Mr. Clancy responded to the question intended for Mr. Gutt. “Why do you sound so suspicious, Rowe? When you told me what happened, I spoke with my footman. The footman knew Gutt was trying to leave the country but had no money for a ticket. I orchestrated an exchange. It’s as simple as that.”
Ella frowned and struggled to follow the story. “Are we to understand that both Mr. Grenshaw and Miss Grenshaw were manipulating the Hawthornes all this time? For months?”
Mr. Gutt shrugged. “Apparently the Grenshaws had been planning this heist for years. Miss Grenshaw wooed Mr. Hawthorne so she could influence him. She also encouraged Miss Hawthorne to spend time with Mr. Grenshaw. By the time the symposium started, they were deeply entrenched in the Society. He always said that if anything ever went wrong, they would go to America.”
America.
“Is that what he intends to do?” inquired Gabriel. “Go to America?”
“I haven’t seen them since the day I left Keatley Hall, but a mutual friend said he intended to sail from Liverpool.”
“Liverpool, you say?” confirmed Gabriel.
Mr. Gutt nodded.
Clancy beamed at Gabriel and rapped his fingertips on the chair’s arm, as if he himself had just solved the entire mystery that was Thomas Bauer. “There, Rowe. I said I could help you.”
Gabriel smiled. “Yes, you did.”
Gutt stood from the chair. “Are we done here?”
“I think that sums it up, don’t you?” added Mr. Clancy.
Gabriel nodded again. “Thank you for your time, Gutt.”
“Come on.” Mr. Clancy motioned for Mr. Gutt to follow him back through the door. “I’ll get you your money and show you out.”
By the time Mr. Clancy and Mr. Gutt left the chamber, Ella’s frustration was mounting, and she could not stay quiet. She whirled toward Gabriel. “Are you just going to let him leave?”
Gabriel nodded. “I am.”
“But why?”
Gabriel’s voice was low. “Because he’s lying.”
“What?” She twitched. “How do you know that?”
Gabriel leaned back in the chair. “I’ve heard confessions from dozens of people. When it comes time for someone to recount an event, there are telltale signs when something is not right.”
Panic continued to swell. “But how can you be certain? He could get away! And the Grenshaws could be getting away too!”
Gabriel turned to her. “He stared at me too boldly when he spoke. His torso was rigid and he didn’t move, except when he rubbed the back of his hand against his mouth when I asked him about Liverpool. He was blinking either too much or not at all. That man was lying, Ella. I’d stake my reputation on it.”
Ella could not believe what she was hearing. She wanted to trust Gabriel, but if Mr. Gutt was lying, why was he not doing something?
Gabriel continued, “Gutt clearly wants me to follow his suggestion and go to Liverpool. Which means he certainly does not want me to stay in London.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Of course not. That’s the whole point. Consider, Ella. What loyalty does Gutt have to Clancy? Clancy may be securing him passage from England, but that doesn’t ensure honesty. Gutt probably has much bigger issues to contend with other than how he is going to get out of the country. You must trust me on this.”
Ella could not. “Then why did you not say as much when he was here? When he realized he was caught, he might have told the truth.”
“Clancy is one of my informants, and most of the time he does have good information. This time he’s wrong, but I don’t want him to stop communicating with me. The relationship is too valuable. You must be patient. Gutt is not the man we want. He’s a pawn, just as Miss Grenshaw is a pawn. The person we want is Timothy Grenshaw.”
Gabriel’s words were irritatingly calm. How could he be so relaxed?
Mr. Clancy reappeared, his proud grin wide. “So when will you add me to your employ, Rowe?”
