Granted, he was basing his deductions on one brief encounter, so maybe he ought to invite her back. Jeremy would no doubt be thrilled. He’d enjoyed her company immensely until Thomas had put an end to it. But would Amelia be able to accept the complete truth about Jeremy’s birth? Would she be willing to keep it a secret, even from her siblings?
Yes.
He knew it instinctively. She would hold the truth close to her heart, if not for his sake, then for Jeremy’s, and she would do so whether she agreed to marry him or not.
That turn of thought gave him pause. Was he really going to propose to her?
He considered the benefits their marriage would bring. She would be his to seduce at leisure, her body would warm his bed, and the craving he had would finally be sated. But there was more to it than that, wasn’t there? For one thing, he genuinely cared for her and enjoyed spending time in her company. For another, she would make an excellent mother for Jeremy.
As for the downside... he couldn’t really think of one at the moment.
Arriving at the Black Swan, he saw that the place appeared more dilapidated during the light of day. The paint peeled on the entire facade and the railing out front looked more crooked than he remembered. Inside, the dim interior lacked the life that filled it in the evenings, lending a depressing air of abandonment to it.
Passing the only occupied table, Thomas crossed to where a woman was sweeping the floor. “Is Guthrie around?” he asked, holding a coin in her direction.
She snatched it up and pointed toward a corridor. “Last room at the end. Knock before you enter.”
As if he’d consider doing otherwise.
He headed toward the room in question.
“May I have a moment of your time?” he asked Guthrie after being admitted by a Scotsman who went by the name of McNeil.
Guthrie’s face transformed into one of welcoming politeness. He waved Thomas closer. “My, my, what an unexpected honor.” He gestured toward an empty chair that stood on the opposite side of the table at which he sat. Thomas stepped forward and claimed the seat. “Would ye care fer a pint?” Guthrie indicated a jug. “I can ask McNeil to fetch another mug.”
“Thank you, but that will not be necessary.” Leaning forward, Thomas placed his elbows on the table and met Guthrie’s calculating eyes. “I am here to discuss a house with you.”
“A house?” Guthrie’s surprise was undeniable.
Thomas nodded. “The one on the corner of Bainbridge and High Street.”
“That run-down stack of bricks?”
“It was recently purchased by Huntley’s sister, Lady Amelia.”
Guthrie’s eyes widened. “I was not aware of that.”
It was Thomas’s turn to be surprised. “I was under the impression that you knew everything that went on in St. Giles. At least that is what Lady Amelia and Huntley have told me.”
“And they would have been correct a few weeks ago before my best informant went missing. I’m guessing he was either turned by Bartholomew or murdered,” he grumbled, mentioning the only crime lord whose infamy could surpass his own, if only because Bartholomew’s well-polished appearance and wealth allowed him to mingle with a higher class of people than Guthrie would ever manage to do. “If I ever find him, he’ll wish it was the latter.”
“Then you are probably not in a position to help since the information I need pertains to more recent events.”
“Such as?” A keen interest gleamed in Guthrie’s eyes.
“The solicitor who arranged the sale of the house mentioned another buyer—some individual willing to outbid Lady Amelia until I stepped in and threatened the solicitor with ruining his career. He must have seen me as a more immediate threat because he immediately gave in and Lady Amelia managed to complete her purchase. Since then, however, there has been a fire and today an act of sabotage causing one of the workers to get seriously hurt. The solicitor has also quit town—his office has been vacated. I came here with the hope that you might be able to give me some idea as to who might be behind all of this.”
Guthrie leaned back in his chair, reached for his beer and took a slow sip. When he set the mug down, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before saying, “I can still give ye my opinion.”
“I would be happy to hear it.”
“That house was once very grand. Its location is of particular interest since it sits between the good part o’ town and the not so good part.”
“How do you figure?”
“Well... let’s say that ye want to take advantage of both sides. Let’s say ye’re in the business of prostitution and ye’d like to start caterin’ to a richer clientele. A house like the one Lady Amelia purchased would make a prime location.”
“I suppose that is true,” Thomas muttered. He wasn’t quite sure where Guthrie was going with this.
