Another mystery.
“That would be a logical surmise. But logic has proven elusive in this investigation.” Wrexford rose. “I’ll fetch the whisky and four glasses from the parlor.”
“Make that five.” Tyler removed his hat as he entered the dining room and tossed it on the sideboard before coming to an abrupt halt. “Why the long faces? Has something else happened?”
Charlotte told him about Carrick’s disappearance and Peregrine’s account of the suspicious activities at Eton.
“Eton,” muttered Tyler, once she had finished. He looked to Sheffield. “When you and I parted, I continued to make inquiries about O’Connor. I dug up no dirt on him, but in the process I uncovered some other unsettling information on the Bristol Road Project—”
“Whose commissioner is the provost of Eton,” observed Sheffield as Wrexford returned to the room.
“What unsettling information?” asked the earl, as he passed out the libations.
* * *
“There appears to be a pattern of corruption within the bidding process for securing a contract to work on one of the many parts of the project,” answered Tyler. “Word is, one must pay a hefty bribe if one wishes to be chosen.”
“Bloody hell, both Garfield and Carrick mentioned that as a reason why Milton decided to give his innovation to the French radicals. But I thought Milton had been swayed by mere rumors or innuendo,” said Sheffield. “Lord Fenway will be appalled to learn of this.”
He frowned. “Who is responsible for this nefarious scheme?”
“The people I talked with were too frightened to give me a name,” replied the valet. “I will keep trying.”
“Fenway is a stickler for propriety,” muttered Sheffield. “He needs to know of this right away.”
“Give me another day or two,” said Tyler. “It would be better to go to him with actual names, not just word of mouth.”
“He’s right, Kit. You are new to the commission. Making an unfounded accusation that turns out to be false would not make a good impression,” counseled Wrexford. “The fact is, it does not reflect well on Fenway that this all happened right under his nose. So even if the information turns out to be accurate, he won’t thank you for being the one to bring it to his attention.”
Sheffield nodded in understanding. “But the truth is the truth, so once it’s confirmed, I can’t in good conscience stay silent.”
Wrexford chuffed a sardonic laugh. “A conscience is a cursed encumbrance.”
“But we all appear to be stuck with one.” Charlotte smothered a yawn as she rose. “At the moment, however, mine is demanding a night of rest before we jump back into the fray.”
“As is mine,” said Sheffield. “I shall bid you good night here and fetch Cordelia from the garden. We shall let ourselves out.”
Tyler and McClellan followed him to the stairs. Charlotte lingered, waiting until she and Wrexford were alone before leaning down and feathering a kiss to his cheek. “Are you coming?”
He lifted his glass and swirled the remaining whisky. “I’ll be along shortly.”
Closing his eyes, he let the silence wrap around him, allowing his thoughts to spin round and round, and then fall into their own order. Logic was all very well, but he had learned from Charlotte that intuition was an equally powerful force.
After savoring the last swallow of Scottish malt, Wrexford extinguished the lamp flames and lit a candle before heading upstairs. But as he stepped into the shadowed corridor, he found the three boys waiting for him.
“Wrex,” said Raven. “We have an idea . . .”
CHAPTER 28
“Are you stark raving mad?” Charlotte turned around from the window, the starlight shimmering through the gauzy linen of her night-rail. “It’s much too dangerous!”
“Actually, it isn’t,” responded Wrexford. “That’s what makes the plan so ingenious.”
“There is a fine line between genius and madness,” she shot back. “I think you and the Weasels have crossed to the wrong side.”
“Just hear me out,” he asked.
“I would rather not,” said Charlotte. “But given how many times I have suggested actions that made your hair stand on end, it would be churlish of me to refuse.” Her jaw tightened for an instant, “Go on.”
