob lied, adjusting his breeches.
‘Is that what you call it?’
Dora kicked at Alex from the seat across from him. ‘Stop teasing. The poor man was at death’s door on Tuesday. You should rejoice he is well enough to come out tonight.’
‘Yes, be nice to me,’ said Jacob. ‘I’m one of the two people paying your wages.’ He had to get his mind back on their business and consider what they were hoping to achieve in Vauxhall. They had plenty of time for their discussion as the popularity of the fête meant there was a long line of carriages edging their way over Westminster Bridge. If Dora hadn’t been shod in light slippers rather than boots, he would’ve suggested they got out and walked. Perhaps he would when they got a bit closer.
‘Did Susannah have anything to say on the matter of clandestine visitors entering via the back stair?’ he asked. See? He could be businesslike.
Alex nodded. ‘She did, after much flattery and persuasion. As Dora said in her notes, the maid is loyal to her former mistress, and it took many promises that it wouldn’t travel further than me for her to divulge what she knew.’ He made a sour face. ‘By “me”, I was thinking “in my presence”. If you happen to overhear my thoughts on the subject, then so be it. I’m not exactly breaking my word.’
‘Sophist,’ said Dora. ‘Please continue. Speak your thoughts aloud. Don’t mind us.’
‘That I certainly won’t– apart from as it concerns getting paid. The helpful maid said it was an open secret in the house that thecomtehad his callers. The interesting new detail that didn’t come out in the inquest was that Lorenzo was the one who arranged their arrival and departure.’
‘That stands to reason,’ said Jacob. ‘He was thecomte’s man and the one closest to him. I’ve not heard that he had the skills of a valet, so perhaps he had those of a pander?’
‘According to the maid, thecomte’s taste was for a higher quality of goods than might be bought in the local bordello,’ said Alex. ‘He cultivated amours with classic French gallantry, all of which she swears were platonic and not of the sort you pay for.’
‘Of course she did. She would hardly blacken the reputation of either thecomteor thecomtesse,’ said Dora. ‘And was there a special friend in the picture at the time of their deaths?’
‘A new lady. Susannah hadn’t seen her but caught a glimpse of an emerald-green hooded cloak disappearing down the side passageway a few days before. I asked her if the mystery lady was there on the day itself, and she said she had no idea. Too much else was going on to be sure either way.’
‘Hmm,’ mused Dora. ‘Would thecomtebe so foolish as to fall for a French trap? Was he the kind to flutter to the flame of a lady only to be burned by the candle?’
‘Us men are, unfortunately, too often led by the little brain in our breeches than the one in our heads,’ said Alex, flicking a knowing look at Jacob.
‘Cut it out,’ growled Jacob, ‘Or it won’t just be your pay we’ll be docking.’
‘Sorry, sorry. I’m merely jealous that I don’t have my own Dora– well, not a Dora, obviously.’ Alex grinned, then sobered. ‘From your interest in Miss Petrovna, am I right in thinking she might be high on your list for thecomte’s mystery woman?’
‘She is,’ said Dora, ‘but with Michel Percy back in the country we must also ask ourselves if he had a French agent, or someone in the pay of the French, who insinuated themselves into the household.’
‘I think it more likely to be someone from another nationality, or even a corruptible Englishwoman. Thecomtewould have been on his guard if a lady from France suddenly claimed to have an attachment to him,’ said Jacob. ‘That would be far too obvious.’
‘I will be very interested to see if Percy turns up at the fête tonight,’ said Dora.
‘A Frenchman at a celebration of their defeat? Would he dare?’ asked Alex.
‘Oh, he would. It would be exactly the kind of trick he would pull from up his sleeve to prove how debonair he is.’
Jacob squeezed her hand where it rested on his thigh. ‘Then we might have that reunion he requested earlier than promised.’
Their carriage eventually was able to drop them close enough to the entrance to the gardens. Jacob and Alex fell into step either side of Dora as they paid their entry fee and emerged from the gatehouse. Strings of multi-coloured lanterns lit the long walks between the trees, enticing visitors to move on and ease the crush near the gate. Many were tempted to stretch their legs after a long wait in the carriages, heading out along the sandy paths, boots and shoes crunching on the dry ground. Music played in the distance with the occasional gust of applause and cheers from those who were already far into their evening of entertainment of watching the tightrope walkers and fire-eaters. The amber glow of the sunset provided a dramatic backdrop to the dark tree canopy. It would be very easy, considering the crowds, to lose sight of each other, but Jacob was determined that would not happen to them.
‘How shall we approach this?’ asked Dora. ‘I’ve not been to the gardens before, so I bow to your superior knowledge.’ She gave him a jaunty bob of her head.
‘It’s unlike you to take direction,’ said Alex, stepping out the way of a portly lady and her arrow-thin companion.
‘On the contrary, I have made a career on stage out of doing just that. I thought you were the one who couldn’t follow orders?’
