by C. J. Archer
"What time is it?"
"Four-thirty," Lincoln said, without checking his watch.
Dawn was more than an hour away. I hoped the pack returned before then. Despite what Lincoln said, we couldn't continue to watch the house during daylight hours. We were too conspicuous.
A mere ten minutes later, the hulking wolf-like creatures returned. They hugged the walls and padded silently but swiftly toward the service stairs. They did not pause to sniff the air or listen for movement, and were soon gone from sight. We three did not speak as we waited and watched, and waited some more.
I started to think no one would emerge from the house at all in human form, but finally the front door opened, and Miss Collingworth stepped out along with another man and woman. With jaunty steps, they headed up the street. A few minutes later, Franklin emerged. He locked the door behind him and pocketed the key, then walked in the opposite direction to his friends.
We followed at a distance, keeping him in sight until he turned a corner. I thought we'd lost him when we turned the same corner, but then I spotted him disappearing into the shadows of a laneway.
"An ambush," Seth murmured.
Lincoln nodded and picked up his pace. "I'll be the bait. Come in after me. Hurry or he'll have time to change form. Charlie, stay out of sight. If anything happens to us, alert Gus."
Bait. I didn't like the sound of that.
I let them go on ahead then hiked up my skirt. I retrieved the knife strapped to my lower leg and gripped it hard. A pistol would have been better but the knife would have to do. Cook had taught me to throw it with accuracy from several feet away, but I wasn't used to a moving target, particularly one fighting my friends.
With my heart in my throat, I flattened myself, as much as my gown would allow, against the wall near the entrance of the lane. I didn't dare loosen my grip on the blade handle despite my aching fingers.
"Franklin!" Lincoln called softly into the lane. "I only want to talk. Come out."
Deep, dense silence closed around me. I couldn't even hear the hissing of the nearest streetlamp. Perhaps we'd been mistaken and Franklin had continued on. If that were the case, we'd lost him.
"Franklin," Lincoln said again. "I know you're in there. I can sense you as well as you can sense me."
The light tap tap of shoes on cobbles was music to my ears, because they were not rushed as if he were running to attack. "Sense me?" came Mr. Franklin's voice. "Do you mean to say you…you are…?"
"I'm not like you, no. I'm a seer, not a shape changer."
"Oh." Mr. Franklin cleared his throat. "I don't know what you're talking about. Shape changer?" He snorted an unconvincing laugh.
"I know you and Miss Collingworth are both shape changers. Your other form resembles a wolf. You went for a run just now with your pack."
Someone—Franklin, I assumed—sucked air between his teeth.
"You have no reason to fear me," Lincoln said. "I am merely curious about your pack. I want to study you, understand you."
The footsteps came closer again. He must be very near Lincoln now, at the mouth of the lane. Then the footsteps stopped suddenly. "I can also sense your man," Mr. Franklin said, a note of anxiety edging his words. "Make him come out so I can see you both."
Lincoln hesitated, then said, "Do as he says, Seth."
Seth moved out of my line of sight and toward Lincoln.
Mr. Franklin gasped. "Lord Vickers! Forgive me for calling you his man…" He trailed off, no doubt realizing the strangeness of the situation he found himself in.
"It's a mistake often made," Seth said with a dismissive wave of his head.
I bit my lip and hoped Mr. Franklin couldn't sense me too. I released my lip before my teeth drew blood. That he would smell easily.
"Well?" Lincoln prompted. "Will you answer some questions?"
"That depends on the questions."
"Let's start with an easy one. What's your first name?"
Mr. Franklin scoffed. "Nigel."
Not Eddy. I couldn't quite believe we'd gone to all this effort for nothing. He wasn't Leonora's second suitor. That didn't mean he couldn't have killed Protheroe but it did place him further down our list of suspects.
"Is Lord Ballantine like you?" Lincoln asked. "Is he a shape changer?"
"You'll have to ask him."
"How well do you know his daughter?"
"Leonora? Well enough. Why?"
"Are you going to marry her?"
He barked out a laugh. "What sort of question is that?"
"Just answer it."
"She's a capital girl, but I'm not good enough for her. So no, I won't be marrying her."
"And Swinburn? Underwood? Are they shape changers too?"
Mr. Franklin clicked his tongue in irritation. "Those are questions for the gentlemen themselves to answer."
"How do you know them?"
"As I told Miss Holloway at the dance," he said with strained patience, "I've known Lord Ballantine my entire life. He's a friend to my parents. He introduced me to both Sir Ignatius and Lord Underwood in more recent times. Now, since I don't see what these questions have to do with anything, I'll be on my way."
Footsteps shuffled, but I couldn't determine how many sets or in what direction. "Just one more question," Lincoln said. "Did you kill Roderick Protheroe?"
"I beg your pardon!"
"Did you kill Roderick Protheroe?"
A hesitation, then, "Who?"
"A gentleman by the name of Roderick Protheroe was attacked and killed by wild dogs in the city."
"And you suspect me?" Mr. Franklin's voice rose to a high pitch. "Are you from Scotland Yard?"
"He was Leonora Ballantine's fiancé," Seth told him.
"No, he wasn't. I would know if she were engaged. Look here, I did not kill anyone in either this form or my other one, and I resent the accusation that I did."
"We're not accusing you, Mr. Franklin," Lincoln said. "The fact is, a wild dog killed Protheroe and a naked man was found near the scene. To those of us who are aware of the existence of shape changers, that man is the likely suspect. If it wasn't you, do you know who did it?"
"Of course not."
"Who is your leader?"
The question must have taken Mr. Franklin by surprise because he took a few moments to answer. "We have no leader."
"I find that hard to believe, considering what I know about pack behavior."
"You're an expert, are you?"
"Somewhat."
Mr. Franklin snorted. The footsteps receded, and I sagged against the wall in relief.
But the footsteps stopped and I tensed again. "I've had a revelation," Mr. Franklin said from a short distance away. "If you're looking for a shape changer capable of killing, try Mr. Gawler of Old Nichol. Some of the members in his pack are dodgers, lurkers and cutpurses. Just look for the filthiest, most miserable tenement and you'll find him." The sneer in his voice told me what he thought of Gawler and his pack.
"Thank you, Mr. Franklin," Seth said when Lincoln didn't respond. "We'll speak to him."
The footsteps receded and disappeared into the foggy darkness. The men joined me and we walked off in a different direction, not speaking until we were well away from the lane.
"Perhaps he's right," Seth said. "Perhaps we shouldn't have dismissed Gawler's pack so easily. It could have been one of them."
"True," I said. "Could you sense if he was telling the truth, Lincoln?"
"Sometimes, but at others, I couldn't be certain." Lincoln put his arm around me, holding me close. He was wonderfully warm. "There is a leader," he went on. "He lied about that."
"You should have beaten the answer out of him," Seth said.
"And risked getting hurt?" I shook my head. "That would have been foolish."
"It would have also made him close up," Lincoln said. "Right now, he's wary of us, but not afraid. He knows we're curious about the murder, but he's not aware of the lengths we'll go to in order to uncover the killer."
"He'll tell Ballantine and Swinburn about this encounter," Seth said.
"I'm counting on it."
"How was Lady Harcourt?" Alice asked me as we sat with Lady Vickers in the music room. She had just finished playing a lovely soft piece, perfect for the afternoon after a late night. Seth and I had both slept in, and when I arose, I discovered Lincoln had already gone out. He hadn't told anyone where.
"As horrid as can be expected," I said. "Worse, in fact. It's as if her polite façade has been stripped away and she showed me her true self."
"You had seen the worst in her before last night," Alice said. "Perhaps she no longer felt the need to keep up the pretense."
"I think I preferred the pretense."
Lady Vickers peered at us over the letter she was reading. "That woman is her own worst enemy. It's difficult enough coming back from scandal, but she's making it almost impossible with her outrageous flirtations. She's so desperate, and to what purpose? No one can take away her home or her annuity. She won't be a pauper."
"She claims it's not enough," I said. "She wants more. She wants status and…" I trailed off, not entirely sure what Lady Harcourt wanted.
Alice's playing changed to a grander, more robust tune. "She already has status, thanks to her marriage. Perhaps it's love she's after."
Lady Vickers humphed. "She won't find it among the Prince of Wales's set. And I disagree that she wants love."
As did I. She could have had Andrew Buchanan's love, but she threw him away. And even though she'd loved Lincoln, she never wanted to marry him because he wasn't a lord. "Respect?" I offered. "From the people she considers her peers?"
"She may consider them her peers," Lady Vickers said, lowering her letter to her lap, "but they will not consider her theirs while she cavorts with their menfolk."
Alice stopped playing. "You're referring to the women, but the men might accept her more readily thanks to her flirting. Perhaps it's their respect she wants."
"There are two faults in that assumption, Alice," Lady Vickers said with the crisp authority of a schoolmistress. "Firstly, it's the women who decide if another woman is deserving of respect. Men make the same decisions about other men, using different criteria. That's certainly true of elite society, but I cannot speak for the lower orders. And secondly, men do not respect a woman who throws herself at them. A mild flirtation is fine, but anything more overt is vulgar."
Alice returned to her playing. "You do like using that word," she muttered quietly, so that only I could hear.
Lady Vickers was too intent on imparting her wisdom on the topic to listen to anyone else. "While her behavior harms the ladies in her own circle, she will find herself forced out."
"How does it harm them?" I asked. "Neither Sir Ignatius Swinburn nor Lord Underwood are married. They seem to be her only two choices. She's after a husband, not a lover, so she told me."
"Both of those men are extremely eligible. While there are widows and daughters hunting for a suitable husband, she will be considered a rival. Her behavior gives them an excuse not to invite her to dinners and balls, thereby keeping her out of the way. Or so they think. I'm sure none are aware of the sort of parties Lord Underwood holds—or that she attends them."
"On that, we agree."
Seth wandered in looking handsome and fresh despite the late night. He stood by the piano and watched Alice's fingers dancing along the keyboard. She played for a few more minutes then stopped suddenly.
"Excellent," Seth said, clapping. "That was perfection, Alice."
"Thank you. How did you find the party last night?"
He looked at me but I gave nothing away. Alice was fishing and I wanted to see how he answered her. "Interminably dull," he said. "I was glad when we left early."
"Oh? Charlie told me you enjoyed dancing with one young lady in particular."
I'd done no such thing but I held my tongue. Seth shot me an accusatory glare.
His mother sat forward. "Who was she?"
"No one worth mentioning," he said. "Charlie's teasing you both. I only danced because Fitzroy ordered it. The girl is a suspect in the murder."
Lady Vickers slumped back in her chair and flapped the letter in front of her face. "Can you not attend normal parties and meet normal girls like a regular gentleman?"
"She was quite normal," he said lightly. "When in her human form."
His mother whimpered.
Alice smothered a laugh with her hand, making Seth smile.
"Ladies, may I interest you in a game of croquet on the lawn? Or tennis, if you're in need of some exercise?" he asked.
"You can't," Lady Vickers said. "I have a call to make this afternoon and you're going to accompany me."
"Er…I can't. Fitzroy asked me to help him upon his return. Which will be soon." He looked longingly at the doorway. "Very soon."
"Stop making excuses. You haven't even heard who we will be calling upon."
"It won't matter. You know what Fitzroy's like. He can be demanding and…and he needs me, particularly today."
"Oh?" I asked. "What does he need you to do?"
"To pay calls on suspects." He said it so quickly that I wondered if it were true. Then he ruined it by looking far too satisfied with himself.
"I'll ask him to spare you," Lady Vickers said. "I'm sure he can take Gus instead."
"Take Gus where?" Lincoln asked, entering the music room.
"To call on suspects," Seth said before anyone else spoke. "But you can't take him. Only I will do. Isn't that so?"
Lincoln looked to Lady Vickers, Alice and then Seth. "I only require Charlie. I am not an excuse you can use to avoid your obligations."
"Thank you, Mr. Fitzroy," Lady Vickers said with a nod. "We leave in half an hour, Seth."
Seth's mouth opened and closed until he finally muttered, "We can't leave Alice here on her own. She'll be bored."
"Don't mind me," Alice said. "I'll have Gus for company. Perhaps we'll play croquet together. I do fancy a game."
"I am defeated." Seth sighed, but it was more good humored than harried. "Very well, Mother, I'll come with you. Who are we visiting?"
"Lady Mallam and her daughter. You'll remember the girl. She was a plump little thing as a child."
"I do. Our nannies used meet in the park at the same time every day so Hettie and I could play together."
Lady Vickers folded her letter and removed her spectacles. "That is not why the nannies went to the park every day. They each had a young admirer and would take it in turns to meet with him in the park while the other nanny took care of both children. I dismissed yours when I found out."
"You let her go?" Alice said. "That's a little unfair, isn't it?"
"I gave her a reference. Most wouldn't. It's the way things are done, Alice. A nanny must be above reproach. There cannot be even a hint of scandal attached to her name. You'd best remember that if you apply for a position as a nanny or governess. Speaking of which, I'm happy to write a reference for you."
"But you don't have young children. How would a reference from you be worth anything?"
Lady Vickers's lips flattened and her eyes tightened at the corners. "Because it would have my name on it, that's why."
"Come, Mother, let's go now." Seth took his mother's elbow and helped her to stand, while at the same time appealing to me over his shoulder.
"Really, Alice, you have a lot to learn about the world," Lady Vickers said.
"Only your world, ma'am," Alice muttered, and returned to her playing.
I left with Lincoln, Seth and Lady Vickers to the pounding rhythm of a tune I'd never heard before.
"It's getting rather fierce between those two at times," I said to Lincoln as we headed up the stairs together.
"That exchange is considered fierce?" He smirked. "I have a different interpretation of the word than you."
"I do wish Seth would resolve the situation, one way or another."
"How?"
"By telling Alice how he
feels then telling his mother she must accept her or lose him."
"Perhaps he isn't ready. Perhaps he's not sure if he loves Alice."
"Of course he does. You've seen him when he's with her. He's besotted."
"That means he's in love? Did I act like that near you?"
I laughed. "Quite the opposite."
"Then perhaps he's not in love."
"He must be," I said with a shrug. "She's perfect for him."
He caught me around my waist and pulled me to a stop. He kissed me lightly on the lips. "Men are blind," he murmured. "They're fools." He kissed me again, an achingly sweet nip of his lips that promised more.
I smiled against his mouth. "You forgot stubborn."
He laughed softly then offered only another little kiss.
"And frustrating beyond all measure." I clasped his head in my hands and held him there so I could kiss him properly.
Lincoln and I visited Leonora Ballantine late in the afternoon. His earlier outing had been to the Ballantine residence in disguise. He'd paid one of the maids to deliver a note to Leonora, asking her to meet me alone in a street around the corner from her house at five. He'd mentioned only my name to allay any fears she may have of meeting a man she hardly knew.
I wasn't sure it would work. It was difficult for a young woman to sneak out of the house alone, and I suspected Lord Ballantine would be extra vigilant now that he knew we had an interest in his daughter's beau's death. Both Lincoln and I were quite sure Mr. Franklin would have told Lord Ballantine about our encounter by now. It remained to be seen how much it upset his lordship. His response would be telling.
The shadows grew long and the air cooler as we waited. And waited.
"She's not coming," I finally said as dusk rolled in. The lamplighter would pass by soon, before darkness took over completely. "It's likely she can't get away."
"Or doesn't want to," Lincoln said.
"She seemed keen to find Protheroe's killer last time we spoke."
"Yet she would not give us the name of the second suitor."
"True." I folded my arms, rubbing them to ward off the chill. "What shall we do now?"
"If she won't come to us, we'll go to her."
