“Yes, I understand what you showed me and what you said. Even if she ran away, she still needs to be found. It’s not safe for a young lady to be alone in the world without a farthing to her name.”
“Yes,” the earl said thoughtfully. “Mr. Burns, how can we help you find my niece and convince her to come home?”
Oliver leaned back, observing and listening to the Runner work.
“There are several things I need your approval for. I need to interview all the servants who reside in the house to see if they saw or heard anything unusual in the early evening and during the night. I would also like to speak to your three daughters. Perhaps she confided her plans to one of them. Also, is there any way someone could have entered the house and perhaps kidnapped Miss Windham against her will and forced her to write the note?”
Lady Greenwich gasped in outrage. “See here, Mr. Burns, our home is a secure and safe place to live. I have three daughters to protect.”
“What about Miss Windham?” the Runner asked.
“Yes. Miss Windham as well,” she mumbled.
“Weston, Burns, please forgive my wife. She has been beside herself ever since hearing the news of our beloved niece running away. We do blame ourselves. Maybe if we had realized how scared she was and how much she opposed marrying the duke, we could have stopped all this nonsense, and she would be safe at home right now.”
“So no one could’ve entered and taken Miss Windham?” Burns asked once again.
“Absolutely not,” Greenwich huffed.
Oliver thought he should intervene. “Forgive Mr. Burns. He is just being thorough. It’s his job to question everything more than once. I believe he has all he needs from you both. Is it possible to speak to the servants now? We could go down to the kitchens and conduct the interviews there so as not to disturb the rest of the household.”
“Yes.” The earl called over a footman. “Please take His Grace and Mr. Burns to the kitchens and notify Mrs. Cummings about the interviews.”
The footman bowed. “Yes, my lord.”
The footman guided them down the stairs, through a hallway to the large kitchens, and to a long table near the servants’ stairs where they, no doubt, ate their meals. “Please wait here while I find the housekeeper.”
Oliver sat on the hard bench while Burns took a seat across from him. “Why did you come?”
“I hoped to speak with you before you met with the earl and countess. A theory occurred to me. Miss Windham said they hated her father and mother. The current earl had cut off her father’s monthly allowance many years ago, going against the late earl’s will. They hated Miss Windham instantly when she arrived on their doorstep. I believe the hatred they feel for Miss Windham relates to something from long ago. We need to find out about their relationships when they were young.”
“Hmmm. That’s an interesting theory and has enough merit.”
“When I approached Greenwich about courting his eldest daughter, Lady Emma. He was in a talkative mood and mentioned his niece coming to stay with them. He told me about her mother and her mother’s parents having a falling out, but said he did not know the reasons for it. I believe he lied.”
“Who are they?”
“The Marquess and Marchioness of Bedford.”
“Let me do some digging into the past. Society loves to gossip, and someone knows the truth about it. And maybe you’re right, and it will lead to clues about Miss Windham’s disappearance.” He paused, rubbed his forehead. “I will talk to Mrs. Dove-Lyon. She has spies everywhere and can probably help.”
“She does seem to know a lot about theton. Above and beyond what happens inside the Lyon’s Den.”
“You would be amazed by the secrets she uncovers,” Mr. Burns said. “Some of those secrets come from other Runners. Most come from gentlemen who owe her money and are willing to share secrets. Anything to appease her.”
For the next hour and a half, Oliver observed and listened as Burns questioned all the servants, including the boorish butler. No one saw or heard anything. Or so they said. Even if Miss Windham hadn’t been taken against her will, someone would have seen or heard her sneak out. A few of the footmen looked tense, and one maid, Maggie, seemed worried for Miss Windham’s safety.
Overall, Oliver and Burns concluded that they had been sworn to secrecy by Lady Greenwich.
Oliver bid Burns a good day right outside Greenwich House, mounted Wind, and headed home. There was much to muddle over. He believed that a visit to the Lyon’s Den thatevening was in order. And with any luck, Greenwich would be in attendance. Between Burns, Mrs. Dove-Lyon, and himself, he hoped they would uncover some secrets or past indiscretions. Anything to help in the search for Miss Windham. He rubbed the stabbing ache in his chest at the thought of the lovely, vivacious Miss Windham out on her own, fending for herself. Or worse, at the mercy of some vile creature without a heart.
Miss Windam, in such a short time, had burrowed into his heart. He needed to find her.
That evening, Oliver and Hudson went to the Lyon’s Den. They stepped into the main gambling room, and Oliver’s eyes stung from the smoke. His nose wrinkled at the stench of sweat, whisky, money, and overall desperation. One glance around the tables, and he could pick out the gentlemen winning and those on the verge of losing it all.
When his eyes fell on Lord Greenwich, he wasn’t surprised. When he had gotten home that afternoon, there was a letter from Mrs. Dove-Lyon waiting for him saying she was going to talk to Greenwich. She intended to threaten him that if he didn’t pay his debt to her, she would ruin him unless he told her what she wanted to know.
With any luck, she would get answers. If he didn’t work his magic with Greenwich and discover things for himself first.
