Page 19 of The Hazardous Measure of Love
Garrick, his circuit of the room completed, straightened up and leaned one shoulder against a tallboy. ‘Certainly it has the benefit of acting while the murderer is elsewhere. But you have to deliver it and then target it, assuming you don’t want to kill anyone else.’
‘Or risk missing your real target,’ Luc said cynically.
‘So, either this was an impulsive killing or a planned one where the murderer made the choice of a blade as the weapon. We have someone who can handle a knife effectively, is motivated to kill, but can control any rage or disgust they feel for the victim and whose appearance in his study did not cause the Viscount to shout out in alarm, or to move so suddenly as to disarrange his desk,’ I summed up. ‘He must have seen his attacker, because he was stabbed from the front.’
‘It is more likely that it was a man,’ Luc said, and I had to agree with him. Not many females at the time would have the necessary skill with a blade – unless they were used to wielding them in the kitchen, of course. I made a mental note to check out the cook and her assistants.
‘How does the threatening note fit into this?’ Garrick frowned at an engraving of some Greek ruin as though it might hold the answer.
‘But it wasn’t particularly threatening, was it?’ I mused. ‘No promises of violence if he didn’t leave her alone, whoever she was, just an unspecified warning. It felt almost like someone who was not used to making threats, or was not sure how far to go.’
We gave up on the bedchamber and went downstairs to find Adrien updating James and Kit on what had happened.
James stood up when I came in. ‘Mama sent to say that luncheon is almost ready. Prescott says he is eating here.’
‘I feel I ought to stay and steady the staff,’ Adrien explained.
‘Call this afternoon,’ Luc invited. ‘Spend some time with the boys: that will take your mind off grimmer things.’
Adrien closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them I saw a glimpse of raw emotion there. Luc was trusting him with the most precious things he possessed – his sons – and the gesture clearly meant a great deal. ‘Thank you. The twins are a reminder of life at its most innocent and I need that.’
Chapter Six
‘What now?’ I asked Luc as we came downstairs after taking our midday meal with the boys. ‘How about tackling the mysterious mistress?’
‘I am not certain she is actually mysterious and, by the sound of it, she does not fit our picture of a careful, controlled killer.’
‘But she is female – well, I assume she is – and the note did refer to a woman. Perhaps the killer was a rival for her affections.’
‘I have to admit, the prospect of getting out of the Square for an hour or so is tempting. If I have to assume a serious expression for one more official who is attempting to look as though they understand what has happened here, I may say something unfortunate.’
‘Are they really clueless?’
Luc snorted at the expression. ‘Not Sir William, obviously. Thank you, Wilkins.’ He took the tall hat the butler handed him. ‘Please send Miss Lawrence’s maid down with her bonnet and pelisse.’ He leant a shoulder against the panelling while we waited. ‘But the doctor appears to have no curiosity about the weapon, the constable is a dolt and the Coroner has delusions of grandeur and clearly resents both Sir William – whom he cannot ignore – and me, whom he can. Coroners have a great deal of power,’ he added when I looked surprised.
My wardrobe had acquired a very fetching summer pelisse of pale blue silk since I had last visited. I assumed I had Lady Radcliffe to thank for that, but when I said so, Luc shook his head. ‘No, I ordered you some fresh items for the summer.’
‘Themodistesare going to assume you have a mistress.’
‘I have,’ he said with a grin, that turned into a grimace when I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. ‘Ough. You do not want me to lose my reputation as a dashing rake, do you?’
It was my turn to snort. I thought him exceedingly dashing, but I was not going to stroke his ego by telling him so – I would rather show him later, in private.
We made our way around the Square, along King Street, past Almack’s and through the narrow section that was Little King Street into St James’s Street. We waited for a gap in the traffic to cross. There were island refuges in the middle of the street, reputedly the first in London, added as an aid for inebriated gentlemen as they staggered from one exclusive club to another, but even so, it was a busy thoroughfare.
Little St James’s was just a little way downhill and led off towards Green Park and the splendour of Spencer House.
‘I went on a tour of Spencer House once,’ I told Luc as we made our way along, looking out for the address Adrien had given us. ‘It was lavish.’
‘A tour? How on earth – Ah, here we are.’ He stopped in front of a shiny black front door. ‘Very respectable.’
Our knock was answered by a maid in a pert cap and a very clean apron who informed us that Madame Vaillant was in, but she did not know whether she was receiving. Would we care to take seats in the hall while she took up Luc’s card?
We thanked her and sat down. Luc immediately shot to his feet again as a very lovely female came down the stairs. She favoured us with a thorough examination from under long lashes, dismissed me, then let her gaze linger on Luc as she passed. I suspected that she managed to assess his incomeandinside leg measurement all in one practised glance. Her walking dress was gorgeous, her hat was fabulous and her shoes, parasol and reticule made me want to drool. She gave Luc the very faintest of smiles, then tripped off through the front door.
‘A highly finished piece of nature,’ he remarked. ‘This is clearly a house full of them.’
‘A brothel?’ I asked in a whisper.
