“Indeed?” The earl was taken aback at the unexpected twist. Had he and his friends taken the pieces of the puzzle and fitted them together all wrong? “What new developments?”
“They’ve found witnesses who say they overheard heated arguments between Peabody and some . . . highborn gentleman.”
“A highborn gentleman?” repeated Wrexford.
“Yes,” answered Copley with obvious reluctance. “So you can understand why the authorities are anxious to keep it out of the newspapers. If the public starts to believe that the pillars of English society can’t be trusted . . .” He let his words trail off.
The earl pondered over what he had just heard. In truth, the only real evidence in the case was the victim’s corpse. All the rest was just swirls of fog and conjecture. “What makes them believe this highborn gentleman is guilty of the murder?”
“Apparently, the fellow has gone missing.”
“I see,” said Wrexford, careful to mask his dismay. “But they didn’t mention his name?”
Copley shook his head. “No, not to me. But I suppose they wish to err on discretion until they make an arrest.”
“Hmmph. Perhaps you need to run a tighter ship, Elgin,” interjected the admiral. “No man under my command would dare do anything havey-cavey, knowing the punishment would be swift and severe.”
Copley’s face betrayed a momentary flicker of irritation before he forced a thin smile. “Alas, Charles, unlike the British Navy, the East India Company cannot exercise total control over the lives of our employees.”
“Havey-cavey,” repeated Sir Charles under his breath.
The baron ignored his cousin. “That is all I know, Wrexford,” he said. “Let us hope Bow Street can quickly make an arrest and put an end to the sordid affair.”
“Indeed.” The earl rose. “Thank you for your time.” He turned for the door and then paused. “Just one last question. Does the wordargentummean anything to you?”
“Other than as a painful reminder of how much I detested my Latin lessons at Eton?” quipped Copley. “I know it means ‘silver,’ but other than that . . .” Looking baffled, he shook his head. “Why do you ask? Is it important?”
“Quite likely not,” replied the earl.
“Havey-cavey,” repeated Sir Charles. “You may tell your valet that his friend ought to have been more careful as to the company he kept.”
“So it would seem,” replied Wrexford. But like quicksilver, the facts of the case seemed to be constantly shifting their shape. A glimmer . . . a wink . . . and then they were gone.
“Thank you for your time, gentlemen,” he added. “I’ll not keep you any longer from your game.”
“Yes, yes, do sit down, Elgin, and let us begin.” After refilling his glass, the admiral winked at the earl. “Ha! There’s nothing like a battle—even if it’s just a battle of wits—to get the blood pulsing through my aged veins!”
CHAPTER 12
Forcing her eyes away from the clock, Charlotte turned her attention back to her drawing. Darkness had settled over the city. And yet there were any number of reasonable explanations as to why the boys hadn’t yet returned from the dowager’s townhouse with a reply to her request.
Granted, what she had done was a risk.
“Pericula ludus,” she whispered.Danger is my pleasure.Many of her past actions seemed to give truth to the ancient Latin adage. Breaking the bars of a gilded cage had meant flying into the unknown.
After dipping her pen in the inkwell, Charlotte began to add cross-hatching to the dark outline of—
The suddenclackof the brass knocker nearly caused the quill to slip from her fingers. Cocking an ear, she listened as McClellan hurried from the kitchen to see who was calling.
“Lady Peake!” The maid’s surprised voice floated up from below.
Her great-aunt had come to call at this hour? Charlotte felt a surge of panic. It was well after suppertime.
“Lady Charlotte requested a meeting, and as she said it was rather urgent, it occurred to me that the boys and I ought to all return together,” came Alison’s brisk reply. “Besides, I’ve been curious about where she lived.”
Ah, well.Charlotte drew in a tight breath.Two birds with one stone.Another old adage, but her mind was too jumbled to recall the Latin phrase.
“Please allow me to show you to the parlor,” said McClellan. “And then I’ll let Lady Charlotte know you’re here.”
