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“All round the square and the mews, up and down Park Lane. We even looked in the park, but no one saw him in there and he wouldn’t have been daft enough to go in anyway, not alone and at that time of night.”
“But you said he was distracted,” Gussie pounced. “Couldn’t he have wandered in by accident? Been attacked and robbed and hidden under a bush?”
Park blinked at her. “No,” he said firmly. “He was anxious and excited, not stupid.”
Gussie, who had never prescribed to her family’s beliefs that Piers was stupid—it was one reason Haggs had liked her in the first place—flushed with some indignation. “So what else have you done to locate him?”
“We called at Sir Peter’s house, and asked discreetly elsewhere, but—”
“Why discreetly?” Gussie demanded.
“Because that’s the way his lordship would want it,” Park said firmly. “We can’t have rumours swirling about him vanishing on the very night his son and heir was born. What would the scandal mongers make of that? Nothing good for her ladyship, you can be sure! And if I allowed that, his lordship would skin me alive and rightly so.”
“Fair points,” Haggs allowed, watching him narrowly. “Is that why you have instigated no investigation with Bow Street?”
“Yes, sir,” said the butler grandly. “Plus the direct orders of her ladyship.”
“Lady Petteril told you not to go to Bow Street? In her own words?”
“Well, yes, via Stewart.”
“Stewart.” Haggs began to pace restlessly across the library floor, then turned abruptly to confront Park. “Do you trust him? Stewart?”
“Yes, sir,” Park said woodenly.
“Why?” Haggs asked.
Park could look terribly dignified when he chose. “It is my job to judge the character of those who serve Lord and Lady Petteril. I would not have offered Stewart for his lordship’s consideration had I not felt he was worthy of that trust. Besides, he has since saved his lordship’s life.”
“Did Stewart tell you that?”
“No. His lordship did.”
Deprived of a quarry, Haggs threw himself into the nearest chair.
“Where is Stewart right now?” Gussie asked. “Is he looking for Piers?”
Park nodded reluctantly.
“Where?” Haggs demanded.
Park shifted to his other foot. “In the less salubrious parts of town.”
Where the other servants were afraid to go... Why wasn’t Stewart? “What do you think has happened to his lordship?”
“It can’t be anything good to keep him from her,” Park said grimly. “But I still must ask you to keep that to yourselves. His lordship has a way of popping up unexpectedly, none the worse for wear. And if you endanger him, her ladyship for one will never forgive you. If you will excuse me, sir, miss?”
They let him go, exchanging a long, helpless glance.
“He has tied our hands,” Haggs said ruefully. “The only question is...”
“Do we allow it?” Gussie finished.
“I think we have to speak to April before anything else.”
“I think so too. And she can only sleep as long as the child will let her...”
***
