Page 24 of Dead Beside the Thames
“We would like just a moment of his time,” Claudia informed the butler and led the way into the drawing room.
Charlie followed her, and the butler closed the door behind him.
Claudia sat on the sofa, then frowning slightly, looked at Charlie. “I wondered if Napier would be at home, but it sounds as if he is.”
Charlie had already considered that issue. “It’s unlikely he’d be anywhere else at this hour.” He walked to the armchair opposite Claudia and sat. “It’s too early for dinner and too late for the usual afternoon pursuits of a gentleman of his age.”
The door opened, and the butler came in and bowed. “If you will follow me, sir, my lady, his lordship will see you in his study.”
They rose and followed the man along a corridor that led toward the rear of the house.
Charlie wondered at Napier’s choice of room. If it had been Charlie alone, seeing him in the study would have been normal enough, but to receive a marquess’s daughter, one with whom Napier wasn’t on familiar terms, in his study? Charlie suspected that Napier had already heard of Sedbury’s death and felt the need of the more private setting for the upcoming interview.
The butler halted before a door at the end of the corridor, opened it, announced them, and ushered them into a decent-sized room lined with bookcases.
Napier rose from behind a large desk placed before a pair of long windows that overlooked the rear garden. He half bowed to Claudia. “Lady Claudia. A pleasure.” More familiarly, Napier exchanged nods with Charlie. “Hastings.”
With the formalities observed, Napier waved them to two armchairs facing the desk. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Claudia had carried Napier’s whip down by her side, and the whip had largely been concealed by her skirts. As she sat, she placed the whip on her lap, and instantly, Napier’s gaze locked on it.
Studying the man’s reaction, Charlie had absolutely no doubt that he’d been correct in identifying the whip as Napier’s.
Napier was having difficulty dragging his gaze from the whip, but eventually, he managed it and looked at Claudia. “Lady Claudia, I understand that Viscount Sedbury has died. Permit me to offer my condolences to you and your family.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Claudia smoothly replied, “but the truth of the matter is that none of the family were close to Sedbury, and he will not be deeply mourned.”
“Ah. I see.” Napier looked a trifle less uneasy, and his gaze lowered again to the whip.
Claudia went on, “In dealing with Sedbury’s possessions, we came upon his collection of whips, and as none of the family are knowledgeable about such items, we asked Mr. Hastings toassist us. On viewing Sedbury’s whips, Mr. Hastings identified this one”—briefly, she lifted the whip, breaking the hold it had on Napier—“as recently belonging to you.” When Napier raised his gaze to her face, she smiled and asked, “We wondered if you would explain the circumstances that led to your whip being in Sedbury’s hands.”
Napier returned Claudia’s regard with a steady gaze, plainly weighing what he should say.
Mildly, Charlie said, “I remember you had the whip at the last club meet and was surprised to find it in Sedbury’s rooms.”
Napier’s gaze deflected to Charlie, and he studied him for a moment, then Napier returned his gaze to Claudia and said, “My son, Percy, has only recently come on the town, and he was unwise enough to fall in with a crowd that frequented a particular hell in Pall Mall. By the time I learned of it, Percy had lost…quite a sum. That was bad enough, but not impossible to rectify. However, unfortunately, his debts in the form of notes of hand had somehow ended in Sedbury’s pocket.”
“Ah.” Charlie nodded understandingly. “And Sedbury demanded the whip in settlement.”
Napier snorted. “You plainly didn’t know Sedbury well.” Napier looked at Claudia. “Sedbury demanded that I cover the debts and, in addition, surrender the whip to him by way of interest.” Napier’s lips tightened. “Initially, I refused, but cool as you please, Sedbury threatened to blacken Percy’s name throughout the clubs and ensure that he was never admitted to any of them.” Napier’s gaze remained steady on Claudia’s face, as if he was intent on ensuring she understood. “No matter that most of us couldn’t abide the man, as Rattenby’s heir, at some point, Sedbury would have been in a position to wield considerable power and influence.” Napier paused, then sat back and admitted, “In the end, I gave him the whip as well as themoney.” He shook his head. “To be rid of the threat Sedbury posed, it was worth it. My son’s future was more valuable to me.”
Claudia smothered a sigh. “I feel I should apologize for Sedbury and his crass behavior, yet the truth is that he was as bad to us as he was to everyone else.”
Napier dipped his head, acknowledging her words. “In turn, I’m sorry to hear that.”
Charlie cleared his throat and asked, “When did you last see Sedbury?”
Napier readily replied, “He came here last Tuesday evening. I’d sent around a note to say I was willing to meet his demands.”
Claudia asked, “You didn’t see him after that?”
Napier shook his head. “And before you—or the police—ask, I sent Percy off to visit his aunt in Northumberland on Tuesday morning. He won’t be returning for at least a month.”
Charlie inclined his head. “Thank you for being so forthcoming. As you’ve no doubt guessed, we’re trying to establish Sedbury’s movements around the time of his death for the investigators.”
“Indeed.” Claudia rose, bringing both men to their feet. “Thank you for your time, my lord.” She held out the whip. “Please, take this back, in recompense as it were.” She met Napier’s gaze. “I assure you the rest of the Hales are nothing like Sedbury.”
Napier hesitated for only a second, then reached across the desk and took the whip. “Thank you, Lady Claudia.” He inclined his head to Charlie. “Hastings.”
