“Well?” Mrs. Right asked.
Mr. Wicket sat down heavily. “I have been all over the world today, Mrs. Right.”
“What did you discover?”
“I will begin at the beginning. First, I was able to make contact with a kitchen maid working in Lord Manderbey’s household who was all too happy to be paid for supplying information. Apparently, the dowager has pushed into the house, as she is not usually there. She is determined to see Lord Manderbey wed and has set her sights on two ladies—Lady Winsome and a certain Lady Edith Cullington. The maid says both ladies come with plenty of money. This seems to be of particular concern to the dowager.”
Mr. Wicket paused, a faint blush arising on his pale skin.
“What else did she say?” Mrs. Right asked.
“There was some mention of Lady Edith’s wide hips being looked upon favorably, regarding children,” Mr. Wicket said, staring off into space. He seemed to collect himself by giving his shoulders a little shake. “After that startling conversation, I kept a close eye on the house. Lord Manderbey set off on his horse and I duly followed. When he’d emerged from the house, he carried a velvet case. I was, naturally,interested to know what was in it and where he was going with it.”
“Did you find it out?”
“I did. I followed him to Rundell & Bridge, where he went in with the case and came out without it. I was able to lurk near the window of the place and see the jeweler open the case. It was a rather fantastic platinum and diamond necklace. So, now we know.”
“Know what?” Mrs. Right asked.
“We know how severe the amount of debt Lord Manderbey carries must be. Do you not see it? A man takes jewelry like that into a shop and leaves without it? He’s sold it.”
“Sold it,” Mrs. Right muttered. “And whose was it? Not his own. It might be his mother’s or the dowager’s. He’s come to such a pass as to steal from his own family.”
“It does appear so, Mrs. Right. I have been informed, through a contact in the palace, that such a man might turn up here.” He paused, then said, “Though I cannot think where that letter has gone. Very inconvenient, there was a clue I have not yet unraveled. Trulogap. I’ve only had one idea about it, but it makes no sense.”
Mrs. Right did not offer that the letter had gone right into her own pocket. “Trulogap sounds like the name of a horse.”
“A horse? Perhaps, but what is the real name? It was a scramble and I have had not much luck unscrambling it yet.” Mr. Wicket sighed. “By the by, Lord Manderbey is upstairs at this very moment. He went first to Lord St. John’s house but only stood at the door talking to the butler and then left. I thought I would be following him to his club perhaps, but he led me here.”
“Don’t I know it,” Mrs. Right said. “A tea tray was sent for and Lord St. John is up there too. By the by, what is a scramble? Just out of curiosity.”
“A mix-up of letters that must be rearranged to show the correct word. The Lord Chamberlain is very fond of them, as inconvenient as they are. I think it makes him feel as if he’s in the spy businesshimself.”
“Oh, I see,” Mrs. Right said. So Trulogap was not the real word? What was the real word? Mr. Wicket named it a clue—a clue to what? And then, LC stood for the Lord Chamberlain. That was something she’d not guessed.
“Lady Winsome must be warned,” Mr. Wicket said.
“She’s already been warned,” Mrs. Right said, “though it has not seemed to put her off. I must think of some way to turn her from him.”
“Why not just go to the duke?” Mr. Wicket asked.
“I will if I have to, but His Grace depends on me to get rid of problems before he is troubled by them. In this particular situation, I believe I may need to take the sort of drastic action he’d rather not know about.”
Mr. Wicket appeared leery to hear of drastic action. That did not seem very stalwart for a man who lived in a wine cellar and claimed to be an expert in covert actions.
As for Mrs. Right herself, she was exceedingly stalwart when it came to her girls. There really was nothing she would not dare. This time, she would dare quite a lot. Her girl was at risk of spending a lifetime in misery if she were to go forward with Lord Manderbey. She could not allow that to happen. Shewouldnot allow that to happen.
*
Leland did notfind much satisfaction with the day so far. His plan, which had not at all gone to plan, had been to stop at St. John’s house, point out to him that he was in no position to wed, further point out to him that Lady Winsome Nicolet was far above his reach, and then continue on to the park to exercise his horse.
The first bump in the road was the dowager insisting that he make a stop to deliver her diamond necklace to Rundell & Bridge. The clasphad broken and apparently it was an emergency that it be fixed and Mr. Rundell was waiting for it to arrive.
He’d done that, then he’d gone to St. John’s house. His cousin’s butler, who knew him well but perhaps did not know of the current strife between them, had been free with the information that St. John had gone off to Lady Winsome’s house. He could feel his blood begin to boil as he rode in that direction.
His blood had not cooled when he noted that St. John had brought flowers and a book on Rio de Janeiro. If he’d had any lingering doubts over what St. John was up to, they were speedily whisked away.
After a rather unsatisfactory visit, Lady Valor had practically thrown both of them from the house. Leland had taken his opportunity to counsel his cousin as they were handed their horses. He’d pointed out two facts. One, even if St. John were to get the Portuguese ambassadorship, he would not be out of the woods financially. Two, Lady Winsome would not be taken in by a gentleman so obviously making a play for her dowry.
