It was close to noon when Saffron finally managed to telephone the Path Lab and tell them that she was not able to come in that day. Her surprise could have knocked her off the stool in the cramped telephone room when Joseph’s gruff voice was the one to answer the telephone.
“Joseph!” she exclaimed. “You’re back in the lab. The police concluded you were innocent of everything, I suppose.”
“Aye,” he mumbled. “What did you need, miss?”
“I’m unable to come to the lab today. I’m afraid I’m under the weather. Please apologize on my behalf for calling so late.”
“Right.”
In the background, she heard Joseph relaying that Saffron was unwell. The other side crackled, then Dr. Calderbrook’s anxious voice spoke into her ear. “Is it serious, Miss Everleigh? Only with the recent issues, I’m afraid news of yet another staff member ill might be cause for alarm.”
“Oh, er—” She wantednotto raise an alarm. Screwing up her face, she said, “Female troubles, I’m afraid, sir.”
Dr. Calderbrook made a choked sound. “I see, I see. Never you mind, then. I do hope you, er, recover quickly.”
Still wincing, Saffron rang off. Well, that was one problem solved. Now to face a greater one.
Lord Tremaine’s rooms were on the third floor of a grand old building in Westminster. Saffron had been there twice since Elizabeth began working there five years ago, and she remembered the way up the palatial stone steps that wound around the middle of the building. Thick carpets muffled her steps, adding to the overall hush of the building.
But, Saffron reflected as a familiar voice drew her down a hall, things never stayed quiet for long when Elizabeth Hale was around.
“… not at all what I meant,” Elizabeth’s strident tones said. “There is no need for accusations.”
“It is not an accusation if the man all but said it to the entire party,” Colin Smith replied.
Saffron approached the open door from which the voices emanated and peered inside. Elizabeth stood in the middle of a long roomfull of filing cabinets. She and Colin wore matching frowns. Colin stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a blotchy flush reddening his face and neck.
“Nick has nothing to do with our relationship,” Elizabeth ground out, her own color high.
“Yet you had no complaints until he came into town,” Colin countered.
“It is a woman’s prerogative to change her mind.”
“Changeable. Yes, that is a good word for you,” he said, his tone turning sneering. “I’d no idea you were so inconstant, for all your stubbornness.”
“There’s no need for insults,” Elizabeth replied. “We don’t suit, and that’s that.”
“More like you believe you can find a better prospect in this office,” he shot back. “I’ve been warned a dozen times about your flirtations with everyone who walks in the door. Hoping to catch a minister or lord, are you? I doubt they’d deign to lift your family—”
Colin caught sight of Saffron and froze. His color went deeper, and he straightened up. “I must return to my duties,” he said stiffly. He walked past Saffron with an indifferent nod.
Saffron ventured into the filing room. “Took it well, did he?”
“Obviously,” muttered Elizabeth. She didn’t seem affected by Colin’s accusations, though Saffron knew she was seething inside. She eyed Saffron. “What brings you here?”
It was exceptionally poor timing, considering the scene she’d walked in on, but it couldn’t be helped. “We need to talk about Nick.”
Elizabeth’s expression hardened. “What did he do now?”
When Saffron was finished with her report of the conversation, and Alexander’s observations, Elizabeth looked ready to go to battle.
“We don’t need a chat; we need a bloody war council.” She took a few angry paces in one direction, then switched to another. “I am finished with Nick. He’s a manipulative, lying, unfeeling bastard, and I want to be rid of him as soon as possible.”
“He said I’m done with the case,” Saffron said. “I hope that means he’s off.”
Elizabeth scoffed. “You think he’ll let go of this notion of convincing you to work for him—with him?—so easily? I very much doubt that.” She scowled at the nearest cabinet, on top of which sat a stack of files. “Colin didn’t even take the wretched files. He likely did it on purpose, so I’d have to play delivery girl for him.” She snatched the files off the cabinet and rounded on Saffron. “We need to figure out what’s happening in that lab. That’s the only way Nick will get a new assignment. Otherwise, he has an excuse to hang around and approach you again.”
Saffron had to agree. “How do you suggest we do that?”
