I looked to Peter for help, but he simply stood there, listening and watching as if he was front row at the theater. “We’ll talk in Mr. Hobart’s office,” I said.
“No need. What I have to say won’t take long. I came to offer you some advice if you failed to secure a meeting with Lord Wrexham.”
“Good, I could do with some advice. I suspect he’s sensitive about his disfigurement and doesn’t wish to see people, particularly women. Will you call on him instead? He might be prepared to face another man.”
Mr. Armitage shook his head. “I doubt he’d be prepared to see me, either. I think you should return, but knock on the door to the staff entrance this time. Someone will talk for a few coins.”
Peter agreed. “You can find out all sorts of things from staff. Trust me, we’ve had some tattlers work here, haven’t we, sir?”
“Call me Harry. And yes, we have. Once Ilearned who spoke to the journalists, they were quickly dismissed. Go back to Wrexham’s house tomorrow with a full purse and see what you find. I suggest trying the stables too. Coachmen have a wealth of knowledge about their master’s movements.”
“Thank you,” I said. “That’s a good suggestion. But you could have given me this advice when we spoke earlier.”
“And miss my opportunity to see Peter again?”
Peter suddenly straightened. “Nice to see you too, sir. I mean Harry.”
Mr. Armitage picked his hat up from the counter where he’d left it. “I’ll leave you to your sleuthing, Miss Fox.” He gave me a nod and headed for the door.
I raced after him. “Just a moment, Mr. Armitage. There’s one more thing.”
He stopped. “Yes?”
“Will you accompany me?” The idea had occurred to me while we were talking. It was an excellent way to involve him. Even better, if he learned something useful, he’d have to accept part payment. I was determined to share this case with him, whether he agreed or not.
“You want me to talk to the coachman and stable hands?” he asked.
“I thought I’d speak to them while you question the maids. You have a way with women that I suspect will encourage them to say more than they would to me.”
“Is that so?”
“There’s no need to look so surprised. You know very well how most of the hotel maids act coy in your presence.”
With a small smile, he placed his hat on his head and tilted it at an angle that oozed arrogance. “Just the maids?” He turned and walked off. “I’ll be back at ten tomorrow morning,” he tossed over his shoulder.
I watched him go, not sure whether I wanted to laugh or roll my eyes.
Chapter 7
When Harmony came to do my hair in the morning, she brought Victor. She didn’t look happy about his presence, however. She scowled at him from the moment they walked in.
“He insisted on speaking to you himself,” she said, arms crossed over her chest.
“I didn’t want the details to get lost in the chain of communication,” he said.
“You think I can’t deliver a message accurately?”
“If you don’t believe me then you must think I insisted because I want to see Miss Fox in her dressing gown.” He shook his head sadly. “It disappoints me that you think that of me, Harmony.”
She adjusted her arms higher, no longer looking so prickly. “Don’t twist my meaning. This is not only irregular, it’s dangerous. If you’re seen coming or going, Miss Fox will get into trouble with her family.”
“I’ll say he delivered my breakfast tray this morning.” I nodded at the empty plate and cups on the table. “Apparently there were no footmen available at the time and he didn’t want it to get cold.”
Harmony clicked her tongue. “You shouldn’t encourage him.”
Victor sat on the sofa without being invited, which only made Harmony’s lips purse tighter. She frequently sat in mysitting room without being invited, and had taken to sharing my morning pot of tea or coffee, also without being invited. I liked her for it. I liked Victor for being relaxed around me enough to do it too, although I suspected his reasons had more to do with irritating Harmony than any friendship we’d built.
I suppressed my smile. “What did you want to tell me, Victor?”
