She swallowed hard, surprised as well as puzzled that he had remembered to the letter her harsh words of the past. For some reason, he seemed truly upset that she might see him as the rest of Society did.
And yet she couldn’t fathom why.
“It has been quite some time since I have thought of you in those terms,” she said very softly.
“Oh, and just what terms do you think of me now?”
“A … friend, I suppose. Because of Edwin.” She twisted the pearwood handle of the parasol in her hands. “You told me before that you felt some debt to my brother, so that, I imagine, is why you are offering to help me.”
“Ah yes, brotherly friendship,” he muttered through gritted teeth.
“I didn’t mean any insult by my question, milord. Truly I didn’t. I merely want to be assured that your feelings on this matter run deep. For if I decide take you into my confidences, I should not want to discover my trust was misplaced.”
“I may appear shallow to you, Lady Augusta, but rest assured that the current of my convictions is stronger than you imagine. When I set my mind to something, I am not easily put off course.”
“Very well then, sir.” Augusta closed her eyes for a moment, hoping she wasn’t making a grave mistake. “The whole thing started six months ago, with the disappearance of a child from the fields near my home. That was terrible enough, but soon after, another went missing. The third was abducted just amonth ago. There was sign of a struggle, and I found a scrap of expensive silk fabric, the sort of material used to make a gentleman’s waistcoat.”
“Do you think this certain gentleman is the sort of monster who has an appetite for murdering children? Have any bodies been found?”
She shook her head. “No. Nor do I think any will be.”
His brow arched in question.
“I can’t help but think the disappearances have to do with another reason, which is nearly as appalling. In the course of my readings, I have come across mention of how some of the mines in the north are getting child labor from unscrupulous sources—that is, children stolen from their homes.”
Her mouth twisted in disgust. “It is cheap, for the owners don’t have to pay even a paltry wage, and effective, for the small bodies may wriggle in where a man cannot. And it is, sir, little more than slavery.”
Marcus thinned his lips. “Have you any proof at all of this?”
Augusta shook her head. “No, but my intuition tells me I’m right.” The tone of her voice indicated that she expected him to challenge the assertion.
He gave a low snort, then looked as though he might.
“Before you begin what will undoubtedly be a harangue on the merits of a female’s intuitive powers—or lack thereof—let me add a few other points of unassailable fact,” continued Augusta. “I have done a fair amount of research into the matter, and as it happens, there are several large mines around Newcastle where the shape of the veins of coal make extraction difficult. Small bodies at work in the tiny passages are the only way to keep them profitable. And profitable they have been, but only starting six months ago.”
The earl tugged at the brim of his curly brimmed beaver hat. “The devil take it,” he muttered. “It still seems to me as if you have precious little to go on.”
“Hmmph.” Her parasol came down on the floorboard of the phaeton with a decided thump. “And what about falling coping stones? Someone is clearly not happy about any stirring of public interest in the subject of child labor. You may fail to see any connection, but the link is certainly clear enough for me.”
“For you to do what?”
There was a slight pause. “I imagine if you close your eyes and think very hard, milord, you’ll be able to conjure up some idea of what I mean.”
The oath that followed was one she decided was well worth filing away for future reference.
“I vow, Lady Augusta, if you were my sister, I would?—”
“Well, I am not.
He continued to stare at her intently for a moment. “Right,” he said slowly. “And just how many more suspects do you have on your list, may I ask?
Augusta decided there was little harm in answering. “Two.”
Marcus couldn’t quite believehis ears. “Two?” he repeated, eyeing her with some surprise.What an odd coincidence. That was exactly the same number left on his own list.
“You appear disappointed. Would you have preferred more?”
Marcus didn’t answer but continued to consider the matter. Despite his initial skepticism, he had not entirely dismissed her conjecture as absurd. In the course of his readings, he, too, had become aware of such sinister doings. It was just possible shewas on to something. Yet he was determined to figure out a way to keep her from pursuing that particular line of inquiry.
