“Unlike our club,” Violet said with a smirk.
“Back to the chatelaine,” Leo said.
No one in the room had lost one, nor walked about with keys dangling from one, it seemed, much to Leo’s annoyance.
Tea was then drunk and food consumed as they chatted, and he could not stop his eyes from going to Tilly, who was still talking to Alex. Ambrose casually moved closer and hated himself for needing to. But whatever they were discussing had her frowning.
“So, you haven’t lost a woman in your life who was older? She seems insistent you know her.”
As he was watching her, he saw the color drain from Tilly’s face at Alex’s words.
“I—ah, no. Excuse me for a moment.” She made her way to the door and soon disappeared.
Alex watched her, eyes narrowed in thought.
Ambrose thought about following her, but it wasn’t his place to do so. He did, however, watch the door until she returned ten minutes later.
“How’s the club, Tilly?” Bram asked.
“It is going well, thank you.”
“I’m sure you hesitated when saying those words. What’s going on?” Bram pressed her.
Ambrose watched her sigh.
“Tell us. We might be able to help you,” Bram added.
“An official called to serve me papers in regard to the building not complying with the structural integrity, adequacy of egress in the event of fire, and related concerns of the London Building Acts.”
“What did he tell you was needed to bring it up to compliance?” Ambrose asked.
She shot him a look, her expression tight with worry now.
“There was nothing in the documentation I was handed,so I went to pay the Metropolitan Board of Works a call. No one would speak to me, as they were all too busy. I was deliberately fobbed off. I then employed builders to look at The Iris, but they could find nothing.”
Something was off, he knew it, as did others in the room by the looks on their faces. Ambrose felt his anger rise over whoever was behind it.
“If I don’t make the changes by the end of next month, I must appear before them, and they will decide the club’s fate.”
“Something doesn’t feel right about this,” Gray said.
“I agree,” Tilly added.
“Leave it with me. I’ll find out who is doing this.”
“Thank you, Gray. I would be grateful.”
Ambrose didn’t want to feel annoyed she hadn’t come to him about it—because why would she? But he did anyway.
“Right, then. There is little more we can do about that until Gray does some digging into what is going on, so I’ll call the meeting to order,” Bram said, his voice rising over the others in the room with practiced ease. “Mungo is handing out some papers. Please read them, and then we will discuss the content.”
Tilly moved to where Ambrose stood and lowered the little bag she carried onto a narrow table. She opened it, pulled out her spectacles, and slipped them on.
As if aware of his scrutiny, she looked at Ambrose. “I told you I wore spectacles,” she snapped.
“So you did. I’m sorry about what is happening, Tilly.”
She shot him a surprised look and then nodded. “Thank you. It is vexing, but I’m sure whoever is behind it will tire soon.”
