Page 31 of The Duke and Lady Scandal
Madly, he considered reaching for her. Though he had no right at all.
“I have more for you.” A mischievous grin curved her lips. “I have a lead.”
For a detective, there were no more enticing words in the English language.
She drew a card from her pocket and offered it to him. When he grasped the edge, his fingers brushed hers and a shock of pleasure shot through him.
She was so damnably soft, so enticingly warm.
So he focused on the card in his hand, the thick, fine paper in a deep crimson shade, gilded so excessively as to be gaudy. And a name: Lord Thomas Holcroft of Belgrave Square. The lack of a house number was odd. It reeked of arrogance, implying that anyone living in Belgravia would know Lord Holcroft by reputation alone.
Miss Prince watched him expectantly. “It doesseem strange that a nobleman would set out to steal from the Crown, doesn’t it?”
“He wouldn’t be the first aristocrat to cross his monarch, though it rarely ends well for them.” He recalled a few lords and ladies known to support the Fenian cause, but the name Holcroft did not strike him as familiar.
“Will you question him?” She made the query sound very much like a suggestion.
“Not yet. First, I’d like to see what I can uncover about the man.”
A nobleman would be easier to find than most suspects, even without a house number listed. Though it made little sense to question or confront the man. A simple denial would surely follow. The wisest course was to have Holcroft watched and discover whether his activities or associates could be linked to any sort of plan.
She frowned, clearly not satisfied with his strategy.
“Thank you for the lead, Miss Prince,” he told her. “May I keep this?”
“Yes, of course.” She made no move to depart and the expectant look remained.
He sensed she wished him to begin the hunt for Holcroft now and that if he’d asked her to join him, she would have eagerly agreed.
But as grateful as he was for a potential lead that might allow him to settle the matter, she had involved herself too much already. Especially if the man had gone from whispers in a coffeehouse to visiting her shop.
“I was just on my way out for the evening—”
“Please don’t tell me that you don’t need my assistance, Inspector, and that I should go on my way and forget the entire matter.”
He’d considered saying exactly that. “You brought me a lead, Miss Prince. You’ve done a great deal.”
“I could do more.” Her eyes sparked and her mouth curved in a cat-in-the-cream smile. “You may not wish to question him, but would you like to get a look at him? He’s coming back to Princes tomorrow afternoon.”
She’d done this to herself, all but insisting that Inspector Drake come to Princes and wait for Lord Holcroft’s return in order to get a good look at the man.
And now that the Scotland Yard man was here, just where she’d wanted him, she’d never been more distracted in her life.
He’d strode through the front door at half three while she was helping a customer. The wealthy industrialist, Mr. Snodgrass, was seeking a gift for his wife.
Allie usually took care with Snodgrass. He’d come to Princes many times for gifts or unique items for his home. But the minute Inspector Drake walked in, her attention was entirely his.
Not that he sought it. Like any polite customer, he noted that she was with another patron and busied himself with browsing the shop.
But she was too curious not to watch him. Toopleased to see his handsome face again not to follow him with her gaze. She had a knack for knowing what sort of object might intrigue a customer, but with the inspector she was at a loss. He didn’t linger over the furnishings, vases, coins, books, or gems. Just took everything in. Assessing.
“I say again, Miss Prince, could you put it in special wrap? Perhaps add a ribbon?”
“Forgive me, Mr. Snodgrass.” The poor man had been speaking and she’d heard it only distantly. “Yes, of course. I will package it with care.”
“Very good. Send it to my office as you have the others, and it must arrive by Tuesday.”
“I promise that it will.” Allie flicked her gaze toward Inspector Drake. She’d momentarily lost sight of him. “Good day to you, Mr. Snodgrass.”
