“Make certain that Sir Avery sees this right away,” he told Alex as he grabbed the revolver he carried and checked it, then grabbed his long coat.
“I’ll be out and about for a while to see what other information there might be,” he added.
That was as much as he was willing to reveal for now. He’d lived on the streets in the past and valued the trust Schmidt had in him, so far.
That went both ways. He kept the names of those he relied on to himself. Nothing was written down, no names mentioned, nor put into one of those reports that Sir Avery submitted to others. Not even to Alex, even though he trusted the young man.
But, as he’d also learned on the streets, the walls had ears. What one man overheard and might pass on, at least a dozen more might learn of, and he wouldn’t put any man at risk.
It was precisely the reason he was determined to keep Mikaela out of this. Not that she couldn’t be trusted. He’d never known a woman who wasna given to gossip, until she boldly walked into his life.
Quite the opposite and it was precisely that reason that he had kept the details of this from her. It would be just like her, once she heard what they’d learned, to insist on being part of it.
Not this time, he thought, not now, as he buttoned his coat and set off to find a driver to take him back to the office on the Strand to change into clothes far more suitable for where he was going next.
He needed to go back to the streets, blend in, move about without suspicion, and see what he could learn.
Seven
After meeting with Dr. Pennington,I did have more questions for Mrs. Bennett. It did seem that there were things she might have overlooked or had chosen not to mention regarding Dr. Bennett’s work. There might be nothing at all or it might provide something important.
I had then returned to the office on the Strand after enlisting the somewhat reluctant assistance of Munro the previous afternoon. Once again, there was no sign of Brodie. Not that I was concerned, or the sort who went on and on about such things…
Mr. Cavendish insisted the hound accompany me to the townhouse upon my leaving. Mrs. Ryan had returned with the hound on her way to Sussex Square the previous day. He had somehow terrorized a neighbor who lived next to the townhouse as the man went to collect the daily. When I learned who it was, a curmudgeonly sort I had encountered on more than one occasion, I thought Rupert should be congratulated.
So there we were, Rupert and myself at the townhouse. I set the fire on the hearth in the front parlor, poured myself a bit of Old Lodge, and then found something for both of us to eat in thecold box in the kitchen. After supper, I had placed a call to Mrs. Bennett and arranged to meet this morning.
It was quite late when I finally retired for the night, Rupert accompanying me upstairs, and I contemplated the situation with Brodie.
Such things did have a way of creeping into one’s thoughts when one had a dram or two.
I could only surmise what his work for Sir Avery might be. He had shown a particular displeasure toward the man in the last case that had taken us to Edinburgh, a personal matter that Brodie needed to resolve. And I was aware that it was not the first time there was a difference of opinions in certain matters between the two men.
And there was the other part of it and quite surprising… I missed him. I missed our conversations at the end of the day. I even missed our occasional disagreements over a certain matter. Such things had never bothered me before. And there was that other part of our relationship now.
It did occur to me that with recent events, pathetic as it was, I did lament that the only creature in my bed— or beside it on the floor, was the hound. The smell about him was far different from the scent of cinnamon about Brodie.
Oh, bloody hell.
The hounded sounded off as the bell at the door rang upon the arrival of the driver for my meeting with Mrs. Bennett.
I collected my coat, then gathered my umbrella along with the bag that contained my notebook. I gave the hound a long look.
It was undoubtedly not a good idea to simply leave him at the townhouse with no one about. I could only imagine what I might find upon my return.
The alternative was to simply turn him out. However, there was my neighbor to consider. I have to admit that it wastempting, however I didn’t want any harm to come to the hound over the matter.
“Oh very well, do come along,” I told him, and made certain that I had several of Mrs. Ryan’s biscuits in hand as we departed.
A little persuasion couldn’t hurt… That brought my thoughts back round to Brodie. Irritating man.
I sat in the front parlor of the Bennett residence at Belgrave Square, and politely accepted the tea the housekeeper had served.
“Is there any word?” Mrs. Bennett anxiously asked when we were once more alone.
“I’m afraid not,” I replied.
She had not heard from him as well nor had he returned. Her previously calm manner was betrayed by the shaking of her hand as she set her own cup back on the saucer with a clatter.
