“Whores?”
“Overt ones, not the elegant mistresses like Pearl or the one on that Russian count’s arm.”
“Ah.” He straightened. “While I can’t be certain of everything your cousin got up to in private, I’m sure he didn’t entertain women of any description in his suite. I would have heard about it if he had.”
It was my turn tohumph. “Surely the footmen and night porter didn’t tell you all the comings and goings.”
“Of course they did.”
I rolled my eyes. “All managers think their staff confide in them.”
“In my case, they did. You might find it hard to believe, but they actually liked and respected me. I had a good relationship with the staff.”
I thanked Luigi and smiled at his customerswho nodded back. Mr. Armitage followed me outside to the pavement. He hadn’t finished with me yet.
“Is Floyd’s nocturnal adventures relevant to anything?” he asked.
“No.”
“So you’re just being nosy.”
I opened my mouth to protest but had no defense. He was right. “I want to know everything about the people I’m related to. I still have so much to learn about them.”
“Be careful, Miss Fox. If you snoop too much, you might learn something you wish you hadn’t.” He removed the key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock for his office door. “Let me know how you get on with Lord Wrexham.” He sounded amused.
It would seem he doubted I’d get anywhere with Wrexham. I hated to admit it, but he was probably right about that too. I had to try, however.
Findingwhere Lord Wrexham lived wasn’t as difficult as I expected it to be. Mr. Hobart had the address on file so he could send him invitations to balls and other events held at the hotel. Since I was investigating on behalf of Lord Rumford, he was happy to assist me and handed over the address readily.
“How is the investigation coming along?” he asked.
“Slowly, but I have a suspect now.”
He glanced at the card for Lord Wrexham. “Him?”
I nodded. “Out of jealousy when she left him for Lord Rumford. That’s my theory, anyway. I might change my mind after I question him.”
He returned the file to the cabinet and closed the drawer. He removed his spectacles to look at me. “He wasn’t a guest here, so I never really knew him. But please be careful, Miss Fox. Men of standing like Wrexford think they don’t have to answer to anyone. He won’t like being questioned.”
“Then he can just refuse to see me. There’ll be no danger involved.”
I calledat the Belgravia townhouse after luncheon, but the butler who answered the door said his lordship was not at home. He could not tell me when he would return but he did agree to give my calling card to his lordship.
Since I didn’t have calling cards, I quickly penciled my name on one of the hotel cards I carried in my purse and handed it to him. “I’m Sir Ronald Bainbridge’s niece,” I told the butler.
The butler showed a spark of curiosity but it was quickly dampened. I didn’t enlighten him as to the nature of my visit.
I headed back down the steps and glanced over my shoulder as the butler closed the door. The curtain in one of the front windows fluttered. Someone had been watching me.
I crossed the road to the small garden square opposite. It was a private garden, not for public use, and fenced off with the only access through the locked gates. I watched the townhouse from a safe distance for an hour before my fingers and toes grew numb from the cold. The only reward I’d had for my efforts was when a maid climbed the steps from the basement service rooms and headed along the street, a basket over her arm.
Fifteen minutes later, the rain started and I gave up. Whoever had watched me from the front window wasn’t going to come out, and there was no sign of Lord Wrexham. I headed off, only to stop as a carriage with green doors pulled up outside the townhouse. Lord Wrexham must be arriving home.
Thrilled with my good fortune, I hurried back the way I’d come. But no one alighted from the carriage. Instead, the townhouse door opened and a gentleman emerged. He trotted with a springy step down the stairs and quickly climbed into the cabin. His face had been hidden behind his turned-up coat collar, but I was quite sure it was Lord Wrexham. He’d been home after all.
The carriage took off before I could so much as call his name.
I headed back to the hotel. Frank greeted me with a nod as he opened the door. “You’ve got a visitor,Miss Fox.”
