(There’s a new part of this story dropping Saturday in the Broadsheet, so it’s time to give last month’s part it’s own post so it can be found more easily.)
Chapter 3 (Part 2)
Somewhere behind him, someone – namely Lillesley – cleared his throat. As if that was going to stop Richard from kissing his fill of his betrothed.
A second throat clearing. This time louder.
Harriet giggled, putting an end to the heat of their kiss. Still, he lingered with his lips on hers for a few seconds longer before holding her securely in his arms but not turning to face her brother.
“Do you know who they have paired with Samuels and Fredericks?” He tossed the question over his shoulder.
“No, I cannot say that I have heard,” Lillesley replied. “In fact, I was not even informed that there were more than four of you assigned to this task.”
“Yes. Well… there is one more than four.” Richard kissed the top of Harriet’s head and then released her from his embrace. “And it seems that you are not the only person willing to use a certain ne’er-do-well to gain information.
“Do you mean that Wickham fellow?” Harriet asked with no little amount of incredulity in her tone.
“Certainly not!” her brother exclaimed.
“Harry is right. As she often is.” Taking Harriet’s hand, he led them across the room to the door to Lillesley’s study where the man was standing. “She’ll join us,” he added when his friend looked at Harriet and then back at him with a lifted brow. “It will make it easier for all of us.”
Lillesley shook his head and sighed but allowed Richard and Harriet to enter his study. “Not a word of any of this leaves this room,” he growled at his sister.
As if she would.
It was not the right way to approach her, and Richard smiled as his Harriet lifted her chin and glared down her nose at her brother for a half second before saying very primly, “I know far more secrets than one might expect.” She added a saucy grin as she took a seat and said, “Some you would be shocked to know I have discovered.”
Richard eyed her for a moment. If he was to guess by the way she squeezed her hands together tightly in her lap, she was bluffing – trying to draw her brother out to vent her displeasure with him questioning her ability to be discreet.
Thankfully, Lillesley did not fall for her ploy. “I am certain there are, but at present, I find I do not care to learn what secrets you know or how you know them.” He smiled, which caused his sister to huff softly. Then he turned to Richard. “Did Samuels say why Wickham has been included?”
“He did. Wickham has…” He paused when a knock sounded on the proper door to the study. Lillesley rose and opened the door just far enough to see who was there.
“A letter has arrived for you, my lord.”
It was the butler.
“And how did it arrive?”
“Through the kitchen by way of the stables, my lord.”
It was from someone in their network then.
Lillesley closed the door and broke the seal to the letter as he returned to his desk. “It seems I have been notified that a person with knowledge of the workings of the underbelly of society has been enlisted to help us come to a hopefully hasty conclusion to this mess,” he said as he scanned the missive before taking his seat again at his desk.
“Wickham claims he would know the man who likely killed the shopkeeper by site, though he does not know his name.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Samuels mentioned Wickham knew traitors. Is our theory about secrets being bought and sold along with maids, true?”
Lillesley shot a quick look at his sister. “From what I have just read, it appears to be substantiated though there are no details here.”
The room sat in silence for a moment until Harriet broke it with a question.
“Did Andrew know about the espionage involved in this matter?”
“I cannot say,” her brother replied, though he did not look at his sister. Instead, he remained focused on the letter he held. It was a sure sign that the answer he gave was accurate but not informative.
“And if he did – which he did since you did not glare at me –”
Richard chuckled as Harriet continued.
“Then, did the traitor know? Or was Andrew pretending to be a traitor to draw him out? Oh!” she gasped. “Did Penny discover something she was not supposed to know? Could that be why she ended up in washed up along the Thames like that shopkeeper?”
Lillesley held up a hand to stop the rapid questions. “We would all like to know the answers to those questions.”
“They are plausible – every ,” Richard said.
“I know,” Lillesley agreed. “And I have my thoughts on it.”
Harriet had risen and was pacing a small circuit from her chair to the small hearth and back.
Her brother settled back in his chair and motioned for Richard to remain silent as they both watched Harriet. They both knew that when she was close to figuring something out, she fidgeted or paced. She had done so since she was a girl.
She came to a stop. “Are you going out tonight?” she asked her brother.
“I have no plans to, since I knew the colonel was being relieved of his duty today.”
Her brow furrowed as she grimaced. “Perhaps you should go together.” She blew out a breath as if what she had just said was not something she wanted to say.
“Why?” Richard prompted. “What are you thinking? How will that help us?”
“If you were to go out and wear Andrew’s watch, making sure to show it off as you check the time in any of the places Andrew might have frequented…” She sighed and then, shook her head as she looked to the ceiling. “It would be dangerous, but it might bring the right people to you.” She returned to her seat. “Andrew had that watch when he was killed, and the shopkeeper was killed because of that watch – or so we suspect. It is the only thing I can think of to connect the events.”
“It is a worthy idea,” Lillesley agreed. “Perhaps I will start by having dinner at my club tonight.”
Harriet nodded. “Andrew did that often.” Her comment was soft.
Richard gave her hand a squeeze. “I will go with him, and then, return here for a while before I head home, if that meets with everyone’s approval.”
“I would like that very much.” She did not need to say so. Her smile had informed Richard of her approval before she could so much as form the first word of her response.
“And I … suppose I can tolerate it as well,” her brother said with a laugh. “Now, if you would be so kind as to allow my best man to give his report about how tiresome his days at his apartment were to me without an audience, I will make sure he sees you before he goes home to change for dinner.”
Harriet rose.
“There is nothing of significance to report,” Richard assured her when she hesitated before leaving.
“If you are certain…”
“I am.” And with that reassurance, she left them alone. Though Richard was sure she had not gone far.
