“I apologize for the late hour,” Adrian told him, handing over his calling card, “but there’s a pressing matter I need to discuss with Mr.Henshaw.Is he at home?”
“He is,” the butler confirmed.“Whether or not he’ll meet with you is another matter entirely.If you’d like to come in, Mr.Croft, I’ll check.”
Adrian thanked him and crossed the threshold with Murry directly behind him.
“I’ll just be a moment,” the butler informed them after pressing the door shut.He promptly disappeared down a hallway.
“A bit much, don’t you think?”Murry whispered while scanning the foyer.
Adrian nodded, his own gaze falling upon a golden longcase clock.Hideous.He kept his voice as hushed as Murry’s when he told him, “Some people feel the need for extravagance.”
Neither said anything more until the butler returned.“Mr.Henshaw has asked that you be shown in, Mr.Croft.”He turned to Murry and swept one hand in the direction of a plush bench.“You may wait there, sir.”
Adrian sent Murry a nod, encouraging him to take a seat, then followed the butler toward the back of the house.Strange.It was customary to be received either in the front parlor or the study.Instead, he found himself entering the library.
The room was just as ostentatious as the foyer, made worse by the presence of two stuffed leopards that sat on either side of the fireplace.Various rugs were laid side by side, overlapping so they concealed the floor beneath completely.The chairs and sofas were upholstered in crimson velvet, their ornate frames covered in gold leaf.
At least the bookcases were crafted in a more classical style, though the decorative pieces put on display alongside the books were more curious than they were appealing to the eye.
“Memories from all my travels,” said the man who stood near the sideboard, his assessing gaze on Adrian.“Makes for a rather eclectic atmosphere, wouldn’t you say?”
“I couldn’t have phrased it better myself,” Adrian lied.There were, after all, more important issues to care about than Hanshaw’s distasteful décor.
“Would you like refreshments?”the butler asked Adrian.“Coffee or tea, perhaps?”
“No, thank you,” Adrian told him, his attention on the decanters that sat on the side table next to Henshaw.“Brandy will do.”
“A man of my taste,” Henshaw said with a smile, then told the butler, “That will be all for now, Peters.”
Peters left, and Henshaw proceeded to fill two glasses.He handed one to Adrian.“I must confess I’m a little surprised at your coming here.You and I have never had any dealings.In fact, I believe we’ve only ever engaged in one conversation with one another, and that was purely because the discussion was started by the Duke of Eldridge.”
“In other words, you want to know what I want.”
Henshaw’s lips twitched.“I’d not have put it so bluntly, but yes, I do.”
He sipped his brandy, and Adrian did the same before turning to one of the bookcases where he proceeded to study the contents, deliberately refusing to satisfy Henshaw’s curiosity.
“In light of infrequent involvement with one another,” Henshaw said after a while, “and considering what I know about you, Mr.Croft, I can only surmise that something has happened.A new crime perhaps?For which you require information about a person I may be connected to in some way?”
Adrian angled his head, then spun back to face his host.“Your logic is sound.Maybe Bow Street should hire you as an adviser.”
Henshaw’s lips parted slightly, as though he’d not expected to be correct in his assumption.“What’s happened and how may I help?”
Adrian scrutinized Henshaw’s expression.His surprise seemed genuine, but it could just as easily be proof of excellent acting skills.Adrian drank some more brandy, savored the rich spicy flavor, the heat that spread through his chest after he swallowed.
“Are you familiar with The Veiled Lantern on Regent Street?”Adrian asked.
The slightest movement of Henshaw’s head betrayed him.Had he chosen to deny knowing the place, Adrian would have seen through the lie.
Much to his surprise, however, Henshaw did no such thing.He frowned, then swung away from Adrian and padded toward an armchair, which he slowly sank into.“I must confess I’m no stranger to it.After being introduced to the pleasures of smoking opium during a visit to China years ago, I sought ways in which to continue the habit after returning to England.The Veiled Lantern is an exclusive establishment.Upper-class, discreet, and well-maintained.I enjoy the tranquility I’m able to find there.Helps me relax at the end of a busy week.”
“So you’re a regular client.”
“Admittedly so.”
Again, Henshaw’s response was not what Adrian expected.“Have you ever brought supplies home with you?To smoke here, I mean?”
Henshaw snorted.“Of course not.I have a wife and children, Croft.To expose them to such a thing would be unseemly.”
