Page 46 of The Paid Companion

“I leave the matter in your hands,” he said very formally instead.

She acknowledged that with a casual nod, but he thought she seemed rather pleased.

That was one pressing issue out of the way, he thought, spirits rising.

“If you will both excuse me, I must go upstairs to change my gown.” Margaret rose to her feet and went toward the door. “Mr. Fleming will be here soon. We are going to visit some bookshops this afternoon.”

Arthur got to his feet and crossed the room to open the door for her. She hurried out into the hall and disappeared. When he glanced back and saw that Elenora was about to follow, he held up a hand.

“If you don’t mind,” he said quietly. “I would like to discuss with you what I learned from John Watt.”

She stopped midway across the carpet, her face brightening with excitement. “You found him?”

“Yes, thanks to your suggestion that I talk to his sweetheart.” He glanced at the clock. “It is after four. I will send for the carriage and we will take a turn around the park. The sight of you and me together will serve to reinforce the notion that we are, indeed, engaged, and we will have privacy for our conversation.”

16

It was just going on five o’clock when Arthur drove the sleek carriage through the gates of the large park. Perched next to him, dressed in her new blue carriage gown with its matching hat, Elenora reminded herself for the thousandth time that she was merely a paid companion who had been employed to perform a part. But deep down she could not resist the temptation to pretend for just a little while that the play had become reality and that Arthur had invited her to drive with him because he wanted to be with her.

The scene spread out before her was lively and colorful. The spring afternoon was sunny and warm and, as was the custom in town, many in the Polite World had come to the park to see and be seen.

The tops of many of the vehicles had been lowered to better display the elegantly dressed passengers. Several gentlemen rode exquisitely turned-out mounts on a neighboring path. They paused frequently to greet those in the carriages, exchange gossip and flirt with the ladies. Couples who took a turn around the park together were, in fact, announcing to Society that marriage plans had either been arranged or were being seriously considered.

Elenora was not surprised to discover that Arthur handled the reins the way he did everything else, with a smooth, efficient skill and quiet authority. The beautifully matched, well-schooled grays responded instantly to his touch.

“I located Watt in a livery stable,” Arthur said.

“Was he able to tell you any details concerning your great-uncle’s death?”

“Watt said that on the day of the murder, he and Uncle George spent the better part of the afternoon working on some experiments in the laboratory. After the evening meal, George retired to his bedchamber upstairs. Watt went to bed, too. His bedchamber is located downstairs, near the laboratory.”

“Did he hear anything that night?”

Arthur nodded grimly. “Watt said he was sound asleep but was jolted into wakefulness by some odd noises and what he thought was a muffled cry from inside the laboratory.”

“He went to investigate?”

“Yes. It was not uncommon for Uncle George to go back into his laboratory late at night to check on the results of an experiment or make notes in his journal. Watt feared that he had had some mishap. But the door of the laboratory was locked. Watt had to retrieve a key from his bedside table. While he was doing so, he heard two pistol shots.”

“Dear heaven. Did he see the killer?”

“No. By the time he got into the laboratory, the villain had fled through a window.”

“What of your great-uncle?”

“Watt found him on the floor, dying in a pool of blood.”

Elenora shuddered at the thought of that scene. “How dreadful.”

“Uncle George was still partially conscious. He mumbled some words before he died. Watt said that they made no sense to him. He assumed that George was experiencing some strange hallucination brought on by the mortal injury.”

“Did Watt recall what he said?’

“Yes,” Arthur said evenly. “According to him, my great-uncle’s dying words were meant for me. George said,Tell Arthur that Mercury is still alive.”

Elenora caught her breath. “Then you are right, sir, this does concern your great-uncle’s old companions and those strange red stones.”

“Yes. But I have been proceeding on the assumption that Mercury was dead.” His mouth twisted. “I ought to have known better than to arrive at any conclusions without proof.”

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