Page 49 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
Her mother sighed. “I knew his poor wife, Harriet. She died in childbirth, and her baby was stillborn. It was all so sad.”
“There was a child?” she asked, sitting up straighter.
“The baby isn’t listed in the peerage. Lord Daventry named her Diana and held a small graveside service for the child. Others thought he was being far too sentimental, but I thought it was a lovely gesture. He suffered a lot over losing his wife and child. Said he was cursed for something he’d done in the past.”
“Did he say what he’d done?” she asked casually.
Her mother bit her lip a moment. “I believe there was a hunting accident on his estate, which resulted in the gamekeeper being injured. Lord Daventry felt responsible for some reason.”
Hunting and Diana. The ties that connected the earl to the Diana clock. She couldn’t wait to share the news with Edith and Lord Wycliffe.
Chapter Seventeen
“Good afternoon, Nathaniel.” Cecil nodded to Louisa’s brother. “Leopold.”
The other man stood up. “I was just leaving. Good day, gentlemen.”
Once Leopold had exited the shop, Cecil said, “I didn’t know you two were friends.”
“The man cornered me as the academy was closing for the day. He suggested we visit this coffee house, so here I am.” Nathaniel grinned. “He merely wanted to question me about your financial status.”
“So if I am wealthy enough to provide for his sister, all will be forgiven.” He shook his head.
Nathaniel grinned. “Something like that.”
“I let the ton believe I was destitute in the hope a member of the RA would try to recruit me. The only bite I received was that cit James Landry, who was willing to pay me to marry his daughter.”
“Landry was, by all accounts, a high-ranking RA member,” Nathaniel reminded him. “A nasty piece of work who is now dead.”
After he waved a waiter off, Cecil said, “My house was ransacked while I was at Carstairs today.”
“Ransacked?”
“My rooms are in shambles. According to Eliza and Acker, two men were involved, and they were searching for my clock.”
Nathaniel shook his head. “Cecil! I knew Edith and Louisa should not be involved in this matter!”
“I agree,” he replied calmly. “And I have a plan to extricate them from all of this. We can’t speak here. I arrived in my carriage.”
Nathaniel drained the coffee in his cup. “My coach is just outside. I’ll instruct my driver to return to Grosvenor Square.”
“If you would indulge me, I wish to speak to a contact on Milk Street.”
His friend nodded. “Tell me about the burglary on the way.”
At this time of day, there would be heavy traffic on Piccadilly and along the Thames. Milk Street was a short lane in Cheapside. Cecil’s coach arrived on the thoroughfare some thirty minutes later, Cecil having described what occurred in Curzon Street that day.
“And your cook is missing?” Nathaniel asked, frowning.
“He is. You should also know that my maid and butler are now guests in your home.”
Nathaniel didn’t reply, shaking his head.
The carriage came to a halt, and Cecil’s driver began to whistle Greensleeves. A moment later, the whistling stopped.
“Have you a shilling, my lord?” a shrill female voice inquired from outside the carriage.
“Who asks?” Cecil did not open the coach door.
