I felt a qualm of disquiet. Lamont Quimby was indeed a clever man, methodical and patient. Where my former sergeant Pomeroy blustered about until he put his hands on a bad man, whether guilty of that particular crime or not, Quimby investigated thoroughly and only brought his evidence to the magistrate when he was certain.
The trouble was, he was quite good, and if I had done this …
“He might very well be arresting me,” I said.
“I doubt it.” Donata set down her cup. “Gabriel, you are sometimes rash and can be a fool about other men’s wives, but you are an honest man, and not a murderer. Even if you were well inebriated at the time, it was at worst a ghastly accident.” She waved a hand. “I don’t even believe that. I think you stumbled upon Isherwood and picked up the sword. That is all.”
I wished I shared her confidence.
“There is a witness,” I said, thinking of Clement. “The footman I told you about. I need to speak to him.”
“Do that. I will write to Mr. Quimby.”
“As long as Spendlove doesn’t get wind of it.” Mr. Spendlove longed to arrest me on any charge, his idea being that I would give him all the information he needed to bring in James Denis in return for being let off. I knew full well that what Denis had let me learn about him would never convict him—Denis was far too careful. Spendlove, however, was persistent.
“Mr. Quimby does not work out of the Bow Street office, and he is wise enough not to speak loudly about his investigations,” Donata declared. “He should clear this up in a trice.”
I was not so sanguine. I finished my excellent coffee and rose to my feet.
“In that case, I will repair to the Pavilion and try to find young Clement. I will have to hunt up Grenville, or they’ll never let me in the door.”
“An excellent idea. Do remember we are taking the sea waters this afternoon.”
Ah, yes. Donata would hire carriages to take us out into the Channel, where we would remove most of our clothing and have a dip in the sea.
“Of course,” I said. “I like a good splash about. I enjoyed it as a lad, I remember. Swam mother-naked off the salt marshes in Norfolk, or down among the Broads.”
“I’m certain you were a tear,” Donata said calmly. “Please join us at four o’clock for more sedate bathing. The tide will be out then.”
* * *
Brewster was waitingfor me as always outside the front door when I departed, and we walked together across the square to the house Grenville had hired.
“I had to tell His Nibs,” Brewster said as we went. “If he’d heard it from someone else, he’d skin me. Always best to be straight with him.”
I’d learned firsthand what happened to men who tried to dupe Mr. Denis. “I would be curious to hear what he thinks of the matter. If he has any interest at all.”
“Oh, he does, guv,” Brewster said darkly, but we’d reached Grenville’s and could say no more.
I’d sent word ahead to Grenville, and he was waiting for us on his front step, settling his hat as we approached. “You know I cannot simply walk up and demand entrance to the Prince’s residence, Lacey,” he told me.
“Why not?” Brewster asked him. “You’re in thick with His Royalness. Just tell him you want a chat.”
Grenville shot him a weary look. “I doubt we’ll see His Royalness, as you call him. I learned that he left for London in the middle of the night on Monday, sometime after supper.”
I came alert. “Was this before or after Isherwood was killed?”
“Very suspicious,” Brewster agreed. “Why’d he run from cool sea breezes to the hot stink of the Smoke?”
“I do not know exactly when he left,” Grenville said. “But I believe his abrupt departure had to do with his estranged wife. He is convinced poor Caroline and her Italian servant are living as man and wife on the Continent. I heard his spies have turned up new evidence, or supposed evidence, and he rushed off to find out if it was true.”
“Devil of a way to treat his wife,” Brewster growled. “Why don’t she beat him on the head? My Em would.” Brewster, like most people, regarded Caroline of Brunswick more highly than he did the dissipated Regent.
“I agree,” Grenville said. “Let us hope the princess can continue to enjoy herself. But you are not wrong, Lacey, that it would be good to discover whether the Regent left before or after the colonel died.”
“I can find that out,” Brewster said. “If I can get meself below stairs.”
“Excellent,” Grenville said. “Lacey and I will admire the new decor, while you interrogate the servants.”
