Page 93 of The Time for Love
“It would be one massive enclave.” Oliver stared at the evidence of the extent of Cornelius Blackwell’s scheme.
Martin pulled out a notebook. Hunting for his pencil, he nodded at Oliver. “Read out the address of each site and the price he paid. That’s something we’ll need to know.”
Oliver frowned, but reached for the first file. “Why?”
“Because,” Martin said, checking his pencil’s point, “as I said earlier, we’ll need to be prepared to offer our fine gentleman a way out. Meaning a way to quit Sheffield without a massive financial loss.”
“Ah. I see.” Oliver opened the first file just as a bell rang stridently throughout the building.
The clerk looked upward. “Five minutes. That’s all we have before they lock the front doors.”
Oliver and Martin exchanged a look—if anyone tried to lock them in, they’d simply find a way out—then Oliver rattled off the first address and the sum that had been paid for that block.
Lady Bracknell picked up a file. “If we all help, this will go more quickly, and we can leave without having to run up those stairs.”
Martin wrestled his lips straight at the thought of her ladyship running anywhere, much less up any stairs, and continued swiftly jotting down the information the other three flung at him.
They reached the building’s front doors just as the porter was about to swing them shut.
* * *
Energized, they returned to St. James’ Street and walked into her ladyship’s dining room, where the dining table, extended to its full size, had been commandeered and now formed the center of a hive of activity. Julia and Sophy sat facing each other at one end, rapidly writing notes. As they finished each letter, they handed it to either Edward or Charlie, who, seated farther along the table, dutifully blotted and folded the sheets, then inscribed the outside of each with the correct direction before handing the letter to Higginbotham.
The butler, in turn, was sorting the missives into small piles, which he dispatched with a footman for delivery every time one of the footmen returned to the house and presented himself for duty.
Higginbotham looked up as Martin, Oliver, and her ladyship entered. “My lady, you’re back.” The butler nodded to Oliver and Martin, then added, “Mr. Cynster, thank you for sending your men to help. At present, all three are out delivering notes.”
“I’m sure they’re pleased to have something to do.” Martin smiled. “And the exercise will give them a chance to hone their knowledge of Sheffield’s streets.”
He saw Sophy glance up at him, then she smiled and went back to her writing.
“Well?” Charlie dropped the letter he’d just finished addressing on Higginbotham’s salver and looked expectantly at Martin, Oliver, and Lady Bracknell. “Did you find anything?”
All three of them smiled.
“Indeed, we did.” Martin pulled out his notebook as Oliver sat beside Edward. Oliver drew Edward’s copy of the list of those to be informed of the upcoming meeting closer and perused it. Lady Bracknell walked around the table to claim the chair beside Sophy. Her ladyship checked Sophy’s copy of the list and Julia’s as well, then picked up a spare pen, drew a sheet of paper close, and started to write. There were a lot of letters they needed to send out in a very short space of time.
“Oliver’s notion paid off.” Martin drew out a chair at the table, sat, and thumbed through his notebook to the correct page. While the others worked, he read out the list of properties CB Enterprises had acquired over the past four years.
When he reached the end and looked up, he found Sophy, Edward, and Charlie staring at him.
“Good Lord!” Sophy looked stunned. “That’s…a massive tract of land.”
Edward looked faintly ill. “From the edge of the church’s property all the way to Bailey Lane.” He shook his head. “And all of it slated to become one giant slum?”
Charlie looked grim. “If Blackwell adheres to his usual methods, it won’t look like a slum to begin with.”
Martin nodded and reached for a spare sheet of paper. “Within two years, it would start to look shabby and go downhill from there.”
After various dark mutterings, the others returned to their allotted tasks. Meanwhile, Martin made a list of the properties and the amount Blackwell had paid for each. He added up the total and regarded it with an inward grimace. More than he liked, but nowhere near more than he could afford.
At the head of the table, pens were downed, and after a quick check of the various lists, Julia and Sophy sighed, stretched their arms, and relaxed.
A minute later, Edward and Charlie finished addressing the last of the notes and tossed them on the salver for Higginbotham, who immediately retrieved them and handed the final batch of letters to a waiting footman, who promptly vanished into the hall on his quest to deliver them.
“Done!” Charlie flung down his pen and stretched his arms above his head.
“Well, my dears.” Lady Bracknell pushed herself out of her chair. “We’ve all labored long and hard and hopefully successfully, and now we have just enough time for a sherry before dinner. Might I suggest we repair to the drawing room and let Higginbotham clear and set this table?”
