“Is there anything else I might do for you, my lords?” Mrs. Dove-Lyon asked.
“None.” Graham gathered his cane and accepted the return of the sketch from Titan. “Thompson and I must now deliver bad news to Miss Whitchurch.”
“The girl in the sketch?” Titan asked in soft tones.
“A clergyman has also claimed to know the woman in the sketch,” Graham said simply as he turned towards the door of Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s office. “I wanted some assurance before we spoke to the young lady. We do not wish to bring her additional sadness. You will pardon us. We have a solemn task to complete.”
They were again silent until they returned to Graham’s coach. “I am very sorry to place more responsibilities on Miss Whitchurch,” Graham said, “but, as it is Saturday and we must execute the necessary task today or we must wait until Monday.”
“I agree,” Benjamin said. “In case I forget to thank you later, please know that I am in your debt.”
They very much remained silent except for a rehashing of the news that the woman who wished to marry Duncan met Miss Whitchurch’s sister.
At length, they arrived back at Benjamin’s home.
“We are going out again,” Benjamin told Patterson when the man greeted them at the door.
“Yes, my lords.”
“Should I postpone the midday meal?”
“I doubt we will return in time to eat,” Benjamin said without much consideration. “Ask Cook if she can hold it until we require it or repurpose it somehow.”
He followed Graham back into the other half of the house. His brother did not stand on ceremony this time. “Ladies, I am apologetic regarding disturbing you once again, but I must ask Miss Whitchurch if she would join me and Lord Thompson on an errand of some importance. Is it possible for you to finish your tasks for today at homeor finish them here without Miss Whitchurch’s oversight? As it is Saturday, if we do not act with urgency, we must wait until Monday to conduct our business.”
Mrs. Karnes said, “My Charlotte is with my younger children. I should finish this special order for Lady Hendrick. Mr. Sustar would be furious if he could not deliver the order to her ladyship on Monday afternoon, as promised. If possible, I would prefer to stay. There are too many distractions in my home.”
Mrs. Geoffrey said, “Miss Adolph and I planned to start the order for Mrs. Katersky today. We did not manage to do so yesterday. We could have it finished before you send over Lady Hendrick’s work on Monday, making Mr. Sustar happier.”
Benjamin agreed before Miss Whitchurch could respond. “Thank you, ladies. I appreciate your loyalty to Miss Whitchurch. I will have Mr. Patterson deliver tea and something to tide you over.”
“I shall attempt to return before you leave,” Miss Whitchurch promised. “Should I fetch the boy?” she asked Benjamin and Graham.
“It might be best if the child remained at Macalhey House for this adventure. We must travel quickly,” Graham instructed.
Benjamin could tell from the slant of her shoulders that Miss Whitchurch knew their words would not be ones she wished to hear.
Some ten minutes later, Benjamin braced the lady on the steps to Graham’s coach. He crawled in to sit beside her.
“Is this bad news?” she asked as the coach pulled away from the curb.
“I do not yet know with complete assurance,” Graham told her. “In truth, I pray Thompson and I have made a mistake, but, as I promised his lordship that I would explore my contacts to learn something of your sister’s long absence, I thought it best if we first look at those found abandoned on London’s streets.”
“By ‘abandoned,’” she said through trembling lips, “you mean deceased?” The lady reached for Benjamin, and he cupped her handbetween his two. “Then Mr. Betts spoke the truth.” Her gaze turned to Benjamin in a beseeching manner.
“I presented Graham with the sketch you drew of Miss Cassandra. I thought it might speed his search,” Benjamin explained.
“And it did,” Graham told her. “Instead of beginning at the Lyon’s Den, where both you and Thompson had previously asked questions, his lordship and I ended our search there this afternoon.”
“I do not understand,” Miss Whitchurch said. “Has Cassandra again been employed by Mrs. Dove-Lyon?”
“No,” Graham said. “Thompson and I simply showed the Den’s patroness your sketch to confirm that we were all speaking of the same person.” Graham sucked in a slow breath. “I began my search at Miss Cassandra’s destination. I made the assumption that for the boy’s sake your sister would be determined to know success.”
“She would,” Miss Whitchurch declared. “I believe she truly meant to provide for her son.”
Benjamin was not as confident of Miss Cassandra’s motherly nature, but he did not comment, for doing so would bring more harm to Miss Whitchurch.
Graham continued, “I began by asking questions of the local constable. Your sketch was most helpful in jarring the man’s memory. I fear a woman fitting your sister’s description was found in an alley less than a street removed from The Red Rooster, meaning your sister meant to seek employment, just as she said she would.”
