And for these few moments, his mind was clear.
Eight
“Do you have an appointment to see Lady Fayne?” From beneath bushy grey brows, the butler named Sutton peered at Wei with suspicion.
As a foreigner, Wei was used to such looks, yet something about the manservant rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was the crusty old fellow’s posture: he blocked the doorway as if he feared Wei might charge into the Mayfair residence and run off with the silver.
Wei kept his manner polite. “My name is Wei Chen. I sent a note earlier, and Lady Fayne replied that she would receive me at two o’clock.”
“Wait here while I verify your request.”
Sutton slammed the door. Left waiting on the doorstep, Wei bridled his impatience. Finally, the butler returned, skewering him with a bright-blue gaze.
“Lady Fayne will see you,” Sutton announced as if the Queen had granted Wei an audience.
As the butler led the way, Wei noted that the servant walked with a slight limp, favoring his left foot. Gout, probably. Age weighed on his broad shoulders, giving them a slight hunch. When Sutton reached to open the door, Wei observed the butler’s hands were curiously smooth and at odds with the wrinkles on his face.
Sutton said in a surly voice, “Mr. Chen to see you, my lady.”
“Very good, Sutton.” The lady rose from behind an elegant rosewood desk carved with flora and fauna. “Mr. Chen, a pleasure to see you.”
Lady Charlotte Fayne was an attractive widow in her thirties. Her plum-colored dress complemented her upswept blonde hair and grey eyes. During their past interactions, Wei had found her manner cool and cordial. She surveyed the world with a detachment that he admired. When one’s work involved dealing with the darker side of human nature, it was necessary to keep one’s sentiments in check.
He wondered if Lady Glory would ever learn to curb her emotions. Probably not, he concluded. Her passion for life was a flame that no amount of cynicism or despair could dim. Her naïveté came not from a lack of experience, but an inexhaustible well of idealism. As she was too reckless to protect herself, someone had to step in.
Wei bowed. “Thank you for seeing me on short notice, my lady.”
“Your note said the matter was of some urgency.” Lady Fayne gestured to one of the chairs facing her desk. “Please have a seat.”
Wei folded himself into the chair, noting that tea was waiting for him on a small side table. The cup was fashioned in the Chinese style, with no handles and a lid. Lifting the lid, he took a polite sip, unsurprised to find that he was drinking his favorite blend.
Despite her gentility, Lady Fayne had a mind like a steel trap. Her powers of observation were first-rate, and she’d developed ways of collecting information that cast police work in the shade. Because of her gender, she was undoubtedly underestimated, a fact that she used to her advantage with her secret society. She was a strong, independent female, and Wei guessed that she would not welcome his interference.
Nonetheless, he had to try.
“It is about Lady Glory,” he began.
“I heard that you escorted her to Fanny Bottom’s whilst I was out of town.” While amicable, Lady Fayne’s smile did not reach her eyes. “That was kind of you, sir, but in the future, pray do not inconvenience yourself on behalf of my group. I’ve had a talk with my Angels, reminding them that our organization does not rely on the kindness of strangers.”
“I am hardly a stranger,” Wei said stiffly. “Having assisted before.”
“Things have gotten a bit out of hand when it comes to accepting help from outsiders. I expect it began with the ladies’ husbands wanting to be involved.” Lady Fayne tapped a silver pen against the blotter in an annoyed ditty. “Not my preference, of course, but I believe in giving my Angels full autonomy and have left it up to them to manage the degree of spousal participation. I must, however, draw the line at the friends of husbands insinuating themselves into my society’s affairs.”
“I have no desire to insinuate myself. I wish merely to speak to you, as one teacher to another.”
Lady Fayne tossed the pen onto a tray, folding her hands on the desk. “Go on.”
“I gather Lady Glory told you what we discovered at Bottom’s. About the Fancy’s involvement in the dognapping scheme?”
The lady’s response was a cool nod.
“Are you familiar with the Fancy, my lady?” he pressed. “They are a brutal and ruthless gang. You cannot allow Lady Glory to—”
“I am aware of the dangers, Mr. Chen. As the Angels’ mentor, protecting their welfare is my job,” Lady Fayne said pointedly. “But I must also empower them to be the best versions of themselves. And nothing damages a lady’s independence like being underestimated and needlessly shielded from life’s realities.”
Wei drew his brows together. “It is one thing to be independent, another to be foolhardy. You cannot allow Lady Glory to put herself in danger—”
“I do not impose restrictions upon my Angels. I provide them with information, and they make their own decisions.” Lady Fayne’s gaze was flinty. “As a woman who does not like being governed by others, I treat my charges the way I expect to be treated. Now, if there is nothing else…”
