It had been some days since we had last been together at the office I thought, as I took inventory. Although that glare from those dark eyes was a bit off-putting.
“The answer is yes and I took all precautions, the exact reason Munro accompanied me since you have been unavailable the past few weeks,” I pointed out.
“And the reasonyouwere there?” I continued. “I’m not interested in any excuse about some ‘highly sensitive inquiries’ that Sir Avery has sent you on.”
“Highly sensitive, and dangerous inquiries,” he replied.
I gave him a long look. He was deliberately trying to antagonize me. Two could play at this game.
“And it would seem that our separate inquiries have crossed paths.” I pointed out the obvious and retrieved a bottle of Old Lodge whisky from the drawer in the file cabinet.
He did look as if he could use a bit of my aunt’s whisky. I poured two glasses, handed him one, then crossed the office and proceeded to set coal in the firebox as icy rain pelted the window.
“It appears that we might be able to assist one another,” I stated the obvious as I dusted off my hands, and stood once more to face a thoroughly disgruntled Scot.
“By God, Mikaela!” He held out his glass for another dram. “What if there had been someone else there instead of meself?”
“Munro has proven himself more than capable of handling such situations.”
“Ye shouldn’t have been there at all!” he roared at me.
I poured us both another dram.
“Nevertheless…” I handed his glass to him.
The sound of the bell on the landing cut off a string of curses.
I went to the door and found a bucket tied to the rope that had been used in the past to send packages, particularly food, aloft by Mr. Cavendish.
I glanced over the railing to the alcove below. He was in his usual place, caught sight of me, and nodded.
There had been a brief conversation when Mr. Cavendish took one look at Brodie as we were turned from Aldgate.
“An encounter in a pub, was it? Ye’ll need ice for that.” He had then set off on his rolling platform in the direction of the Public House across the Strand.
That had sent Brodie off on another tirade that included another string of curses that continued to the present.
I unhooked the bucket that contained a good amount of ice in it and returned to the office.
I walked over, seized the folded cloth Brodie had pressed over his eye, and proceeded to wrap ice in it. I handed it back to him.
“Ye seem to have some knowledge of such things,” he commented, somewhat more civil as he held the ice pack against his face.
It was one of those little things I’d learned in my early childhood from assisting my father when he returned after a night at his club. This was different, the man was different, but the remedy the same.
“I’ve had some practice,” I replied.
Before I could step away, his other hand closed over my wrist.
“If something had happened and I wasna there…”
“You were there,” I pointed out. “And Munro as well.”
“Ye’re my wife!” he roared at me. “Aldgate is no place for ye… And an abandoned tenement where a man has been murdered?”
“The man was the husband of our client and I was following up on information I had in the matter,” I explained with the distinct impression that he was not listening.
There was definitely something more that had him stirred up. While I appreciated the fact that he was concerned about me, still he knew that I was quite capable of taking care of myself. He had, after all, given me the revolver and I had proven myself to be more than competent.
