Page 64 of The Gift of Patience
“Now that’s sorted, were you able to discover anything?”
“I asked Sir Horace if he noticed anyone else besides the gang during the shooting, but he barely shook his head no. Then Westwood asked where Rupert’s rooms are and if he had any particular friends.”
“I could’ve told you that. He has only two. Layton and Beckett.”
“Did you not feel the need to impart this information to me?”
“I suppose I could have last night, but he only told me yesterday morning. It did not seem as important after that.”
“Fair enough. Did he mention any particular club he favours in Town?”
She squinted in the distance, trying to recall. “I cannot think that he mentioned a club.”
“Searching his rooms and finding that out will be in my next order of business.”
“You will be removing to London, then?”
“It appears that way. I will see what the colonel says.”
She smiled. “I may well see you there then.”
He stopped immediately and turned to face her. “Do not be ridiculous. You cannot follow me to London and go searching gentlemen’s clubs and apartments!”
“I am not following you. I had already made plans to return there with Hope.”
He looked as though he wished to argue with her, but then his gaze turned darker. What did that mean?
“I must go, Patience. Remain vigilant.”
Renforth agreedthat a trip to London was in order, but he wanted Manners to go with him instead of Fielding. There were times that Fielding’s background hindered him, and exclusive gentlemen’s clubs was one of them.
He went to inform Westwood where he was going, but found the others in the study.
Carew had joined them, and was regaling them with a story about his trip over from Ireland.
Ashley went to the desk and wrote a quick note to his brother, choosing to do that rather than disturb his brother’s time with Faith and the baby.
“What is this about a prisoner, Stuart?” Rotham demanded.
Ashley did not particularly want to rehash the entire scenario, but then again, Rotham or even Carew might have insight.
He sunk down into the chair behind the desk and explained about the stolen arms. “So, if either of you know anything about Rupert or his friends Layton and Beckett or any other avenues we can explore, I’d be much obliged. I feel like I’m heading to London looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“If I were looking, I would begin at Inferno.”
All brows raised and glanced at Carew. He raised his shoulder in a careless Gaelic manner, even though he was Irish. “I might have seen him there from time to time.”
Carew was the biggest rogue of Westwood’s friends, but Ashley did not think that behaviour was from anything more than boredom. Whatever the reason, Ashley could use the help. The shipment was scheduled for two days hence and they needed the brains behind the operation, not the hired hands.
“I am beginning to see a pattern here. Devil, 666 symbols, inferno, gaming hells…”
“The three of them play deep. Fagge may have looked like a fool, but he had a keen mind for cards. I played him once or twice and he always gave me a run for it.”
This didn’t surprise Ashley overly much. A time or two, he wondered if Rupert had been playing a part to some extent. He didn’t think all of it was feigned, but it was easier to manipulate people if they had no expectations of you.
“Perhaps I should take you with me tonight.”
“I could be persuaded,” Carew drawled. “You need to go with a member, and as it happens, I still belong though I haven’t been there in months.”
