“If not me, then who do you believe has been taking care of things on Lord Smythe’s behalf?” It was more curiosity than anything to see what would come out of the man’s mouth next as to why she’d asked that question.
“Well, as to that, I couldn’t say,” Mr. Nevis said.
“And yet you are quite sure all the accounts and papers are in this house?”
He didn’t look quite so smug now. In fact, he looked downright uncomfortable. Alice took pity on him. After all, this was not his fault, but her father’s.
“I will return with what you require,” she said, and left the room.
Alice removed the first set of books from her desk drawer and took them back to the parlor.
“Here you are, Mr. Nevis. Should you require any clarification, then—unfortunately for you—it is me you will have to come to.” He said nothing further, just bowed and left.
Alice thought after this development it was time to have a conversation with her aunt about where she would like to live when her father returned to London with his new wife. She also had to decide what to do with the address and information regarding Jackson’s location.
Alice paced her room after Mr. Nevis’s departure. Returning to her desk, she picked up the slip of paper with the address Bobby had handed her, staring at it as if doing so would give her some clarity of what to do next. She and Ezra would need to go there and see for themselves if in fact it was Kenneth Jackson’s location.
Alice sat, elbows on her desk, and allowed herself one long, shuddering exhale. “What am I to do with you, Jackson, when I find you?”
Something had to be done, and the hell of it was, it had been a relief to know Lord Stafford would help her in making that decision. But not now. Now she had to do that herself.
Alice had wondered if she was capable of violence and thought perhaps she would be when she came face to face with the man who had destroyed her brother. But the truth was she doubted she could do more than punch him, so her vengeance had to take another form.
A long voyage was the idea that had been growing inside her. Approach a ship’s captain, or someone, perhaps that would fall to Ezra, who would take Jackson on a long voyage to the colonies and dump him there.
A knock interrupted her thoughts. “Come in.”
Maggie entered with a tray of tea and a plate of scones. On her face was a smile.
“What has you smiling?” Alice said, pouncing on a scone as the plate was lowered to her desk.
“Ezra and Bobby are now deep in discussion about what it’s like being a mudlark. It seems that’s how the lad makes his living. ’Tis a right shame, my lady. Those who do that can die from horrid infections.”
“It is indeed horrid, Maggie. I’m glad all is well between him and Ezra now. I’m sure Bobby could do with a large, intimidating friend.”
Her maid went quiet as Alice looked at her. “Do I have jam on my nose?”
“No. You’ve got that look, my lady. The one where you’re planning to do something that’ll either get you hurt or have Ezra shouting until the windows shake.”
Alice tried for innocence. “I was merely thinking.”
“I know that boy gave you some information about that Jackson, because Ezra told me.”
Alice hesitated. Maggie had the tenacity of a terrier, like her husband. There was no evading. “Bobby gave me Jackson’s address—or I hope it is.”
Maggie’s mouth pinched. “Sweet mercy. And what exactly do you plan to do with that, pray?”
“That is precisely what I am deciding,” Alice admitted. “I cannot simply ignore it because, as you know, I’ve been searching for him for some time.”
Maggie gave her a hard look. “You could hand it to Ezra and let him deal with it, instead of going after the man yourself. After all, my lady, what is it you think you can do when faced with him?
Alice snorted. “Ezra would flatten every man he came in contact with to find Jackson, and then you would scold him for blood on his boots.”
The door creaked again. Ezra himself filled the frame, glowering. “I heard that.”
“Good.” Maggie speared him with a look. “Now you can tell her she’s not to go gallivanting after Kenneth Jackson.”
Ezra crossed his arms. “You’re not to go gallivanting after Kenneth Jackson without me or Lord Stafford at your side.”
