I crossed the office and knelt in front of the hound and rubbed his ears. He licked my hand and grinned.
“For a‘bear,’” I replied. “Sir Avery screamed like a fish monger at market.”
“You’ve erased Mikaela’s notes?” Lily commented as she sat on the chair that Sir Avery had occupied before he was attacked.
“In the best interests of our client,” Brodie replied. “There was just enough time after Mr. Cavendish announced his arrival.”
“It must have been a most interesting conversation,” I commented. “Did he share what he has learned about the incident at Marlborough House?”
“It appears that he is not aware of the possible connection to the riding accident at Hyde Park this past April. Or if he was, he did not share it with me.”
“Of course not.” I didn’t bother to hide my sarcasm. “Was he able to provide any insights from his own inquiries on behalf of the Queen?”
The answer was, not surprisingly, “no.”
“There was the not-subtle reminder I might find it advantageous to make certain that he is informed of anything we learn. It was just about that time that you arrived.”
“Advantageous in what way?” I inquired with no small amount of suspicion.
“The advantage of working with the Agency in the future.”
We shared a look. I came out of my own chair.
“Bloody hell! The man is a snake. He would sell his mother if he thought it would gain him anything.”
“Tell me, wot ye really think of the man,” Brodie replied.
I didn’t dignify that with a response.
“What else were you able to learn from the conversation?” I then inquired, knowing how very persuasive he could be when he wanted information.
“I did happen to mention the similarity of the marks on the two bodies. He was unaware of them.”
“And what of the ‘Four Horsemen?’”
“I made no mention of it. He may not have been informed of that, if in fact the Queen was even aware of that private club of theirs before His Highness was removed over that incident.”
“What of your meeting with Mr. Dooley?” I inquired as Lily poured coffee for all of us against the cold in the office in spite of the fire in the coal stove.
“It seems there was another potential witness the night young Salisbery was murdered, a woman who is part of the cleaning staff.
“She works the late hours after most of the members and the entertainment for the evenin’ have departed.
“Dooley provided her address near the Garden, and I was able to speak with her. She had hired a cab that night to take her and another one of the women to the club as the weather took a turn.
“When they arrived on the side street, down the street from the club, she saw a man make his way to a coach, one of the hired drivers that are near the park. He had a limp in one leg.”
“Did she see him clearly?”
“She described him as perhaps no more than thirty years old or so, with fair hair.” Brodie paused. “More than that she couldna see. The driver set off and pulled round the corner and stopped.”
A driver who waited for the son of Lord Salisbery to leave.
We spent the rest of the afternoon retrieving the notes I’d made from my notebook while Lily typed them on the portable typewriter, adding what we had learned that day as well as what Brodie had learned from the woman who worked at White’s.
Mr. Cavendish returned to make certain Rupert hadn’t experienced any further “indignity” as he put it. Well aware of our habit of staying over at the office when on a case, he brought food cartons for supper.
“And to make certain Mr. Brodie hadn’t pitched his guest into the street. Gettin’ rid of a body is always a tricky proposition. Although there is always the river,” he suggested. “I know people.”
