Page 100 of Where the Heart Leads
She nodded. “Mary and Horry are well, although Mary is growing a trifle obstreporous over having to stay indoors. Two of the Wills boys were there. They were playing dice and teaching Horry. After that, I went on to visit old Edie, the button lady in Petticoat Lane. She promised to see if she could roust out old Grimsby, but she says he’s like a crab—sticks close to home. She hasn’t seen him in years, and hasn’t been able to find anyone who has.”
“So Grimsby remains on our list—the last of the names your father gave us.” Stokes grimaced. “Unfortunately, that’s no guarantee he’s the one who has the boys.”
“No.” Dejected, Griselda shook her head. “Theremust besome way we can get word of them. Five boys. Surely someone must have seen them, heard them—noticed them.”
“Our notices are out there.” Stokes understood her frustration. “We’ll have to be patient, and see if the promise of a reward shakes loose any useful information.”
“Nothing as yet?”
He shook his head. After a moment of broodingly studying her, he shifted forward; reaching out, he took her hands, one in each of his. With his thumbs, he stroked her fingers, but kept his eyes on hers. “I realize you feel safe in the East End, that it’s your home, and you need to go back to see your father. But…” He paused, lips compressing, but pride wouldn’t keep him warm at nights. “Please, when you do go that way, can you tell me first? Or if that’s not possible, at least leave a note—of where you’re going and when you’ll be back?”
He closed his lips on the urge to give more directions, even to order. Hoped, prayed, that she would read the reason behind his request in his eyes.
After a moment she smiled softly, then cast a glance toward the head of the stairs. “I suppose, in the interests of preserving my rug, so you don’t wear a track in it, I could do that.”
Relief poured through him; he was sure it showed in his answering smile. “Thank you.”
He continued to hold her hands. Continued to hold her gaze. She continued to return his steady regard.
They both opened their lips to speak—just as the bell below tinkled.
Both looked to the stairs, listened.
Penelope’s clear tones drifted up from below, assuring Imogen and Jane that “we know the way.”
Stokes met Griselda’s eyes. “Later.”
She held his gaze for one last moment, then nodded. “Yes. Later. After all this is over and we have time to think.”
He nodded his agreement, released her hands, and rose as Penelope’s dark head appeared on the stairs.
Looking up, Penelope saw them. She smiled. “Hello. Any news?”
Stokes shook his head. He looked at Barnaby as he followed Penelope to the sofa. “You?”
Barnaby grimaced. “Nary a whisper of any sort from anywhere.”
Penelope dropped onto the sofa, a disgruntled expression on her face. Entirely unnecessarily she informed them, “Patience isn’t my strong suit.”
Griselda smiled commisseratingly. “I used to think it was mine, but over this…”
“What’s worse,” Barnaby said, “is that we’re running out of time. Parliament rises at the end of this week.”
Silence greeted that announcement. Griselda broke it. “It’s time to shut the shop. Anyone for tea?”
The others all expressed an interest. Griselda went downstairs. Barnaby and Stokes fell to discussing one of the political intrigues currently affecting the police. Penelope listened to them, and the sounds of Griselda farewelling her apprentices, then locking the front door and pulling down the blinds.
She stood. “I’m going to help Griselda with the tea.”
The men nodded absentmindedly; she made her way down the stairs and into the little kitchen.
Setting the kettle on the stove, Griselda looked up and smiled. She nodded to a tin on the table. “I’ve shortbread—you could set it out.”
Penelope opened the tin, then looked around for a plate. Griselda handed one to her, then reached to a high shelf for a tray.
She blew dust from it, then wiped it with a cloth. Setting it on the table, she grinned. “I don’t have much company.”
Placing the plate neatly piled with biscuits on the tray, Penelope glanced up at her. “Neither do I, if it comes to that.”
