Mark’s eyebrows arched. “Truly? A man in your line of work, I would have thought you would have been in every possible environment.”
Smith shook his head. “As you know, the aristocracy has their own rules when something untoward happens. I have been in many kitchens and a few drawing rooms, but the two unexpected deaths I was called to, the bodies had been moved to a more respectable room.”
Matthew cleared his throat. “That must not bode well for the investigation.”
Smith shook his head. “No. It does not.”
Mark motioned for the runner to sit in the chair opposite him. “Forgive me for not standing. My health does not allow for that at this time. What do you have for us today?”
The runner eased down on the edge of the chair as if afraid he would soil it. “I have a few questions for you, and I wanted to let you know that you have been dismissed as a potential suspect in the death of Miss Ashley.”
Matthew let out a long sigh and sat on the bench at the end of Mark’s bed. “So we are out of it.”
Smith shook his head. “Not... precisely.” He focused on Mark again, his fingers twitching a bit. “I found one man who had been a part of your... row... in the Rookeries, but he could not be considered a reliable witness. But Dr. Oakley’sinformationisreliable and without question your best defense. It lends credibility to the first, and my superiors think that is enough for me to pursue other possibilities. But I need to ask you a few more questions.” Smith took a deep breath but barely paused. “Do you know about any other... associations... that Miss Ashley had engaged in?”
Mark gave a twisted grin. “You mean other paramours.”
Smith glanced down but nodded.
“You need not glaze over anything where this is concerned, sir. There is little decorum about it. My arrangement with Miss Ashley was supposed to be one of mutual benefit. I protected her, provided her with a decent place to live, and additional funds for amenities. In return, she was to provide me a safe and reliable place to bed a woman. The deal we struck meant that she would have no other lovers. In return, I paid for Dr. Oakley to care for her, her mother, and her child. ‘Safe’ meant she would stay free of disease.”
“This is why you were upset when she violated your agreement.”
“Yes. I only found out that night she had bedded another man. But I took my anger out in the boxing ring and in the Rookeries. Not on Miss Ashley.”
“And who was that man?”
“Shropshire.”
Smith paused. “The duke?”
“Yes.”
“And you know of no others?”
Mark shook his head. “No, although I suspected there might have been.” Then he scowled as a sudden thought crossed his mind. “Do you?”
Smith studied him for a moment, then pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket. “Um, yes. I am afraid so.” He unfolded it. “We talked to her maid, who led us to a diary in Miss Ashley’sbedchamber. Apparently, there were several other... um... paramours. She only refers to them by nicknames, which mean nothing to us. Her maid was equally clueless. We thought you might shed a bit of light on them.”
“What are they?”
“The falcon.”
Matthew gave a quick cough, and Smith looked from him to Mark. “This means something?”
Mark fought another laugh. “You might wish to look at Lord Peregrine Gower. Two of our youngest brothers matriculated with him, and his name became an unfortunate source of ridicule.”
When Smith looked confused, Matthew supplied a quick explanation. “Of birds of prey, of the falcons, the peregrine is one of the smallest and fastest.”
A grin flashed across Smith’s face. “Ah. Poor chap.”
Mark’s mind suddenly tripped back to the Huntingdale ball, and the way Gower had petted Judith with a far too familiar gesture, earning him a scolding look from her that should have sent the man fleeing across the room.No. Surely not...
“Lord Mark?”
Mark brushed the thought away. “It is nothing. Go on. Who were the others?”
Smith consulted the paper. “The badger?”
