The look he sent Julius did nothing to calm his restless nerves.
“I missed my tea because of you.” Liverpool plucked a cigar from the silver box on the side table. Not bothering with a knife, he bit off the end and spit it out and dragged a candlestick towards him to light it.
Julius waited until the man was pulling at the flame. “You set the time for our meeting. Though I must say your tea time is extraordinarily late.”
Liverpool set the candlestick down on the side table next to his chair. “Cute. But that’s not what I meant and you know it.” Leaning back in the chair, Liverpool puffed on the cigar and glared at him through the smoke. “I’ve had a steady stream of peers in my office, gossiping like little old ladies about the debate raging inThe Timesover capital punishment.”
“I’ve had a few of those discussions myself.” After Amanda’s piece had received the most replies in the paper’s history, the editor had requested that Mr. A. Wilson pen another piece. He’d also invited a response from the opposing side. “I hardly understand how I’m responsible for the tumult.”
“Don’t play the innocent with me,” Liverpool said. “I know you delivered the piece by Mr. Wilson.”
Of course, he did. Liverpool had informants everywhere. “I’m not the author.”
“I never said you were. You don’t strike me as a reformer.” He coughed and rested the cigar in the ashtray. “But your ward is causing quite the fuss. Perhaps you should put an end to that.”
Julius didn’t know which claim was more absurd. That Amanda was his ward, or that he had the power to stop her from doing as she wanted. “Miss Wilcox is nobody’s ward. She is an unmarried woman who has attained the age of majority. She will do as she wishes.” Standing, he strode to the sideboard and poured two fingers of Scotch. “And don’t mistake my lack of agitation as a lack of interest in reform. You do know how I voted on the last bill.”
“And I respect that vote. But Parliament is the proper place to have the debate. Not in the public papers. And not in my office!” His stern expression softened the slightest bit when Julius put a second tumbler of liquor in his hand. “I hear the chit is a virtual recluse. Don’t pretend you couldn’t stop her nonsense if you wanted.”
Gritting his teeth, Julius turned his back on Liverpool and tramped back to his chair. Slowly, he sank down. Liverpool didn’t know the situation with Amanda. That any nonsense on her part was to be encouraged or risk her withdrawing from life even more than she had. But Liverpool’s duty was to protect the empire, at all costs. Individual hardships were of little importance.
“I had an especially galling conversation with Lord Hanford.” Liverpool tossed back his Scotch. “The man seemed to take Mr. Wilson’s piece as a personal insult. He read me the response he’d written for the paper, word for stumbling word.” Running a hand through his greying hair, he huffed out a breath. “Hanford’s always been an idiot. Well meaning, but as simple as broth. When I mentioned the true identity of Mr. Wilson, I had to spoon feed him the idea to use that in his response to discredit her.”
“You told Hanford that Amanda was the author of the opinion piece?” Heat flushed through Julius’s body. If she saw her name in print, read the ridicule and contempt that was sure to come her way, it would strike a blow. A hide-in-the-armoire type of blow that Julius couldn’t allow. “She used a pseudonym for a reason.”
“And I revealed it for a reason.” Minutely shaking his head, Liverpool sighed. “As she can no longer write anonymously, I hope she will stop writing entirely. I will be most unhappy if Lord Hanford finds a reason to come to my office again.”
Julius crossed one leg over the other and kept his face calm. He’d have to warn Amanda. Perhaps hide the papers until the scandal blew over. “Well, then, this should make you especially unhappy. Lord Hanford has become the focus of my investigation into the blackmail ring.”
Liverpool blinked. “Explain that.”
“I have a witness who has identified his carriage as one used by Madame Sable’s accomplice.” He spared a brief thought as to where The Black Rose’s proprietress was now. Liverpool most likely had her secured in a nice set of rooms until the investigation was over. She’d need to be close by for easy access if more questions arose. Although, aside from giving up Mrs. Westmont, Madame Sable claimed to not know the names of any other accomplices. Her information was turning out to be less than useful.
“You can’t think—”
“I know her accomplice isn’t Hanford himself.” Resting his glass on his thigh, Julius cocked his head. “His son?”
“That boy is as bumbling as his father. And about as tall. He doesn’t match your description.”
“A nephew, perhaps? My witness was most certain.” Certain, and biased. He didn’t think Amanda would intentionally lie about the coat of arms, but if she were already predisposed not to like Lord Hanford, who knew what her heart would see. After months of solitary confinement, Julius knew the mind could be as deceitful as a Haymarket guttersnipe.
Liverpool slouched. “As stupid as Lord Hanford is, he’d make the perfect pawn. He could be holding meetings for the inner circle of the crime ring in his library without even knowing it.” He pointed a finger at Julius and glared at him beneath his bushy brows. “And that’s all the more reason to keep your girl out of the papers. If Hanford is a pawn, the crime ring will become nervous if he’s made the center of attention. No, in order to keep your investigation running smoothly, this debate over the reform bill needs to be shelved. Understand?”
Julius’s stomach dropped. “And how do you suggest I stop it?”
“Confiscate her mail. Tell the chit the paper doesn’t want to publish her anymore. Not with her identity revealed.” Liverpool narrowed his eyes. “Lie. That is what I’ve hired you for.”
“Last time I checked, I volunteered.” Julius gripped his tumbler. “You don’t pay me or my friends anything. We do it out of duty. And we can stop anytime we like.”
“The government might not pay you in pounds, but don’t deny the certain favors you lot have received.” Liverpool sat forward. “Most recently, a girl was pardoned after stabbing her father to death.”
“After the Crown had denied her rights to a fair trial, she deserved that pardon!” Julius exploded from his chair. “Do not threaten her.”
Leaning back, Liverpool laced his fingers together and rested his palms against his round stomach. “Interesting.” His gaze was inscrutable. “A pardon can’t be taken back. She’s safe.” He paused for a moment. “Are you?”
“I’m fine.” Julius paced the small room, needing this meeting to be over. The walls loomed closer than ever. He jerked on his cravat.
“Are you certain?” Liverpool cocked his head, his eyes not missing anything. “I can have Sutton take point on this investigation. If you need to escape London for a bit, we’ll manage. You can take the girl with you.”
