With a scowl she answered, “If you’d leaned any closer to Mrs King’s bosom, you would have fallen in and never be seen again.”
“You almost sound jealous.”
“Jealous? Of an overblown woman with not a thought in her head.”
“Ah, she may not have a thought in her head but her other large attributes compensate for her lack of wit. Perhaps you looked at her and found your own,” he glanced down to Laura’s chest, “attributes, somewhat lacking.”
Her irritation at his observation was plain. He had angered Laura Jamison and for some reason, her hostility felt more welcomed than her indifference of earlier. Just as he congratulated himself on flummoxing her, she surprised him again.
“I must find my sister, and your cousin. Quickly.” As he started to move, she halted him with a hand. “No, I don’t require your assistance. I’ve learned all I needed. You’ll only be a hindrance.”
“A hindrance!” Never in his entire life had he been called a hindrance. “I assisted you. Guided you.”
“No, you were merely a large body to clear a path for me. Now go away.” She waved a hand to where Mrs King and her group were plainly discussing them. “Go back and play with your friends.”
“They are not my friends.”
“No, possibly not friends. Although, you’ve bedded every woman.” She delivered this statement as calmly as if they discussed the weather.
His mouth dropped open. “How could you possibly know that?”
“Their scents. Each of them oozed desire the minute you stepped into their circle. That sort of desire only comes after they’ve already sampled the treat then decided it was delectable enough to warrant another taste.”
With that shocking pronouncement, Laura whirled away in a swish of skirts and left Richard staring after her, wondering how control of that interlude had slipped away from him. He needed to find his cousin, and he needed to warn him about Lady Jamison, both Rebecca and Laura.
• • •
Laura heaved a sigh of relief when she at last sighted Becca and Lottie. Her sisters stood on the other side of the ballroom four deep in enthralled men, paying their every word lavish attention. A discreet distance away, lounged Cayle. A tall, glowering Cayle. Before Laura stepped out towards them, her arm was grasped firmly and in the blink of an eye her hand was placed upon the sleeve of a recognisable blue coat.
“You again,” she snapped. “I thought I told you to go away.”
Not in the least intimidated, Winchester stared her down, something with which Laura had no experience. She threatened men, not the other way around.
“I’m afraid I’m not the sort to trot away like a chastised dog. You’re looking to warn your sister. I’m similarly off to warn Sherwyn.”
Her hand was held immobile by his strong clasp, so with scant good grace she conceded and they wove a line towards their family. Upon reaching Becca, Laura pulled her aside to inform her about the note.
Winchester was similarly engaged whispering to Cayle but before he completed his tale, the Jamison ladies were already making a beeline for their aunt and to collect Lottie. By mutual agreement, the party bade polite farewells before the carriages were called for their departure.
By habit, Jamison Hall was nominated as the gathering place for a family conference.
Chapter 11
At Grosvenor Square, they gathered in the drawing room. Their great-aunt directed an intent look at the extra man who had joined them.
“Richard, Earl of Winchester, is it not?”
“Indeed, madam.” Winchester bowed his head. “It’s been some years since we spoke.”
“You were always Cayle’s hellion cousin. From what I hear on the rumour mill, not much has changed in that department.”
Richard flushed but before he could reply Laura interrupted. “Yes, yes, aunty. I imagine a man of Richard’s interests simply outgrew our girlish company.”
Aunt Agatha chuckled. “If the broadsheets are to be believed, Winchester followed the path of all young men and moved on to more manly pursuits for a time.” She smiled at Richard. “But your mother would be well pleased that you’ve taken responsibility for your family in a most able way now.”
Laura shrugged, then said in off -hand way, “I will admit that, tonight, the earl did render me some small assistance.”
Richard had been moving away from the centre of the room, and the attention, when Laura’s words halted him. To Becca’s amusement, he swivelled back to Laura, facing her with his hands on his waist under his coat tails and his elegantly shod feet planted wide. It wasn’t often that a gentleman dared confront her outspoken sister.
“Some small assistance?” Richard’s face was tight with outrage and his fists were clenched. “I cleared a path — ”
“A trifle! Of no importance to our discussion.”
Laura waved away his attempt at contradicting her. Becca held a hand over her face to smother her grin and realised that Cayle and his brothers were doing the same.
“So,” Laura said, oblivious to the amusement she was creating for the St. Martin men, while Richard looked fit to explode. “I searched the ballroom to discover which gentleman had passed me the threatening missive. And, I think I found him. But it only made me think that there are more gentlemen involved than we suspected.”
“Yes, that’s what’s worried us about your list all along,” Cayle said. “We knew more men must be involved. You’ve reported several different men visiting shops soliciting funds. Others have been at the Exchange every day coercing patrons into investing in their syndicate.”
Becca watched Cayle pace the room in front of where they’d taken seats; impressed by his air of command and realising he’d taken charge like this before. On the continent, she assumed.
“Devon and I feel the second and third tiers of the ring are larger than you believed. More men involved. And that at the top level of the consortium, there’s only one, or possibly two, who know what’s going on. All orders are passed down the chain of command, so absolute secrecy is maintained.”
“Cayle,” Laura said, “I’m worried about Becca. She’s in more danger than she’ll admit. I’m sure these men have discovered by now that she often visits the coffee shops near the Exchange to update her numbers.”
Cayle nodded his head but refused to meet Becca’s eyes.
“I’m determined Becca will not endanger herself a minute longer. She’ll retire to my country estate, at once. My brothers and I,” he glanced at Richard, “and I hope, my cousin, will continue inquiries in London. There’s no reason for the Jamison family to continue placing themselves in such grave danger.”
Becca jumped to her feet and stood in the middle of the room. “How dare you all talk about me as if I’m not here.” She stepped close to Cayle and pointed one finger to his nose. “And don’t try to tell us what we may, and may not, do. This started with the Jamison family and we, all of us, will see it concluded.”
“No!” Cayle grasped her waving finger and shook his head. “I won’t allow you to be a target any longer. I regret ever suggesting you accompany me to these events. I stirred this hornet’s nest by thinking you’d be safe out in full view, with me. And I let you down. It’s now up to me to resolve the problem.”
“Ah, it seems to me,” Richard said from his place resting on the wall, “this has become a wider problem than one concerning just your family, Becca. If what Cayle has told me is true, the consortium isn’t only a threat to you but also to other families, including mine. And my sisters. Anyone who dares to defy them will eventually be placed in the same situation. It’s time the constabulary became involved.”
“No! Not yet,” Becca said. “We only need another day or two. Then we’ll have conclusive evidence to present to Sir Robert at The Yard. If we disclose ourselves now, we may not have another chance to finalise our list of those implicated.”
Bang! They spun around to the noise in the hallway.
• • •
> The drawing room door slammed open and Michael staggered in and collapsed on the rug in the doorway. The girls rushed to him though Cayle and Richard were faster, lifting him to the settee. Michael roused, grabbed his head and gave an agonised moan.
“What happened?” Becca cried.
“I was set upon at the end of the street by two ruffians.” At the collective gasps from his sisters and aunt, he rushed to reassure them. “I’m fine. Just a lump to my head where they coshed me.”
Becca ran her fingers over the back of his head and parted his hair to examine the wound. “There’s a lot of blood but the cut isn’t large.”
“They weren’t trying to do me permanent harm. It’s another warning that time is running out. The thugs delivered a message. I must join them and hand over the journals, or there’ll be another victim.” He looked at the anxious faces of his sisters. “You have to leave London.”
“Not you too, Michael,” Becca exclaimed. “Cayle was just issuing the same sort of dictum. And Laura and Lottie and I agreed we’ll fight this together. We won’t retreat like meek and mild women.”
“We can’t run away and allow you gentlemen to execute the outcome for us,” Lottie said.
“No,” Michael said. “I thought we could outwit these men, but I was wrong. They’ve committed one murder and they’ll do so again. And soon.”
“I agree with Michael,” Cayle said. “It’s past time for the men to resolve this by ourselves. You women will either retire to my estate, or to your country seat, whatever suits, but I’m arranging constant guards for you.”
As everyone started to speak at once, Becca yelled, “Quiet! Enough. Michael’s head needs attention. And aunty is tired.”
“We should retire and discuss this in the morning,” Laura added.
• • •
Lottie rang for a maid who assisted their aunt to her chamber and she instructed the butler to bring cloths for Michael’s head wound, which bled profusely despite the wadded handkerchiefs pressed against it. Thompson hurried out to the hallway to assign the servants their tasks then returned to pour refreshments.
“Be warned gentlemen,” Laura said, as she handed out glasses of whisky, “we’ll proceed with our investigation for at least the next one or two days. If we haven’t gathered more proof by then, we’ll hand it over to our friends at the Yard. But we need the name of the man who devised this scheme.”
“We need to know who murdered Peggy,” Lottie said. “We promised our friends we wouldn’t stop until her killer was brought to justice.”
Michael patted his younger sister’s hand. “I know. We all hate to see him escape punishment. Especially when we’re sure he’s a member of the highest rank of society.”
Becca watched Cayle swirl his drink, a frown creasing his forehead. “What is it, Cayle?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Something about the man at the top of your list still doesn’t ring true. I can’t put my finger on what we’re overlooking about him. He moves through society with ease, unnoticed, so he’s obviously titled, well-known, wealthy. So why this? Why now? What’s made him so desperate?”
Brian exchanged a glance with Tony. “We’ve been working on that very idea. Along with Winchester, we’ve been following a line of inquiry regarding how deeply each man is invested in railways at present.”
“And how much money each is in a position to part with in the future,” Tony added. “You probably already realise that railways are the key to the plans the consortium’s hatched. If they can secure all the future forecasts that you, as a family, have thought out, then purchase their shares early, they’ll eliminate all other competition.”
“That’s assuming that I’ve either joined their group,” Michael said, “or they’ve eliminated us by other — ”
“Oh, Michael. Don’t pander to us,” Laura said, with an irritated shake of her head.
Richard gave a loud groan and strode in front of Laura. “Oh, no, never let it be said that the Jamison ladies are too sensitive to hear from their brother’s mouth that someone intends to kill them, murder them all, one by one, over the next week.”
There was a shocked silence as Richard realised what he’d been goaded into saying. “Damn. I apologise.” He glared at Laura. “To everyone but you. We all know what Michael didn’t say to spare your feelings, but he forgot that you don’t have a feminine bone in you gorgeous body.”
Another silence followed that outburst.
“Well, I suppose I should be grateful.” Laura looked up at Richard with a perfect pout to her lips and a flutter of long dark lashes.
He eyed her with distrust. “Grateful for what?”
“At least you think my body is gorgeous. After you ogled all your castoff mistresses all evening, I couldn’t be sure I’d even rate a second glance from such a connoisseur as you.”
“Oh please, God, save me from intelligent women,” Richard said, dropping his head to his hands with a long moan.
Brian and Tony were nearly doubled over with laughter and Becca and Lottie, well used to Laura’s antics, could only sympathise with his embarrassment. Cayle stepped in to save his cousin any more discomfort, although he too was laughing.
“If you’ll let Winchester recover, we’d like to hear his thoughts on the syndicate members he’s spoken with at Lloyd’s and the other Exchange coffee houses.”
Winchester looked relieved, but ignored Laura. “Between us, we know almost all the men and their commercial backgrounds. Some we’ve invested with before at Lloyd’s Shipping.”
When he smiled at Becca, he exposed two such charming dimples that she heard Lottie’s long sigh and even Laura seemed a trifle bemused. Cayle frowned, first at his grinning cousin and then at her, when all she did was return his cousin’s entrancing smile. A man, a duke, couldn’t be jealous of his cousin, a lowly earl, who smiled at an insignificant lady like her, could he? To feel jealousy would mean that Cayle cared for her more than she’d allowed herself to wish for, to believe, to hope.
Becca gave her pitiable thoughts a nudge. Silly, silly ideas to hold onto. Hadn’t she learned her lessons? She should never trust a man to not leave her after her father left her mother continually to go off on archaeological digs and Cayle had deserted her without warning. Even that cad Arthur had turned away when a better woman came along.
“And thanks to the Jamisons, I made a tidy profit on that railway extension two years ago.” Becca gave Richard a blank look, having let her dreams carry her away from his conversation. Cayle glared at her again as Richard explained, “When the eighteen miles from Basingstoke to near my home in Winchester was completed.”
“Oh, of course.”
“So, it’s true that the three of you have made very sound investments, alongside the Jamisons.” Cayle sounded a little put upon as he struggled to come to terms with his cousin’s casual announcement of their collective assets.
Winchester smiled again as Brian and Tony nodded. “We certainly have, cousin. Though it’s considered gauche to discuss monetary matters in mixed company.”
Cayle laughed. “And I’ve been worrying myself into an early grave over our financial situation while I was abroad.”
Tony looked sheepish as he admitted to Cayle, “Well, we had to do something. Julia had father refusing to even grant our allowances. Joining Winchester was a stroke of luck.”
Winchester laughed. “It was a stroke of genius on my part to recruit you and form our little partnership. And yes, Cayle, it’s become very lucrative.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t know what my own brothers were doing. What my cousin was doing.”
“We didn’t know if we should confide in you or not,” Tony said. “You were entangled in Julia’s schemes and we thought it best to watch first. See how it would play out. Needed to watch how that’d play out.”
“As soon as your agreement with Julia ended, we were going to tell you,” Brian said.
“You didn’t trust me enough to tell me befo
rehand.”
Cayle’s frown told Becca he was upset over his brothers’ lack of faith in him and she grieved for the pain he was feeling. To her, family trust was everything and she knew Cayle longed to build a strong relationship with his brothers once again. That’d been the driving force behind his bending to Julia’s demands, despite the torment he’d suffered from his peers over it.
“It wasn’t that we didn’t trust you, our big brother.” Brian looked sheepishly apologetic. “More that we didn’t trust Julia.”
The women had been following the conversation with riveted attention when Becca interrupted. “I’m sorry, Cayle, but we believe Julia is involved with someone in the consortium. Her latest lover may be a member, or even the leader. She may be simply a pawn. Being used by this man to gather information at the balls the two of you attend.”
“You mean I could be helping an illegal investment group collect information?” Cayle exploded. “Hell, if that is true, I’ll finally have grounds to have the bitch — pardon my language, ladies. Have that woman expelled from Britain, and when I find out who she’s involved with — ”
“Cayle, we don’t know.” Winchester looked grim, and worried, as he shook his head. “Not his identity. Brian and Tony have someone following Julia, but until we know what she’s up to, we couldn’t confront her. Nor inform you. Nevertheless, we’re all in this together now, aren’t we?”
He waited for the group’s nods of affirmation. “Railways are the way of the future.” He smiled at Becca and her sisters. “Do you not agree, ladies?”
Becca sensed that the shrewd look Winchester directed her way meant something. As if he’d already worked out who did the major calculating and planning before they placed money anywhere. She smiled. Best to not reveal anything until she could be sure.
“Railways are beyond doubt the way to accumulate wealth, if your nerves are steady enough to gamble on potential.”
Cayle looked straight into her eyes, daring her. “If we’re to finish this before hundreds of innocent people lose their bank funds, it’s time we were all completely honest.”
Suzi Love Page 15
