It was a sad and confusing situation that made no sense, as Mr. Hastings wound his way through the streets. He did so with the expertise of one who had done this many times, thereby shortening the journey that could easily have taken the better part of an hour.
I thought again of the motor carriage and wondered if the journey would have been any quicker. Lily was most entertaining with her questions about the kaleidoscope.
How did it work? How did they get all those colors and shapes into the tube? Unfortunately, I lacked an inventor’s explanation about light refraction, though I was certain Mr. Brimley would have been able to explain.
“I never had such a thing before,” she exclaimed, and thanked me for what had to be the dozenth time as we wound our way through the streets of London. I couldn’t help but feel sadness for her. For all intents and purposes, as far as anyone knew, she’d had no childhood.
Not unlike Brodie, forced to fend for himself on the streets of London, doing God knows what, to survive.
I knew bits and pieces that he had shared with me, yet I was not naïve. There was undoubtedly a great part more of it that he had not shared.
I was certain that explained his support of my decision to take Lily as my ward—someone who had no family, no future, except perhaps as a housemaid, or worse, as I had seen at the‘Church’in Edinburgh.
And what now of Ellie Sutton’s son?
His situation seemed very different. The Matthews family was considered quite affluent with the Argosy Company interests in shipping.
In my search of the articles I had found regarding that previous murder case, apparently Stephen Matthew had been the only child. No others were mentioned. Surely the Matthews would want to provide for their grandchild...
The coach swung into the drive at Sussex Square and then abruptly stopped.
“Look at all the lights in the manor,” Lily said as she leaned out the window. “Is her ladyship having a celebration?”
Not that I was aware of, and if she was, everyone would have been made aware. She did love a party. I leaned out the other window.
“Mr. Hastings?” I called out.
“The gates are closed, miss. And the way blocked.”
Closed? The gates were never closed, particularly when someone was out and about. It was then that the coach door was pulled open and a face loomed through the shadows of the thin light from the lanterns on the coach—a face with a policeman’s hat atop his head.
Rupert lunged. It took some effort, but Lily was able to restrain him. The officer reared back from the door opening, and I did wonder by the look on his face if he might be the same one Rupert had encountered at the town house. There did seem to be a strong dislike.
“Is there something wrong?” I asked.
“Not at all, miss. Official business, we have orders to check everyone arriving.”
“For what reason?” I demanded.
“The Chief Inspector can provide that information, miss.”
Abberline!
I looked to the manor, well lit, all about the front and down that long driveway. Several feelings rose at once, not the least was anger that Abberline had taken it upon himself to come here.
Had something happened? Had Brodie been found and arrested? Or was it something else?
Brodie had mentioned that Abberline would try to find him through me. That was not going to happen, nor was I going to be intimidated or allow anyone to intimidate my great-aunt.
“I am Lady Montgomery’s niece and this is my ward. Unless you have ambitions to be collecting garbage on the streets—I assure you that can be arranged—youwilllet us pass now.”
He nodded and immediately stepped back from the coach then called to another constable positioned at the gate. At a signal, the gates were opened and we were allowed to proceed.
As we passed by one of the lamp posts along the driveway, I caught the expression on Lily’s face. Her eyes were as large as saucers, and she grinned.
“I thought for a minute that ye might take that revolver ye carry and shoot him.”
I didn’t tell her that for just a minute I had considered it. If he thought a dog bite might be painful...
