I thanked him and took my leave. The groom touched his cap, and I sped on down the road, keeping a lookout behind me all the way.
At the next hansom stand I encountered, I climbed into a cab and instructed the driver to take me to Scotland Yard.
* * *
I keptmy hands over my bag as the hansom bumped across the metropolis, certain every villain knew what I had. I half expected one to grab the horse and stop the cab, dragging me out and tearing my bag from me.
Nothing so dramatic happened. When I reached Scotland Yard, I handed the cabbie coins for the fare, clutched my handbag to my chest, and hurried into the building that housed the CID.
Inspector McGregor was busy. At least, I heard him rumbling at somebody behind his closed door. That opened as I approached it, and the detective called Sergeant Scott emerged.
Sergeant Scott was a slender man in his thirties, with pale hair pomaded flat and light blue eyes. I’d first encountered him late last year, when he’d been investigating a fraud, and I’d learned he had sharp intelligence and dogged resolve.
Sergeant Scott did not greet me, only skewered me with a cool gaze.
“Who is it?” Inspector McGregor called irritably.
I ducked past Sergeant Scott and into the office. Though I’d come to trust Scott, I didn’t know him well, and I wanted to hand the map only to Inspector McGregor.
Inspector McGregor regarded me with his usual impatience. “I thought I told you to stay home.”
“You did. But I could not remain idle when I found evidence of a plot to set off bombs all over London tomorrow.”
I set the map on McGregor’s desk with a flourish.
I admit I enjoyed the drama of my move, but Inspector McGregor remained unimpressed. “How could you have possibly found…?”
He trailed off as he unfolded the map and gazed at it,becoming still. Sergeant Scott pushed his way around me and peered at it over the inspector’s shoulder.
“TheX’s are places where explosions have occurred or will occur.” I poked a gloved finger at Victoria Station, then moved to the Underground stations and Whitehall. “These have already been done, as you know. Butthese.” I pointed to the square that represented Scotland Yard. “I believe this hasn’t happened yet.”
Inspector McGregor gaped at the map and then at me. “Where the devil did you come by this?”
“The home of Lord Peyton,” I answered serenely. “It was hidden inside the cushion of his wheeled chair.”
Inspector McGregor’s face went nearly purple. Sergeant Scott remained impassive but watched me closely.
“Parker!” Inspector McGregor bellowed past me into the outer office. “Take some constables and get around to Lord Peyton’s in Belgrave Square. Find that manservant, Fagan, and bring him in. Take firearms—he’s got form.”
“Yes, sir,” Sergeant Parker said smartly, and gave orders to others in the office.
McGregor snapped his attention to Sergeant Scott. “Those Lofthouse people, were they detained in Dover?”
“They were, sir,” Sergeant Scott answered. “But as they’d committed no obvious crime, they have consulted solicitors and are talking about bringing suit against the police.”
McGregor sprang to his feet. “Wire the Dover constabulary and have the Lofthouses arrested for conspiracy to commit a felony and transferred here to me. And bring in any of the others Lord Peyton met with.” As Inspector McGregor started around the desk, his gaze fell on me, as though he’d forgotten my presence. “Where’s McAdam?” he demanded of me.
“I haven’t seen him since Monday evening,” I said truthfully.
“Get him in here,” he told Sergeant Scott. “Andyou.” Inspector McGregor pointed a thick finger at me. “Take yourself home,stay there, and cease interfering in police business.”
I regarded him without alarm. “You’re welcome, Inspector.”
Inspector McGregor growled something ungentlemanly at me, and I decided the best thing to do was to scuttle past him and out of his office.
Once outside in the courtyard, I drew a breath, and then coughed. Someone was burning paper or some such nearby, and smoke coated the air.
I went around the corner of the brick building and nearly ran straight into Daniel.
