He just must be careful not to let it get out of hand.
A certain marquess appeared beside him. One of the five Queen’s Knights. “Hamill,” he said.
“Conbatten. I have heard something that might interest you, as I believe you are acquainted with the fellow. It seems a certain Lord Van Doren’s household has been targeted through unlikely means by the ring of thieves we seek.”
“Van Doren?” Balthazar asked. They still did not know who was at the top of this organized group of housebreakers. Whoever it was, how on earth had they picked out Van Doren of all people? He was not as rich as some others. He was just a new-married viscount from the countryside—why him?
“Crosby nabbed one of the young ones we’ve been certain were a part of this gang and wrenched the information out of him. The wretch claims there is a boy named Shrimps having been taken into Van Doren’s household last season and that boy is one of their own.”
“Ah, so their scheme of getting employed to get into a house is already in play.”
“Not exactly. Not in this case, anyway. It seems that sometime last year, six of the younger ones were all one night hanging about the street and Van Doren chased them away. This Shrimps character fell on the cobblestones and Van Doren picked him up and put him on his horse. There was a dog of some sort taken too. The rest of the boys followed in the darkness and apparently Shrimps was taken into the house. After that, they saw him coming and going and saw him leave Town last season with the rest of the household. They had planned to make contact with him if he arrived back with the lord so they might make arrangements to clean the place out some night.”
“So it is not clear whether the boy is even still a part of the household.”
Hamill nodded. “Or part of the gang. I suspect this plan of theirs has been at least put on hold as they will know that one of their own has been taken by us. They will fear we will discover it, which we have, and that a trap would be set for them. So, I think Lord Van Doren is safe from a robbery. For now, at least. Though he might want to reconsider having a person namedShrimpsin his household.”
Balthazar nodded. “I suspect you are right, they won’t risk a robbery that’s been planned when one of the planners has been taken. Would this boy that Crosby got hold of reveal who is running the operation?”
“No, and Crosby thinks he’s telling the truth when he says he does not know. It seems each level of the organization only has contact with one level below and one level directly above. He is at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. He thinks things are set up in pods, meaning small groups of boys, scattered in the vicinity of the Seven Dials and not having contact with one another.”
Conbatten sighed. It was a clever way to do things. Anybody who got nabbed could only tell so much.
“I’ll move on now,” Hamill said. “Lady Mary has turned her voracious eyes upon me and I must be quick about it before I am caught in her uncomfortable net.”
Hamill strode off, and Balthazar did too. He was in no mood for Lady Mary’s hard, glittering eyes this night.
As he strolled about the ballroom, he thought over what to do about Van Doren and his street urchin named Shrimps. Perhaps he would set a quiet watch. After all, according to his information, this Shrimps had not even been approached yet. If the young fellow had found a comfortable place to lay his head, he might not be at all inclined to rob the provider of it.
He glimpsed Lady Rosalind across the room. Lord Jeffries was making an attempt to entertain, he supposed. And there was Michaels lining up for his chance.
Well, good luck fellows. Lady Rosalind has already directed a gentleman to put himself down for her supper and it was not you.
Balthazar smiled to himself. Really, despite the news about Van Doren and his wayward urchin, this was turning out to be a very pleasant evening.
*
Rosalind had dancedwith any number of genial gentlemen. As none of them werehergentleman, and ashergentleman was so well known, she spent most of her time attempting to hear of Conbatten.
As far as she was to understand it, gentlemen were at once admiring and abashed. Very similar to how Darden acted over the duke. She was told of his ninety-eight-degree bathwater several times. One of the gentlemen practically lamented over the idea that nobody could discover the duke’s tailor.
Her sister Beatrice had counseled Darden that he ought not be so bowled over by the duke, that Conbatten was just a regular gentleman like all others.
Rosalind could not remember when last she had disagreed with one of Beatrice’s opinions, but she must differ on that idea.
Conbatten was not a regular gentleman like everybody else. Not one bit of it. He was a glorious specimen and she was certain there had rarely been such a one walking the earth. Of course, he must have a bath at ninety-eight degrees. Of course, his tailor was sought after.
It was positively delicious to imagine the moment when he would kiss her, though of course she could not know when that would be.
Now, the Earl of Baderston had come to collect her. After that, she would be led round the floor by the wondrous Conbatten.
Though she had steered all other conversations toward Conbatten, she would not with the earl. He was the earl of copper-colored hair and she must assure herself that he would still be available for Viola to have a look at next season.
Really, there were so few redheads of any sort and Viola was so set on it that Rosalind would be loath to allow one to get away.
“Lord Baderston,” she said as they took their places, “I am hopeful of discovering that you adore ham.”
“Ham. Well, yes, I suppose I do like it. Does not everybody?”
