“And now he’s our latest client?”
“Not exactly,” said Elizabeth. “We don’t even know what was taken. But apparently the robbery unfolded in such an ostentatious manner that the authorities have decidedwemust have something to do with it.”
“Oh, for the love of God.” Jacob filled his plate as quickly as he could. “We don’t have time to defend ourselves from utter nonsense.”
“We’d better find time,” said Marjorie. “Before it stops us from being able to handle all of our other cases.”
“Speaking of which,” said Jacob. “Any news about Quentin?”
“No sign of him.” Elizabeth pushed the latest stack of intelligence toward his spot at the table. “You can read through the informants’ missives if you want detailed descriptions of the most boring houses in London. Quentin’s friends never leave their homes except to visit each other.”
Tommy set another stack on top of Elizabeth’s. “And here are the latest responses from the churches and gaols and hospitals. Nobody has seen anyone matching Quentin’s description, though they’ve all posted his likeness in a prominent place in case he happens to show.”
“Wonderful,” Jacob said with a groan. “Miss Henry is going to love to hear it.”
“Isn’t it an odd coincidence for us to have two missing persons cases in one week?” asked Marjorie.
“Actually, we don’t,” said Tommy. “Chloe said the other was a kidnapping hoax. This disappearance may not pan out to anything either.”
“Quentinismissing,” Jacob reminded his sister.
She waved her hand. “Chloe and I used to go missing from the orphanage all the time. We always came back eventually. Until we found Bean.”
“Quentin isn’t an indigent in an orphanage. He has income from his trust and a home to return to.”
“Doesn’t mean he likes it,” said Elizabeth. “I ran away from my previous family in search of a better life and found one when I met you all. Maybe Quentin is searching for something, too.”
“Miss Henrydidseem to gloss over a few details,” Jacob mused.
Marjorie lowered her fork. “You noticed that, too?”
“I thought her reticence seemed to be related to whatever clothing he normally wears,” said Tommy. “Perhaps he’s like me and doesn’t always fit in the way society expects. And thus embarrasses his cousin.”
“She did make a point to underscore that he’d left the house looking like an ordinary young man,” Jacob agreed slowly. “But if that’s the case, it’s unlikely his attire had anything to do with his disappearance.”
“I still say runaway,” said Elizabeth. “She herself said they parted on bad terms.Howbad, I wonder? Bad enough never to come home?”
“Maybe so, if his cousin’s embarrassment over his appearance makes him feel she doesn’t value him as a person,” Tommy said softly.
Jacob put his plate down. “I’ll go and find out.”
Maybe he and Miss Henry both owed each other an apology.
Although the Wynchesters owned several carriages, Jacob decided to walk to Cheapside. He could cover the two miles in half an hour, which wasn’t significantly more time than he would waste ringing for a coach to be readied and brought round.
Besides, the fresh air would help to clear his head. Hedidlike Miss Henry, human hedgehog. Prickly on the outside, and secretly soft underneath.
He found her door with ease and rapped the knocker.
There was no response for a long minute. Then the door cracked open, revealing Miss Henry in a russet-colored round dress of moderate width, pleated at the bottom in three layers. Bright sprigs of orange ribbon adorned the faded hems, brightening the earth tones with a dash of color. Perhaps it was the simplicity of the dress that made Miss Henry stand out all the more. She would be radiant in a floor-length burlap sack.
“What do you want?” she said with obvious inattention. Her gaze was on the pencil stub she was sharpening with a dull blade.
“To apologize, and to share what information we’ve managed to gather. Might I come in?”
She glanced over her shoulder, then opened the door wide. “Make yourself at home. But take off your shoes, first.”
“Take off my… shoes?”
