“Where the devil is Tyler?”
A spasm of surprise passed over the butler’s normally impassive face. “He left a half hour ago. I assumed he informed you . . .”
“Clearly not,” growled the earl.
Riche’s expression betrayed his misgivings. “He was accompanied by the younger Master Sloane.” He cleared his throat. “Who, I must say, looked rather agitated.”
That made no sense. If Charlotte had dispatched Hawk with a message for him, the boy wouldn’t have hared off without delivering it.
“Was Raven with them?”
“No, milord. It was just the two of them.”
Even more puzzling.Wrexford took a moment to mull it over.
“Thank you, Riche. Kindly have Cook fix a hearty meal for Mr. Griffin.”
The Runner let out a blissful sigh.
“Which he may enjoy at his leisure in the breakfast room.” Wrexford took up his coat from a chair. “I need to go out.”
Griffin came instantly alert, his smile giving way to a more serious mien. “I’ll come with you, milord. If there’s trouble brewing—”
“No, no. There’s no need to forgo filling your breadbox. I’m merely paying a visit to Lady Charlotte’s residence.”
CHAPTER 22
“Excuse me, Lady Cordelia, but Master Sloane wondered if you have time for a question.” The clerk paused as he peered into the room. “Oh, forgive me, I didn’t realize that Mr. Sheffield was meeting with you.”
“No, no—show him in,” replied Cordelia. “We were just finishing our work.”
“Thank heaven,” murmured Sheffield, grimacing as he began to straighten up the array of papers spread out over the worktable. “All these dratted numbers were beginning to make my head ache.”
“But they tell such interesting stories, sir.” Raven took a moment to study the weekly report on the transportation costs of bringing calico fabric from the mills in the north to the docks for export to the West Indies before looking up. “Imagine when rails can be laid from London to Yorkshire, allowing the goods to be moved by a steam-powered locomotive.”
“That, lad, is still some years off, though the test tracks at the coal mines are proving very successful.” Sheffield had been an early investor in William Hedley’s “Puffing Billy,” a mechanical prototype that was generating a good deal of excitement within the world of engineering. “But yes . . . what a grand improvement they will be, saving both time and money.”
“You made an excellent gamble on Hedley’s invention,” remarked Cordelia. “For once.”
Sheffield laughed. His reputation for losing at card games was legendary among his friends. “I am getting much better at playing vingt-et-un, now that you and Raven have explained the mathematics to me.” He made a wry face. “What a pity that honest work is taking up so much of my time. I rarely have a chance to indulge in such idle pleasures anymore.”
“No rest for the wicked,”replied Cordelia, allowing a hint of a smile. She held out her hands for the stack Sheffield had gathered. “I had better get to work analyzing our shipping schedules. . .” She glanced at Sheffield. “We may be getting more business in the near future.”
Raven’s gaze came alight with curiosity. “Is that because of Mr. Quincy’s murder?”
“Yes,” answered Sheffield. “Lady Charlotte’s drawings had already raised questions about his company’s shoddy maintenance of their ships. I daresay, they won’t be in business much longer.”
“What about the murderer?” asked the boy. “Is there any word around the dockyards—”
“Did you have a question, Raven?” interrupted Cordelia. “Or would the two of you rather gossip about blood and mayhem?” She glanced at the clock on the side cabinet. “I have a few minutes before I have to meet with a representative of the Wedgwood Company.”
“Oiy, I do,” answered the boy. “It won’t take long. It’s about a certain equation . . .”
“Oh, by the by, do stop by my office before you leave,” called Sheffield as he turned for the door, “and let me show you the knife I just purchased from a lascar seaman. I think you might find it very interesting.”
* * *
“Consider yourself lucky that you didn’t arrive a quarter hour earlier,” announced Charlotte as she escorted Wrexford into the parlor. “Alison is a more intimidating force of nature than an Atlantic hurricane.”
