Page 74 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
“I can’t vouch for Bones, but Henry works for the Home Office. Leopold told me.”
“That doesn’t exonerate his cousin,” Cecil replied grimly.
When they arrived at the Kettering townhouse in Hanover Square, a yawning footman in gray livery opened the door. “My lord and lady are not at home.”
“We know.” Cecil brushed by the young man. “They’re dead. Show me to the study.”
When the footman hesitated, he pulled out his flintlock. “Now.”
The man led them down a corridor and opened a door. “This is his lordship’s study.”
“You may leave us,” Nathaniel replied quietly. “I am Lord Harbury, my companion is Lord Wycliffe, and this is a matter for the Home Office.”
The footman took his leave without another word.
Cecil walked to the only desk in the room and rooted through the contents of the drawers. He finally found what he was looking for: a thick, leather-covered ledger.
“I’m surprised they left the list where anyone could find it,” Nathaniel commented.
“The household is probably filled with members of the RA. The Ketterings felt safe here. And possibly a little too sure that they were untouchable.”
Cecil opened the ledger to see what looked like rows of transactions. The notations about money were easy to read, but the abbreviations that might be names were not.
Nathaniel looked over his shoulder. “They used a cipher.”
“Can you crack it?”
“I know someone who can.” He paused. “Leopold.”
“Leopold?” he asked, raising a brow.
“On the way to Richmond, when I expressed surprise that he was an agent for the Home Office, he regaled me with an account of his many skills.”
Cecil digested that information in silence. “I’ll tell Leopold about the ledger when I meet him at White’s.”
“That’s an odd place to meet.”
He shrugged. “There will be plenty of people about and it is neutral ground. I’m not returning to Curzon Street just yet, and I won’t bring any more threats to your home or Carstairs.”
“I must return home and let Edith know Louisa is all right. After that, you can take my carriage to White’s.”
Cecil closed the ledger and led the way from the study, his flintlock in hand. When they returned to the entry hall, they encountered three young men attired in the Kettering livery.
“Stand aside,” he said to the men, holding up the pistol. “Lord and Lady Kettering are dead. The Home Office will descend on this house very soon looking for ties to the Rogue’s Alliance. If you have anything to hide, I suggest you leave the premises now.”
At those words, the men scattered.
When they had exited the house, Nathaniel called to his driver, “Grosvenor Square.”
Seated across from his friend, Cecil clasped the ledger, his thoughts straying to Louisa.
“She is all right,” Nathaniel said softly. “Leopold will see she is well taken care of.”
Cecil didn’t ask of whom his friend spoke. He closed his eyes for a short while, thinking of how it had felt to hold the lady in his arms. It had felt right. He sighed, opening his eyes.
Now was not the time to think of Louisa. He had a job to finish. If he let himself think of her, and dream of another life, he would let his guard down. He would concentrate on deciphering the ledger annotations. Three years of hard work had resulted in him finding the book he now held.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
