Page 54 of Inventing Vivian

“But, my lady, you’ll want to come yourself and bring your drawing pad, I think.”

“A murder so near the docks is hardly news,” Sophie said. “I imagine the police have the scene secured anyway.”

“’Tisn’t the robbery, my lady, but the suspect.”

Sophie turned back to him, her brows raised. “Somebody has been apprehended?”

“Apprehended in Ratcliff. A witness identified him.” Rowe nodded. “But that isn’t the interesting part. Bloke says he’s part of Lord Covington’s household.”

Vivian started, and cold dread expanded in her stomach. “Mr. Rowe, if you please, is the man Chinese?”

“Yes, miss. Most in Limehouse are.”

She grabbed on to Sophie’s arm, her breath catching. “It could be Mr. Li.”

“Who?” Sophie asked.

“Lord Benedict’s friend. Chester’s friend.” Vivian shook her head, trying to make sense of what the reporter had said. Mr. Li wouldn’t have murdered someone. The very thought was unimaginable. “He couldn’t have done it.”

Vivian could feel the blood draining from her face.

“My goodness,” Sophie gasped, looking at her friend. “You need to sit down.”

“No.” Vivian shook her head. “I must get word to Lord Benedict. And I need to go to Mr. Li. The poor man must be terrified. This is all a mistake; I’m sure of it. The witness must have identified the wrong person. He isn’t a murderer, Sophie, I know it.” She thought of how worried Lord Benedict would be when he heard the news, and she wished she could be with him. He would need someone to comfort him. As soon as she had the thought, she started, surprised that her heart had thawed so much toward him. She was actually worried about Lord Benedict.

“We’ll solve this.” Sophie took hold of Vivian’s elbow and started toward the door. “Rowe, send word to Lord Covington in Marylebone. Tell him to come to H Division in Whitechapel as soon as he can. And don’t run the story about the robbery yet. I’ll handle this one myself.”

“Whitechapel?” Vivian asked as they left the newspaper office.

Sophie nodded. “It’s the closest stationhouse to Ratcliff.”

A relief settled over Vivian, calming her panic. Jonathan was the inspector in charge of the H Division. He wouldn’t allow any harm to come to Mr. Li.

Devon held open the carriage door and helped Vivian inside. She told him briefly what she’d learned, and within a moment, they were on their way east toward H Division.

Vivian wrung her hands together, her worry for Mr. Li making gooseflesh on her arms. And again she thought of Lord Benedict. He would be beside himself.

Sophie patted her hand. “Don’t worry. Jonathan will sort this out.”

“I just can’t believe it.” Vivian sighed. “It must be a mistake.”

She watched through the window as the streets grew narrower and more crowded. She’d not had occasion to visit Whitechapel and found it even dirtier and more sinister-looking than even Thames Street in Blackfriars. She shivered, looking down the twisting alleys. Factory smoke hung heavy, making the sky a brown color. Suspicious eyes watched from street corners. The neighborhood reminded her of a warren, and as they went deeper into the heart of it, she worried they wouldn’t find their way out. She was grateful for Devon’s revolver.

The carriage drew to a halt in front of a brick building on Leman Street. Carved into the stone of the pediment above the door was the wordPOLICEin large letters.

“Here we are,” Sophie said.

Devon helped the ladies from the carriage and slipped his hand into his jacket, glancing up and down the street. Surely no harm could come to them at a police station, but his vigilance made Vivian uneasy.

The station house was crowded with desks and busy police officers, and Vivian was reminded of the newspaper office they’d left just an hour earlier.

A man with a large red mustache looked up from the penny-dreadful novel he was reading and leaned forward over the tall desk. His face broke into a grin, revealing missing teeth. “Well, there, my lady. Grand to see you this fine day.”

“Good day to you, Sergeant Abner. Please meet my dear friend Miss Kirby.”

The sergeant inclined his head. “Pleasure, miss.” He turned back to Sophie. “Ye’ve come to see the inspector, no doubt.”

“We have.”

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