“Everyone was watching us,” Gwinnie protested drily.
“Yes, but on one of the few beautiful days we’ve had this summer, he wore a greatcoat and had his hat pulled low over his eyes.—I know, nothing noteworthy to that, just another London eccentric. However, his head tracked her progress down the path and after she’d passed him, he got up and followed her,” Lakehurst said.
“So you, Gwinnie, seeing this as well, asked Rose to follow him for you,” the Duchess said.
“Yes. From the work Rose and I do with the charity houses, with the Earl of Soothcoor, and with the resources he has put at our disposal, we have learned a great deal about crime and safety in our city. It was concerning.”
Gwinnie’s words surprised him. He knew of her involvement with Soothcoor’s charities. He hadn’t realized how involved she’d become. He thought her main interest was her violin.
He’d become too wrapped up in his writing. He’d lost the close connection he and his sister had long held. That inexplicably saddened him. Drifting apart as they grew older was bound to happen; however, he’d missed out, much like his father admitted he’d missed out when he allowed his brother, Aidan, to run their everyday lives.
Like father, like son,Lakehurst supposed.
His writing was important to him; however, it shouldn’t rule his life to the exclusion of others. How could he even think of marrying if he didn’t know how to share himself?
“Obviously, you waylaid Rose and have spoken to her since she has returned. I have not,” Lakehurst said to his grandmother. He set his teacup back on the tray. “What did she discover in following the man? Anything? Or was I mistaken?”
Lady Malmsby took her last sip of tea before setting her cup down beside Lakehurst’s. She looked at him and shook her head. “Oh, you were not mistaken,” she said.
“I knew it!” Lakehurst exclaimed, slapping his knee. He straightened. “What did she discover?”
“After Lady Darkford entered her house, the man approached a young street sweeper, a young lad that Rose said she knew from your charity work, Gwinnie,” their grandmother explained, turning toward Gwinnie.
“That is fortuitous,” said Lakehurst.
Gwinnie nodded. “We know many of the young children that work for pennies in the streets. If they are orphans, we try to get them into schools. If they support others in their family—which many do—we encourage them to take a nighttime class to learn to read and do sums.”
“From what Rose told me, this young boy does avail himself of some of the resources the Earl of Soothcoor offers.”
“I wonder who it is,” Gwinnie said. “Did she say his name?”
Lady Malmsby shook her head. “But she approached him after the man left. He told her the man paid him coins to search him out at The Wild Boar Tavern to report any visitors who came to Darkford House. She said she paid him for the information and for him to report to her, or a woman named Sarah Knolls, anything else the man may say or request of him.”
The Duchess turned toward Gwinnie. “Who is Sarah Knolls?” she asked.
“I am,” Gwinnie confessed. She shrugged. “Mrs. Southerlands said the women at the charity would not talk easily to a duke’s daughter. So, I created a persona to make the women feel more comfortable.”
The Duchess frowned. “What else don’t I know?”
Gwinnie grinned at her. “I don’t know. What do you know? You can’t think to know everything.”
“As matriarch of this family, why not?”
Gwinnie and Lakehurst laughed. “Probably because there are too many of us! And with Uncle Aidan now married and not living in our pockets, you’ll probably know even less!” Lakehurst said.
The Duchess nodded slowly. “I see I have to broaden my sources.”
Lakehurst exchanged dismayed looks with his sister.
Then the Duchess perked up. “But first I need to do something about this mess you have made, Lakehurst.”
“Grandmother, I—” began Lakehurst.
She held up her hand. “Do not interrupt. We will have Stephen go to Gunter’s to order ices to be delivered to the Marquess of Darkford with the compliments of the Dowager Duchess of Malmsby. Then he will take the boat the young Marquess enjoyed—we certainly don’t have any use for it seeing as neither of you has seen fit to marry and provide me with great-grandchildren,” she said pointedly, “to the Darkford townhouse, with a note from you, Gwinnie, saying you want him to have the boat and hopefully you can sail it with him in the future.”
“What about me?” Lakehurst asked.
The Duchess looked down her nose at her grandson. “You will discover from Ellinbourne what happened the night Lady Darkford’s husband died while I see what damage control I can do.—And take the measure of Mr. and Mrs. Tidemark. I will visit Lady Darkford tomorrow.—Hopefully, she will talk to me.”
