“Far more efficient than an air ship,” I pointed out, reminding him of that prior adventure over the streets of London.
“Those things appeal to ye, do they?”
“Along with some old-fashioned things,” I replied, as theold-fashionedman crossed the office and set coal in the stove.
While he prodded the fire back to life, I went to the chalkboard and added the notes I’d made in my notebook from our meeting the previous afternoon with His Royal Highness.
Before we left Mayfair, Brodie had made contact with Mr. Dooley, an Inspector with the MET, and an old friend from their days working together. He had agreed to meet with Brodie late in the morning at a coffee shop a distance from the stationhouse where Mr. Dooley was assigned, in order to avoid being seen by any of the constables or others who might raise questions about their meeting.
Most particularly Mr. Abberline, who had recently been reinstated as Chief Inspector after being suspended for a period of time over his misconduct in one of our previous cases.
Needless to say, there were still difficult feelings over the situation on the part of both parties. Personally, I would have preferred to see the man permanently removed from the police service. He was quite unscrupulous, driven by his own ambitions. In short, a thoroughly disgusting man. And he was quite short in stature.
I had my own opinion in that regard. In my experience, it did seem as though men lacking in height were determined to make up for that shortcoming by other means. It did appear to be about power, or lack thereof.
I thought of what I had read about Napoleon Bonaparte, quite short it seems from written accounts. I was most appreciative that Brodie was tall. He was self-assured with no penchant for exercising his authority over another. Unless provoked, of course. But that came from his early life on the streets and some sort of survival instinct.
“What is that look for?” he inquired now as he prepared for his meeting with Inspector Dooley.
He was not in the habit of wearing a tie. However, I had persuaded him that it had a way of setting him apart under certain circumstances.
This morning, he had added one, tying it as if he would rather have avoided the whole thing—which of course he did.
I had finished my notes and went to assist.
“I am most grateful that you are quite tall,” I commented as I straightened his tie for him.
His eyes narrowed in speculation. He was most definitely not accustomed to receiving compliments.
“What might that have to do with matters?”
I finished tying.
“I have never fancied short men. They do seem to constantly be making up for that inadequacy.”
“Inadequacy? Would that include the Greek guide I found ye with some years before in yer misguided youth?”
“Misguided?” I inquired as he pulled me against him.
“Aye, taking yerself off with a man ye didna know could have been dangerous.”
Though it had been several years earlier, it was obvious that he had not dismissed it.
“Being abducted by yourself could have been dangerous,” I pointed out. “You might have had your way with me.”
He shook his head. “I did not abduct ye. And I was not in the habit of taking advantage of young women full of themselves.The fact was that I was being paid a great deal to bring ye safely back to London by her ladyship.”
“How mercenary of you, Mr. Brodie.”
“Ah, well, the rent was due for the office, and I had just finished another case at the time.”
It was so like him to dismiss it as nothing more than another case or well-paid errand.
“There was that other part though.”
Other part?
“What was that?” I demanded with some pique at being reduced to an errand.
