She led the way out of the carriage and started up the steps. Amity followed but she reached beneath her cloak and unhooked the tessen from the chatelaine.
All three of them watched in astonishment as a man emerged from the cab of the hansom and descended to the pavement.
“Inspector Logan,” Penny said. She smiled, her relief plain. “How nice to see you again.”
“Good evening, Mrs. Marsden.” Logan nodded at Amity. “Miss Doncaster.” He glanced at the gun in Benedict’s hand. “You won’t be needing that tonight, Mr. Stanbridge. Constable Wiggins is standing guard in the park across the street.”
“What the devil are you doing here at this hour?” Benedict made the gun disappear inside his coat. “Have you some news?”
Logan reached inside his own coat and withdrew an envelope. “What I have is the guest list for the Channing ball.” He smiled at Penny. “You were right, Mrs. Marsden. I was able to obtain it from the reporter at theFlying Intelligencerwho covers the social news. He was a veritable font of information. I shall keep that in mind for future investigations.”
In the lamplight Amity could not be certain but she thought Penny actually blushed.
“I’m glad I could be of service, Inspector,” Penny said. “Won’t you come inside? We can go over it together tonight. My sister and Mr. Stanbridge have another appointment this evening. Isn’t that right, Amity?”
Amity hastily collected herself. “Yes, indeed.” She smiled at Inspector Logan. “I am to be introduced to one of Mr. Stanbridge’s elderly relations.”
“Uncle Cornelius keeps odd hours,” Benedict added.
“I will see you later, then, Amity,” Penny said.
She went up the steps and took out her key. Logan followed her into the dimly lit front hall. The door closed.
Amity looked at Benedict. “Since when do inspectors from Scotland Yard call on witnesses at ten o’clock in the evening?”
Benedict contemplated the closed front door. “I have no idea.”
Eleven
Do you suppose Penny and Inspector Logan will find some suspects on that guest list?” Amity asked.
Benedict assisted her into the carriage. He liked the feel of her delicate, elegantly gloved fingers resting trustfully in his hand, he realized.
“There is no knowing the answer to that question yet,” he said. “As Logan pointed out, that list is merely a starting point. The sooner we conclude this visit to my uncle, the sooner we can come back here and see what your sister and Logan have discovered.”
Amity stepped quickly into the shadowed interior. When she twitched the cloak and the green skirts of her gown out of the way, he caught a glimpse of her dainty high-heeled boots. The prospect of being alone with her in the intimate confines of the carriage heated his blood.
With an effort he suppressed the stirring hunger and spoke to the driver.
“Ashwick Square, please.”
“Aye, sir.”
Benedict climbed up into the cab, sat down across from Amity and pulled the door closed. The lamps were turned down low. The soft light gleamed on Amity’s hair and created inviting shadows. He wondered if she knew how tantalizing she looked sitting there in the warm darkness. It was, he reflected, extremely unfortunate that they were on the way to Ashwick Square and what would no doubt be a lengthy interview. He would have preferred some other destination tonight—any other destination—provided it would give him some privacy with Amity. Also a bed, he thought. A bed would certainly be nice.
It had been far too long since that kiss on board theNorthern Star. The memory of the embrace had sustained him for the past few weeks. But now that he was with her again memories were no longer sufficient to quell the urgent, reckless need that she aroused in him.
“Did you miss me these past weeks, Amity?” he asked.
Because he had to know, he thought. He had to know that their time together had been important to her, not just a passing flirtation. He realized that everything inside him had gone still waiting for the answer.
She looked at him, flustered. He knew he had caught her off guard.
“I was naturally concerned about your well-being,” she said.
“I missed you.”
She stared at him. In the shadows it was impossible to read her expression.
