Max ignored the jibe. “Any ideas?”
“Well, it occurred to me that we can’t just walk into the carriage factory and ask if they’ve made any enemies lately. Anyone who might want to see their business fail.”
Thoughtfully, Max stared at his plate, not seeing the food at all. “Why not?” He lifted his head and looked at Kitty. “Sometimes the direct approach is the best. Whetstone and Frank, whoever they are, cannot be pleased at the number of accidents happening to their carriages. So why don’t we ask them what they think? It’s a good place to start…”
Kitty looked surprised at his supportive comment. “If you think it might produce something useful, then perhaps yes. All right.” She buttered a roll. “May I accompany you? Sometimes it helps to have a lady present.”
Max thought about it. They had yet to return to the London scene; after the scandal Kitty had created, Max had been hesitant to simply walk her back into a ballroom. But this trip, to a carriage maker just outside the city? What could it hurt? And Kitty’s powers of observation were far more acute than she had ever disclosed.
“Very well. Yes, I think I’d like you to come along. You can give me your impressions of the company and its workers. I never met either Whetstone or Frank, so if we can find them there, it might be helpful.”
“Excellent,” she beamed. “When do we leave?”
Grace walked in on the heels of Kitty’s question. “Ah, I see the plans are afoot for the day.” She smiled as Deery held out a chair for her. “Thank you, Deery. Tea would be wonderful.” Turning to Max, she raised her eyebrows. “Let me guess. You’re going to visit carriage makers.”
“Very astute for this hour of the morning, dear sister,” chuckled Max. He was thrilled to see she had left off her veil; obviously Kitty was having a good effect on her, or she’d become so involved in this entire puzzle that she’d simply forgotten.
He wanted to tell her how lovely she looked, but to do so might remind her of her scar. So he merely held his tongue and began a discussion on various other carriage makers and whether they would be spiteful enough to sabotage a peer.
It was a lively conversation, and lasted for close to an hour. But then Kitty rose. “If I am to accompany you, I must tidy myself, Max. I will be ready in about fifteen minutes?”
“Ideal.” He stood and glanced at Grace. “You won’t…”
“No.” She shook her head, refusing his unspoken invitation.
She might have left off her veil, but that in no way indicated her readiness to venture out on an excursion. He sighed. “As you wish.”
She shrugged. “While you’re gone, I will do a little research into the companies that produce carriages. I believe I saw a manufacturing booklet somewhere in your library. Probably when you were ordering yours.”
“My goodness, I’d forgotten how thorough you are,” her brother grinned. “By all means. Have at it.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Grace looked at him. “This mystery…and Kitty.”
He met her gaze squarely. “Yes to both, my dear.”
She smiled. “I’m glad.”
