Page 5 of The Trick of the Treasure
“But it’s the challenges that make it fun.” Griz might have sensed Constance’s discomfort, for she changed the subject. “Did you come about something in particular?”
To many, the engagement would have been something very particular. Solomon’s lips twitched with amusement, but he said, “We were wondering if you had ever come across a family called Lloyd? Here’s his card.”
Griz took it and adjusted her spectacles. “Lloyd… I don’t think so, not at that kind of address. But then, I never moved in Society a great deal. Azalea and Eric might know.”
They were her sister and her brother-in-law Lord Trench. Constance had once discreetly attended a charity ball at their home, but she balked at making an open morning call upon on Lady Azalea. Solomon, of course, had business dealings with Lord Trench.
“Come to think of it,” Griz added, “so might my brother Horrace, who should call this afternoon. Let’s have tea while we wait.”
Their conversation became more general while the maid brought tea and scones. The baby fell asleep in Grizelda’s arms and she took it upstairs to its cot.
“Would you like to have children?” Solomon asked idly.
Oh, dear God…“It’s not always up to us,” Constance managed, annoyed with herself for blushing. Had she ever blushed before she met Solomon Grey? What child would not be ashamed of a courtesan for a mother? Thankfully, she knew more than most about preventing conception, but nothing was ever certain. “Do you?”
“Yes, one day…”
Fortunately, Griz re-entered the room with the guilty glee of many a parent on enjoying their hour of freedom, and before their tea was finished, the maid announced, “Lord Horrace, my lady.”
On the face of it, Lord Horrace Niven was nothing like his sister. He was tall and distinguished and very precise in his dress and in his manners. Griz introduced them quite casually, and his lordship bowed and shook hands with great affability. His eyes, however, were cool, hard, and unreadable, as he accepted a cup of tea from Griz.
“Dragan is at the clinic,” Griz told him. “But he said just to leave the parcel here.”
“Then I will,” Lord Horrace replied.
“Also,” said Griz, dropping Lloyd’s card into his saucer, “are you acquainted with this fellow?”
“Barnabas Lloyd?” Lord Horrace said in surprise. “Yes, a little. Adventurous sort, always exploring unlikely places or finding treasure…”
“He found some on an island off the East African coast,” Solomon said. “It was stolen from his London home and he has asked our help to recover it. We are concerned that his family or close friends may be involved, so an unbiased view would be useful.”
Lord Horrace’s gaze was direct and perceptive. “I see.”
Griz said, “They are private inquiry agents, Horrace. A more professional version of Dragan and me. I can vouch for them.”
How much weight that endorsement carried with Lord Horrace was debatable, but he said, “I know nothing against any of them. Except all that adventuring has played ducks and drakes with the family fortune. He bought his own ship and finances his own expeditions. Not sure his findings ever justify it.”
“Interesting,” Constance said. “So the treasure he’s just brought back is rather vital to him.”
“Then I hope it was insured,” Lord Horrace said.
*
Barnabas Lloyd andhis family lived in a large townhouse with a gracious, porticoed front door. It appeared to be well maintained both outside and in. Solomon and Constance were admitted by a smart, unsmiling footman, who showed them to a small reception room near the front door where, only moments later, they were joined by the master of the house.
“Let me take you to the strong room,” Lloyd said as soon as polite greetings were over.
Obediently, they followed him to the staircase and along the passage to a door on the right. It looked like every other door in the house—white-painted, paneled wood—but clearly appearances were deceptive.
Reluctantly, it seemed, Lloyd took a ring of keys from his pocket. There were four of them, the largest of them very complicated in shape.
A maid bustled past with a shawl in her hands, pausing only to curtsey, her eyes down, before vanishing through the double doors on the left of the passage. Probably the drawing room, Solomon guessed.
“This is odd,” Lloyd said ruefully. “I have kept the secrets of this room for years. It seems wrong now to be showing it to so many people—the police inspector yesterday, you today.”
“Our discretion is total,” Constance said mildly.
Solomon watched very carefully as Lloyd inserted the large key into the lock and turned it clockwise. A heavy metallic clunk was the only clue that this was anything other than an ordinary door.
