Page 50 of The Secret of the Dashing Detective
Owen passed over the piece of paper. It was crinkled, dirty now, after being in Reynolds’ possession for so long, but that couldn’t hide the fact that the paper was of some quality, and the ink and hand upon it had been written by someone of breeding.
“It was someone from the nobility, then,” Matthew said grimly. “Or, at least, a profession.”
He had suspected it, based on the fact that whoever they were after seemed to know the family’s movements, had understood the ways of society. But it would also make it much more difficult to persecute someone of high status – even if their victim had been a duke.
“Well, at least we can narrow our search,” he said, tapping his fingers on the desk. “Let’s look at the duke’s enemies again, but this time narrow it to those who would be in society. We should also consider servants of the household who might have aided the perpetrator. People who would know where the duke would be, what he would eat, when he would eat. Remember, the original duke was poisoned, and whoever captured Lady Juliana knew where she would be and what would distract her. And…” the thought, the one that had been niggling at him for some time now finally bloomed. “Someone who would have known the duke well enough to be aware that he does not sleep in the duke’s chambers. When someone went after him while they were in the country, it was in the room he was sleeping in.”
“Very good, Archibald,” Owen said, before they moved on to next steps and other issues of the day.
Matthew tried to concentrate – this was his business, after all, and he should know all of the details of what was happening – but he was having difficulty focusing on anything but Juliana and their dinner tomorrow night. Dinner with Hudson Lewis, a man who, through no fault of his own, was becoming less of a suspect, and more of a friend.
* * *
So far,everything had miraculously gone to plan.
Juliana had convinced her mother that she was accompanying Lady Maria to Lady Merryweather’s ball at Almack’s. Her mother, of course, had immediately suggested that she and Juliana attend the event along with Lady Maria and her mother, Lady Bennington, but then Prudence had helpfully reminded their mother that they were to attend a musicale Friday evening. Juliana’s presence could be excused, but it would be the height of rudeness if all three chose to attend another event after confirming their attendance.
Their mother bit her lip, obviously trying to determine how to make her excuses for the musicale. She told Prfudence that they would make an appearance at the musicale before leaving for Almack’s, prompting Juliana to write Lady Maria a note regarding her mother’s plans. Hopefully, if Lady Maria encountered her, she would be able to make excuses for her, and by the time Juliana’s mother returned, Juliana would be well in bed.
She had then bribed Abigail into taking the night off after leaving with her. Fortunately, she had a beau she was eager to visit, and she agreed to the paid night off along with additional payment from Juliana as well as a promise that should her mother ever find out, Juliana would ensure that Abigail found an excellent placement elsewhere.
Matthew had arrived at Warwick House for Juliana, and walked both her and Abigail down the street to a hack. They rode with Abigail as far as her mother’s house where she bid them farewell, before Matthew and Juliana began to make their way to Matthew’s home.
Juliana tapped her fingers against her knees, suddenly nervous at being alone with Matthew, especially as they would be posing as husband and wife and acting for Lewis – her brother.
Matthew seemed to understand her fears as he leaned in and placed his hands on top of hers to still her nervous tapping.
“Do not worry.”
“Do not worry?” she said, raising her eyebrows. “How can you say that? There is everything to be worried about!”
“Becca has everything prepared. The apartments look well lived in. You already know how to be the perfect hostess.”
She turned her hands over so that her palms were against his and squeezed his hands.
“Thank you.”
“Of course,” he said before turning to look out the window, and Juliana was caught by the way the light struck his cheekbones. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and revel in his warmth, in all of the comfort he could give her, but she didn’t want him to know how close to the edge she was. So instead, she stayed in her seat, her hands in his, and waited for the hack to stop.
* * *
“Here we are,”Matthew said, leading Juliana inside. “Home sweet home.”
He watched her jaw drop open as she looked around her, and he couldn’t help his grin.
“Not the same place you remember?” he asked.
“No, not at all. It is… well, it is… perfect!”
“Betsy and Mary put your vision into actuality, that is certain,” he said. “Let me show you where everything is in the kitchen.”
He led her in, showing her the dishes Betsy and Mary had prepared, with instructions on what she needed to do in order to finish them.
“How wonderful that they have made so many dishes of vegetables,” she said, touched that Matthew’s sisters would think of such a thing.
“They made one meat dish in order to ensure it would suffice for Lewis, but the rest they made to your preference,” he said. “In addition, it should be easy enough to make the last preparations.”
“I should have asked Abigail to come,” she murmured. “It would make sense for us to have a maid, wouldn’t it?”
