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She unlocked the front door to her house, and as she entered the narrow front hall, her stomach dropped for a second time that evening. Jasper’s black wool overcoat and bowler were hanging on the coat stand. Voices emanated from the kitchen. Leo hung up her cape and hat and made her way toward the back of the house, uncertain what to prepare for. Jasper had not said anything about coming over tonight, but perhaps he’d wanted to be here for when she returned from Castelan’s agency.

He and Uncle Claude were seated at the kitchen table when she entered, her damp palms smoothing the sides of her skirt. Both men stood to greet her, but only her uncle appeared pleased. Jasper shot her a dark look brimming with grievance.

“Oh, good, you are home. The inspector was hoping to see you, but I wasn’t sure when you might be in,” Claude said.

“I hope I haven’t kept you too long,” Leo said.

“I’ve been telling Inspector Reid about Chesterton Hall,” Claude went on. Leo suffered a pang of guilt. In all the commotion of the last few days, the rest home that she and Claude had been considering for Flora had slipped to the back of her mind.

“I will look into it, to be sure no complaints have been filed against them,” Jasper told him. It was a kind offer. Placing his wife in another home for care was something Claude dreaded, and knowing the governors of Chesterton Hall were to be trusted would put him at least a little more at ease.

Her uncle thanked Jasper and then, as if sensing she and Jasper wished to speak alone, excused himself. It dashed Leo’s cowardly hope that he would retake his seat and stay.

Once she and Jasper were alone in the kitchen, she braced herself. He said nothing at first, only crossed his arms and glared at her.

“You’re upset,” she observed.

“I went to the morgue earlier. Miss Brooks was there with Connor.”

Leo grimaced, now understanding. Dita had known what Mr. Castelan had in store for Leo that evening. “She told you I was sent out on an assignment.”

“You went to a public house owned by the Carters.”

Stunned, she pulled back a step. “The Carters own the Golden Harp?” That must have been why Andrew had felt so at home going behind the bar to the back room.

Jasper broke from his stoic posture and shoved his chair hard into place at the table. “It is one of Andrew’s businesses. He explained Cillian and Mrs. Pierce would meet there often. It’s how he knew what his nephew was up to and with whom.”

She could not believe her ears. “Why didn’t you say anything about this before?”

“If you will remember, I was trying to keep you uninvolved.”

“If you had shared this with me, I would not have gone there.”

“Don’t try to turn the blame on me. You were supposed to be getting information from Castelan, not going out on assignment to an East Rips pub. And to dinner with another man, I might add.”

There, at the ferocious glimmer in his sooty green eyes, Leo saw it: jealousy. Sometimes, his shows of envy did not bother her. But tonight, this one did.

“You had to have known that working with Mr. Castelan could lead to an undercover assignment,” she pointed out. “And I was not having dinner with Detective Palmer in that sense.”

She hadn’t even seen her plate of steak and kidney pie before rushing to leave.

“Palmer.” Jasper’s glower narrowed. “Silas Palmer?”

“You know him?” The detective had certainly made no mention of knowing Jasper.

The muscles already clenching his jaw jumped. “We worked at E Division together.” He provided no more explanation than that, and yet, his formidable frown said plenty.

“For what it is worth,” Leo began, “I found him to be quite unpleasant.”

Jasper groaned and raked his fingers through his honey-blond hair. “Did you at least learn anything about Cillian or Mrs. Pierce?”

Leo deflated. “No. A barmaid seemed to know something, but she warned us to stop asking around.”

“There was no point in going there at all,” Jasper said. “Tabitha would be a fool to show up at the pub now that Cillian is missing.”

Leo went to the hob to put on the kettle. He was correct, of course. It led her to wonder why Mr. Castelan would have suggested they go. Though perhaps he hadn’t known who owned the Golden Harp?

Andrew Carter. Leo closed her eyes and nibbled the inside of her cheek. Jasper was already perturbed. But she could not keep what had occurred a secret. Jasper would learn of it eventually, and she would rather it come from her than from Andrew.