The butler vanished, leaving Samantha alone, save for an elderly man who also waited.She nodded a greeting at him, then glanced along the length of the hallway to where Lundquist stood with Kendrick.Neither man had noticed her yet, and since they spoke in muted tones, it was impossible for her to hear what either one said.
A nearby clock chimed the hour.Four in the afternoon.
Another Runner descended the stairs and went to join his colleagues outside.The man who waited with her proceeded to study a painting, his disinterest in chatting with her made all the clearer when he turned his back.
Just as well.
Intent on finding her own answers, Samantha took a deep breath, placed her bouquet on a nearby table, and climbed to the first-floor landing with confident steps.
A swift sweep of the hallway assured her she was alone.Conscious of her limited time, she moved with purpose, striding directly toward the only door that stood open.Taking a quick look inside, she confirmed it must have belonged to Lady Lavinia.The Runners had not been considerate in their search, which appeared to have been quite thorough.
There wasn’t a mess as such, just an overall sense of things having been moved.
Samantha walked to the center of the room and turned around slowly, assessing every surface, each drawer, cupboard, and corner until…
She approached the windowsill.The slight misalignment would have escaped her notice had she not been searching for something unusual.Her hand slid over the wood, adding pressure until it rocked ever so slightly beneath her touch.
Sliding her fingertips under the windowsill’s lip, she gave it an upward nudge and was unsurprised when it opened toward a hollow space beneath.
A collection of letters were hidden within.
Samantha grabbed them, stashed them in her skirt pocket, and closed the windowsill so it looked just as undisturbed as when she’d found it.
The sound of approaching footsteps reached her.A woman’s voice followed.
Samantha crossed to the door and peeked out into the hallway just in time to see a maid disappearing into another room.
Although she did have an explanation at the ready if anyone found her up here, she’d rather avoid the altercation and chose therefore to slip from Lady Lavinia’s room with a silent tread.
She descended the stairs to the foyer where the man no longer waited, sent the lilies she’d brought a quick glance in passing, exited the house, and climbed into her awaiting carriage.
The conveyance took off at once, allowing her to relax against the squabs without the fear of discovery.
* * *
Adrian had begun reviewing what little he knew from the very beginning, this time with the idea of Mr.Walker being the killer.Considering Walker’s alibi on the eve of Miss Irvine’s murder, he would have had to have found a way to return to Vauxhall and kill her without those vouching for him being any the wiser.
If such a thing were possible, Adrian meant to find out.
To do this, he’d need to visit Vauxhall.The pleasure park was walled in, but maybe a tree could be climbed to allow easy access.He’d have to check, so he told his driver to take him straight to the front entrance.There, he paid the small admittance fee, then a slightly larger fee for the information he needed.
The park attendant who welcomed the coin he offered showed him to the spot where Miss Irvine was found.The area was perfect for all manner of mischief.Cut off from the main pathways and filled with vegetation, it felt like a woodland scene instead of a place in the City.
Adrian stepped between the trees and bushes, moving deeper into the brush until he arrived at the boundary wall.A few nearby trees could have been climbed to escape unnoticed.But what about getting in?
He’d have to check the opposite side, and since it was too high up for him to mark the location, there was no other choice but to measure the distance to the next corner.Not a straightforward feat when bushes interrupted his path in numerous places.The result was an estimation.Give or take a few yards either way, he should get a sense of where the culprit had entered the parkifhe’d climbed over the wall.
Once he knew this, he’d have a much better sense of whether or not Walker could have parted ways with his friends, doubled back, and killed Miss Irvine without anyone knowing.
It seemed like a stretch, but it was the best lead he had at the moment.
Turning, he prepared to head back to the main entrance when he spotted Miss Carmichael out for a stroll.She was accompanied by Miss Violet Greene and Lady Octavia Burley, Lady Heathbrooke’s companion, Miss Roberts, and the same woman he’d seen her with at Reed’s Boxing club.Her name escaped him at the moment.
Unable to resist, he called out Miss Carmichael’s name to draw her attention.A smile lit up her face when she saw him.“Mr.Croft.What a lovely surprise.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” he said as he walked toward her and her friends.
“You remember Miss Stevens?”
