No surprise there.
Was this all his cousins were looking for?
Another thought struck him.
Would they next attempt to break into the Davenport townhouse in Belgravia?Well, that would be harder to do because he kept a small staff there, so there would always be someone present.
He had stopped by that residence a few hours ago and found all to be in order.His staff was already on the alert for thieves, but it would not hurt to send them a warning about his cousins.
He went downstairs and walked back outside.“Come in, Mrs.Gayle.”
He led her upstairs and showed her the mess made of his study.“Oh, dear me!This is such a nice neighborhood.What fiends could have done this?”
His cousins, of course.
Well, he would deduct one hundred pounds from their next allowance.
Let them yelp, he didn’t give a rat’s arse.
Mrs.Gayle set aside her shopping bag and assisted him in cleaning up the mess they had made of his paperwork.“Shall I look for a constable and report this crime, Your Grace?”
“No, it’s all right.I know who did this.”After all, he had worked in the magistrate’s office for years as their top investigator and easily spotted the clues.“They won’t be troubling us again.”
Because a stern warning from him that he would terminate their allowance if so much as a button went missing from his home or any of the Davenport residences ought to do the trick.
“What is this world coming to?”Mrs.Gayle muttered while scooping up his papers.“Brazen thievery in broad daylight.Well, I never.”She was still mumbling to herself as she walked down to the kitchen to put away the shopping items.
Alex debated whether to attend Lady Dayne’s party.
It was a hastily sent invitation and he could always plead that he hadn’t opened it until too late.
The ransacking of his study was a plausible excuse.
Yet, to not attend could be considered rude and might give Tulip reason to doubt him.
He washed up and readied himself, resolving to attend Lady Dayne’s dinner party.However, he was going to stop first on Bow Street and call on Homer Barrow, the experienced runner he had worked with on several investigations, the most noteworthy being the murder of Gory’s uncle.
His primary concern was to have the Belgravia residence belonging to the Davenport dukes guarded.
Even though Alex would send a messenger over there to put the servants on alert, he also wanted the place watched by a professional investigator.Homer Barrow and his runners would know how to handle his idiot cousins should they decide to break in during the wee hours of the night and ransack the place.
Was there a doubt they would attempt it?
After getting away with no more than a hundred pounds from his Bloomsbury residence, they would want more.
Any Davenport silver or artwork of value would be found at the Belgravia townhouse instead of here in his apartment.Of course, this assumed his predecessors had not already sold off the real valuables and replaced them with fakes.
Which was quite likely, for their vices were expensive.
However, another concern loomed in his mind, and that was Tulip.Should he engage Homer Barrow to protect her for these next few days until they left London?
He did not want Caruthers bothering her or thinking to abduct her.
Was she at risk from his cousins, too?
CHAPTER 7
AFTER MEETING WITHHomer Barrow, Alex headed to Lady Eloise Dayne’s dinner party.He arrived late and gave no reason, but was nonetheless welcomed graciously by the dowager and her guests.This party was more of a casual family gathering since most of those in attendance were Farthingale family members.
