“Miss McCarthy. A pleasure.” Victoria stuck out her hand, but the older woman just looked at it as though it were an unknown creature about to attack her. With a subtle eye roll, Victoria removed her hand and turned her attention back to the task. After all, she needed to ensure this woman felt comfortable.
“Is it to do with the terrible matter of Lady Helena?” Miss Jennings stared at Lord Galbury with frantic expectation.
I am the investigator, not him! Victoria swallowed her irritation and put on a display of nicety, using the feminine grace that Benedict had mentioned in order to put the former chaperone at ease.
“An awful ordeal, isn’t it?” Victoria said softly. “I know you must still be suffering, after what occurred with Lady Isabella, also. My goodness, how frightened you must have been, to be accosted so?”
Miss Jennings’ eyebrows raised a good inch. “I was terribly frightened, Miss. I do not sleep well any longer. Every time I close my eyes, I can see that day, repeating over and over in my head. Nothing helps. I fear the His Lordship and Her Ladyship may expel me from this house at any moment, for I no longer serve any purpose. But they are kind, and they are letting me continue to reside here. Yes, they are most magnanimous.”
“You say you repeat that day over and over in your mind.” Victoria picked up a thread of thought, eager to follow it. “Might you tell us what happened, in as much detail as you can? It may aid us in finding Lady Helena, and also Lady Isabella, if fortune smiles on us.”
Miss Jennings hesitated. “Well, the day began as any other. Lady Isabella desired to go to the milliners to browse the latest designs, and then she had afternoon tea arranged with a companion of hers—a Miss Sherringham, of Bletchley. She dined with her friend, and we left around four o’clock in the afternoon. The driver always took a secret route back to Mayfair, to avoid the hustle and bustle. We had just entered a narrow road, which never had anyone upon it, though it is a short distance from London Bridge, when those rogues brought the carriage to a halt and… took my beloved Lady Isabella, right in front of my eyes!”
The driver always took a secret route back to Mayfair. So, she had been right about these criminals observing their prey for some time, before acting. They must have known precisely which direction Lady Isabella’s carriage would take, certain that they wouldn’t be disturbed during their kidnap as the route led them through an isolated passageway.
“What can you tell us of the men who took Lady Isabella? It does not matter if you cannot remember much. Anything is useful, I assure you, however small,” Victoria reassured, resting her hand on Miss Jennings’ forearm.
Miss Jennings looked toward Lord Galbury for permission, and he inclined his head discreetly. He offered her a warm smile in addition, which had a peculiar effect on Victoria. Her heartbeat quickened, quite out of nowhere.
It is because we were speaking of love and marriage, that is all. Such discussions were bound to inspire fanciful thoughts, though she didn’t plan on letting them linger. She was not of the marriageable sort. And, even if she were, Lord Galbury was an Earl with a fiancée, and she was an investigator who lived in an attic above an office in the London docks. Such star-crossed romances only existed in fairytales. And right now she had no time for fiction.
“There were two of them,” Miss Jennings’ voice brought Victoria’s attention back. “Both wore black, with more black fabric covering the lower half of their faces. I only saw one up close, while the other waited outside the carriage. He had… dark eyes, if memory serves. Brown, maybe. And he had a surprisingly refined voice. I had expected him to be gruff, but he wasn’t.”
“Anything else, Miss Jennings?” Victoria hid the eagerness in her voice.
“He wore a gold ring on his little finger, with a blue gemstone in the center. And he smelled of woodsmoke and… peppermint, I think. I remember it being unusual.” Miss Jennings frowned. “He was tall, too, with a very broad chest. As for his associate—he was equally tall, though far thinner. But I did not see much of the latter, as I mentioned.”
“Did you see another carriage?” Lord Galbury chimed in. Much to Victoria’s surprise, it was actually a very good question.
Miss Jennings squinted under the pressure of remembering. “Yes… yes, I think there was. I tried to escape with Lady Isabella, you see. I opened the other door and tried to push her out, so she might run to freedom, but the fellow’s thin associate slammed it shut in our faces. I managed to glimpse through the window, and… yes, there was another carriage a short way down the road.”
“What sort of carriage?” Lord Galbury continued, his tone kind.
“The same as Lady Isabella’s. The sort most people of her standing would use, with two horses. Was it two? Yes, I think it was two.” Miss Jennings nodded to herself.
Victoria and Lord Galbury exchanged a weighted look.
“Is that all you can recall, Miss Jennings?” Lord Galbury held her scared gaze.
“Yes. That is all. Is that useful? Is that enough? I’m sorry I cannot say more, but I have no other recollections of that afternoon.” Miss Jennings toyed with the fabric of her skirt.
“You have been more than helpful, Miss Jennings, I assure you.” Lord Galbury smiled again, prompting the same queer reaction in Victoria’s heart—a quickening of its beat that she could not explain.
“Truly?” Miss Jennings’ eyes widened.
“Truly,” he confirmed.
“I do hope you can find her, My Lord. And I do hope you can find your missing Lady Helena.” Miss Jennings lowered her gaze, shifting uncomfortably on the settee. “London hasn’t been the same since my mistress was taken, and it only proceeds to get worse with every young lady who is snatched. I pray that it will end soon. I pray every evening that there will be no more, and those who have gone will come back, unharmed.”
Lord Galbury nodded. “As do I, Miss Jennings. As do I. And we have more to utilize, now that you have informed us of what you know. It is fortunate that Lady Isabella had a chaperone as observant and brave as you, for I know there are many who would not have been able to manage a single memory.”
“You are too kind.” Miss Jennings blushed.
It would seem Lord Galbury has that effect on many an unexpecting woman. Even Victoria, for all her fierce independence and distaste for romance, was not immune to the charm of him. She just hoped it wouldn’t interfere with her investigation, since they were to work in close proximity with one another. And she could not very well face suspects and potential witnesses with bright red cheeks and a racing heart.
“May I leave now? Only, I promised to attend on the Countess this afternoon, and I would hate to keep her waiting,” Miss Jennings murmured.
Lord Galbury gestured to the door. “Of course, Miss Jennings. And thank you again for your information. If Lady Isabella is found, it will be, in no small part, due to your help today.”
Appearing utterly overwhelmed by his compliment, Miss Jennings rose on shaky legs and exited the room as swiftly as she was able, leaving Victoria and Lord Galbury alone. Ironic, considering her position as chaperone. But Victoria didn’t agree with the concept that women should be watched at all times. Why, if she had to wait on the company of a chaperone, at all times, she would never get anything done.
I would not be part of this world, for love nor money. The restrictions alone made her feel claustrophobic. Constantly being told what one could and could not do, and having to behave in a precise manner, every hour of every day… no, that was not for her. Maybe that was the cost of being ordinary; the world was a more dangerous place, but at least her sort of people were freer to do as they pleased. But most importantly, how she pleased.
“So.” Victoria looked to Lord Galbury. “We are looking for a well-spoken man with dark eyes, maybe brown, and a golden ring on his little finger. Any thoughts?”
Lord Galbury stared back, his face pale. “Yes. I think I may have a suspect.”
Chapter 8
Christian had listened intently to the wo
rried words of Miss Jennings, utilizing all of the skills he had learned during his spell in the military. People often said more with their expression than they did with their voices. And he had picked up on a small uncertainty in Miss Jennings’ expression that gave him hope that he may be on the right course.
“You have a suspect?” Victoria replied, her tone doubtful.
Evidently, she does not think me capable of such deductions. He held his tongue, for he understood that he was standing firmly in Victoria’s territory, even though they were within a fine house that leaned more toward his proverbial turf. He had promised not to get in her way, and he was much too polite to point out that she was being unjust in her assessment of his ability.
“I believe so.” He glanced at her, once again caught off-guard by her peculiar, almost entirely black eyes. On occasion, he had found them startling. On others, intriguing. At that present moment, he discovered a mixture of both.
“Well, go on. It is rude to leave a woman in suspense.” Victoria tapped her foot impatiently.
“There was something in Miss Jennings’ demeanor when she mentioned the thin associate who had accosted her with this other wretch. I cannot say for certain, but I think Miss Jennings may have recognized him, and does not dare to say so. Which means, he must be of excellent standing—so excellent that her very life would be at stake, if she were to reveal even a single aspersion toward him.”
Victoria arched an eyebrow. “I did not see such a change in Miss Jennings’ demeanor.”
“That is because you seem to fear nothing, Victoria.” He had yet to grow comfortable with referring to her so informally, but he persisted. “I mean that with the utmost respect, but perhaps it makes you less able to notice when another is afraid.”
Victoria’s face hardened. “I contend with terrified individuals on a daily basis, Lord Galbury. I have seen fear you would not even begin to comprehend.”
“My apologies.” Christian reddened, realizing that he had misjudged his words. “I did not phrase that as I intended. I meant that I have had more opportunity to see how staff behave when they are hiding something, for fear of being rendered unemployed, or something of that ilk. I recognized the same look on Miss Jennings just now.”
Victoria relaxed slightly. “Ah… I see. So, you believe she may know who at least one of them was, or has an inkling, but is too afraid to disclose her suspicions? Just so we are both on the same line of thinking.”
“Precisely,” Christian replied, glad the tension had been diffused. He truly wanted this bizarre partnership to be a success, for Helena’s sake. And, with each passing hour he spent with Victoria, he grew more convinced that she had the gravitas to go with her blunt confidence. Perhaps, she really could be the one to find these missing ladies.
“What do you suggest, then?” Victoria prompted. “These people are your people. You will have greater access to them than I, for the moment they hear ‘investigator’ or believe I have some association with Bow Street, they immediately shut their mouths like petulant, gilded mussels.”
Christian chuckled despite himself.
“You think me funny?” Victoria said sharply.
Christian floundered. “Uh… why, yes. You have an amusing turn of phrase at times. My apologies. I realize this is no time for laughter, but I couldn’t help it.”
“I am only teasing, Lord Galbury.” She cast him a wicked smile, leaving him entirely confused. How could a young lady be so very distracting? She shifted between emotions and demeanors so fast that it made his head spin.
“Oh.” He swallowed the awkward lump in his throat.
“Ben often scolds me for not being more serious, but I find that humor aids in a dire situation, better than any remedy,” she went on, her tone much gentler.
“I shall note that for future reference.” Christian felt somewhat better about his ill-timed chuckle, admiring Victoria’s unyielding spirit in the face of tragedy. He could only imagine the things she had witnessed on the streets of London, away from high society. He reasoned that such travesties would break a weaker person, but not Victoria. True, it appeared to have hardened her to the point where she had more intangible masculinity in her button nose than many of the gentlemen in his social circles, but she hadn’t lost that hint of feminine grace that made her so beguiling.
You are quite the most interesting lady I have ever encountered… nay, you may be the most interesting person I have ever encountered.
“Now, give me your suggestions, while I am open to them. I must warn you, this generosity in receiving ideas may not last.” Her eyes glinted with irreverence, making him want to laugh again. This time, however, he held it back.
“I can construct a list of gentlemen who have the sort of influence that Miss Jennings would fear, even knowing that her mistress’s life may be forfeit by not speaking her mind on the matter,” Christian replied, glad to be of use. “At present, I can think of ten.”
“Do any of them wear a gold ring on their little finger with a blue gemstone set within?” Victoria encouraged.
“I cannot recall, but if we can somehow see them all in one room, together, then we may be able to see the evidential article.” He tapped his chin in thought. “Actually, there is a ball this Friday’s eve, to celebrate the coming out of Miss Caitlyn Longacre, daughter to the Viscount and Viscountess of Whitfield.”
Victoria’s face morphed back into a mask of seriousness. “Miss Caitlyn Longacre? Tell me of her. I wish to know everything of her and her family.”
“Miss Longacre is recently turned ten-and-eight and is much admired in high society. I cannot think of a single gentleman who has not already alluded to the idea of wedding her, aside from myself,” he added in haste. “A rare beauty, which I have seen with my own eyes. Even the Dukes and Earls are eager to have their sons wedded to her, for her family has a considerable fortune from the merchant trade, in addition to their inherited sum, which makes even the Duke of Pelsley’s income pale in comparison.”
“Not yours?”
Christian frowned. “You are teasing me again?”
“Indeed I am. Although, in truth, I care little for the wealth of your sort. You have too much, when there are so many who have so little. I shall never be able to comprehend the divide.” She chuckled coldly, before converting back to stern business. “Anyway, you have provided some interesting information. Tell me, is this Miss Longacre of slight build?”
“Some have described her as willowy, so—”
Victoria waggled her finger. “No poetic talk, thank you. I realize speaking of a lady’s form is embarrassing for you, but you must put that aside. Answer me directly; is she of slim physique?”
He nodded slowly. “She is.”
“Well, then, I fear Miss Longacre may be in danger. A ball would present the perfect opportunity for these two villains to observe her in her private realm, as I presume this ball is to take place at the family home?”
“It is,” Christian replied, his heart racing.
Can we stop another atrocity from occurring?
“But she does not quite fit the modus operandi, does she?” he continued. “Prior to this, only ladies of much higher birth have been stolen away.”
“You said it yourself, Lord Galbury—her family has an immense fortune that makes them comparable to any Duke or Earl. And if she is the darling of high society, then that provides even more motive for her capture.” Victoria folded her arms across her chest. “We must attend this ball and utilize your proffered list to see if we may apprehend these foul men before they can strike at Miss Longacre.”
Christian hesitated. “I agree, but, surely, the fellow wearing the ring wouldn’t be foolish enough to don it at such an event?”
“You underestimate the criminal mind, Lord Galbury. If he is the sort of cretin that I suspect him to be, he will wear his ring has a badge of honor and to satisfy his perception that he has done these awful things and is continuing to walk free of retribution for his acts.” He
r eyes narrowed. “However, if he is cleverer than I may give him credit for, and does not wear the ring, we will at least be in the right place to prevent Miss Longacre from being taken.”
“And you intend to come to the ball with me?” Christian eyed Victoria and felt a flicker of uncertainty. She didn’t hold herself as any young lady of high society would. She would be sure to stand out and draw suspicions.
“You do not need to look so aghast, Lord Galbury. I can pretend to be anything I must, in order to solve a case.” She smiled, as if she had read his thoughts. “All you have to do is introduce me as a long-lost niece or cousin. Let us say I have returned from the continent after the death of my mother and father, and I am residing at your home in Cornwall for the foreseeable future, though you have brought me to London in the hopes of distracting me from my grief.”
Christian gaped at her. “Your mind works so very quickly, Victoria.”
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