“Plummy told me the Baddon Boys are up to something again,” Mungo said, wanting to change the subject.
“When aren’t they?” Gray said. “And Plummy should have kept his mouth shut about what he heard.”
“When has he ever done that?”
“Never from memory.”
“Watch yourself, Gray, some of those Baddon Boys will remember you.”
The detective’s smile was small, and mean, and very unlike him. He was usually casting devoted looks at Ellen and Olivia.
“I can look after myself, Mungo, but thank you for your concern.”
“I’m worried about Ellen and the babe,” he said.
Gray’s smile grew. “Now we both know that for a lie. I’m your favorite.”
Mungo ignored that comment.
“I will be in touch when I know more about Ellington, and the charges laid against you. I will also speak with Miss Downing when a suitable time arises about what happened to her.”
Mungo nodded, wondering when there would ever be a suitable time to discuss what had happened to Eliza Downing. Did she relive that moment constantly and wake bathed in sweat from nightmares? He’d had a few of those in his lifetime too.
He felt the burning need then to find Parson and punch him until he’d learned his lesson about treating staff the way he had Eliza Downing. Instead, he made for the kitchens, having no wish to be hauled to the watchhouse ever again.
“You’ll never guess what’s happened!” Matilda said, running in the front door.
“What is it, Matilda?” Gray asked the girl who was the youngest blood sibling in the Nightingale family.
Peas in a pod, he thought. Each Nightingale had the look of the other in the shape of their jaw or coloring.
“What’s going on? I’m not entirely sure I can take much more today,” Bram said, arriving with Ivy, who slipped her arm through his.
The love between these two was a wonderful thing. Not that he’d ever say that out loud, but he’d been happy for his friend when Bram had met Ivy. Happy—and jealous, as before her, it had just been the two friends, which had been an ugly reaction, but there had been little he could do about it.
“The Douglases are leaving Crabbett Close and moving to be close to their family,” Matilda said.
“Oh, now that’s sad,” Ivy said.
“And who will make the treacle cake?” Alex added.
Mungo knew how to laugh, obviously, but it wasn’t something he did freely or often, but clearly right then, the day had caught up with him.
“Do you think he has finally fallen into madness?” Alex asked as Mungo snorted.
“What amazes me is that we’ve not driven him there before now,” Leo added, which made him snort again.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Eliza had been living at 11 Crabbett Close for four days, and in that time, she had learned many things about this wonderful, loud, and enthusiastic family. Firstly, they were unlike any she’d met before. Secondly, they were always checking in on one another.
On any day when she was working with the girls, and occasionally Theo, when he was bored, one of the older siblings would pop in, or their aunt and uncle would.
It was bittersweet for Eliza because it made her remember what her family had been like. But there was also the Scotsman to contend with. She wanted to slap the heathen every time she saw him.
He had dared to threaten her when she’d saved him her first day here. Eliza had fought the anger his words had caused, pushing them aside. It mattered little. He was nothing to her now. They’d saved each other, so the slate was clear. She now would focus on what she was employed to do.
The door flew open suddenly, and all eyes turned to watch Theo run in.
