Page 87 of The Gift of Patience
“Do you have any idea what these mean?” She opened the small leather-bound book to show him.
“Where did you get this, lass?”
“It’s Rupert Fagge’s diary. I found it concealed in a music box. He gave it to me as a gift the morning he died. Westwood has been helping me decipher it.” She then held up the decoded pages.
“A gift, you say?” Carew flipped through the pages and let out a low whistle.
“I am not sure he ever meant me to find it. What is it?” she begged.
“It appears to be a ledger of sorts. I’ve seen bookies use these columns. That’s a great deal of money changing hands.”
“Are those initials?” She pointed to the letters.
“Aye. And you can guess who some of those are.”
“Edwin Layton and Oscar Beckett,” she said.
“Unless I miss my guess, this one is Alastair Cholmely, Lord Singleton.”
“Captain Cholmely’s brother?”
He nodded. She turned the book over and opened it from the back.
“Are these Rupert’s numbers, then?”
“That would be my guess,” he agreed.
“Thank you for your help. I am not certain it will help them know who is smuggling arms.”
“It could certainly be motive for why someone would do it. That’s a lot of money to owe someone if that’s what it means.”
“It’s difficult to credit Rupert with that sort of cunning. If you are right, then there are any number of men it could be. Now we’ve added two more to the list.”
“Three of them lost a great sum to me that night and kept on wagering.” He turned to signal to the grooms to take the colts, then he took his waistcoat and jacket from a nearby post and climbed over the fence. They began to walk back to the house, and Xander shot out of the barn towards her. Peter and Billy ran out after him, but stopped when they saw her. They made quick bows.
“You may keep him for now,” she said, bending down to scratch behind the pup’s ears. “I am tending to some business and I know he enjoys your company.”
“Thank you, miss,” Billy said excitedly.
Another thought occurred to her as they returned to the house. She pulled Grace’s drawing from her pocket. “Do you recognize this gentleman at all? Perhaps he was at Inferno that night?”
Carew narrowed his gaze and studied the drawing. “Aye, I believe he was.”
Ashley cursedhimself as he tried to slip out into the darkness. He should have come out sooner and now he was at a disadvantage, knowing Renforth and their man were in the shadows. He went loudly past where Renforth was and Devil’smeeting place, then a few steps beyond where he was supposed to be doubling back quietly to his lookout post.
Devil was already exiting the back door by that time and Ashley could feel his pulse race with the thrum of anticipation. The mix of being on the hunt blended with danger as they moved in for the kill was what they lived for.
Devil stepped into the shadows and Ashley could see why it was the chosen place, and he doubted they would hear much of anything of their conversation. It was too risky to move closer. However, their man would not be able to leave without passing by Ashley or Renforth unless he went into the pub. Hopefully, they would get a good look. But he would be followed until the shipment was on the boat.
When the first words reached his ears, Ashley was grateful for the acoustic gods.
“It’s been some time, Devil. Where have you been?” The scent of cigar smoke wafted in the breeze towards him. It wasn’t pleasant mixed with the Thames at low tide.
“I ’ad a spot of trouble but now I’m back.”
“I see that. And you have some news for me?”
“Aye. Shorty and Smith ’eard as there’s to be another shipment like the last. Is it ours like ye promised before?”
