Page 72 of The Trick of the Treasure
Chapter Fifteen
Solomon had noobjection to invading Sydney’s privacy. Part of him really wanted to knock the cub down, hurt him for what he had said about Constance. But then, it was not so different from what the rest of the world said, only the world would never say it to him, not with impunity. Besides which, he was aware that some of his unusually short temper was down to David. Whether or not this Johnny was David—and he was beginning to think not—he would have to come to terms eventually with the reality that he would never find him. The idea that David might notwantto find him was almost as unbearable as imagining what had happened to him all those years ago.
None of that was Sydney’s fault, and Solomon was not known as a cool head for nothing. So he was perfectly in control of his temper when Rachel knocked on Sydney’s door.
“Sydney, are you in there?”
The door was wrenched open to reveal a scowling Sydney, who looked as if he’d been catching up on very necessary sleep. “Go away!”
“I can’t,” Rachel said without any pretense of apology. “I brought Mr. Grey.”
By then, Sydney had already seen Solomon. His color fluctuated and a wide array of expressions sped across his face, making them impossible to read.
He tried for the high moral ground. “Mr. Grey. I’m sure my father is delighted you could spare us the time.”
“Are you?” Solomon said coolly. “I’m sure you will be equally delighted to hear that Mrs. Silver, while sustaining severe injury in your father’s service, is likely to make a full recovery.”
He said it to gain a reaction, to judge Sydney’s complicity in the attack, which had surely to be connected to the theft of the treasure.
But Sydney rubbed his forehead in a bafflement that looked genuine. “Mrs. Silver was attacked? How? By whom? Is it related to my aunt’s disappearance?”
“Almost certainly. May I ask you a few questions about your aunt?”
Sydney held the door wide. “I can hardly say no, can I? Go away, troublesome child.” He grasped Rachel by the arm and whisked her outside the door. She barely had time to cast Solomon a look that said quite clearly,You see what I have to put up with?before her brother closed the door with finality.
As Solomon had guessed, Sydney’s bedchamber was much larger and more comfortable than Audrey’s.
“Do you happen to know if your aunt had—or ever had—any admirers?” he asked, refocusing his attention on the young man, who threw himself into an armchair in an attitude he clearly meant to be insolent. Solomon remained standing.
“Suitors, do you mean?” Sydney said with some amusement. “It’s hard to imagine, but maybe she did when she was young.”
“She is not so very old,” Solomon pointed out. “What age is she? Thirty-five, thirty-eight or so?”
“I suppose. Something like that.”
“Was she acquainted with Captain Tybalt?”
Sydney raised his eyebrows. “I can’t think of any reason she would be.”
“But to the best of your knowledge,” Solomon said patiently, “wasshe?”
“No. Though she did come on board with Mama, just before we disembarked. I don’t think either of them spoke to Tybalt.”
“Did you know him? Before you set sail, I mean.”
“Well, my father introduced him when we were planning the expedition.”
“You didn’t meet him before then? At your family’s country home, perhaps?”
Sydney scratched his head. “No, but then, I’ve hardly ever been there. Mostly, we let it. You should talk to my father.”
“I will. Rachel seems to think your father forbade Miss Lloyd to marry a man he considered unsuitable. Do you know anything about that?”
“Lord, no, but he’s a terrible snob, my father. I could easily imagine it, though Rachelisa child with a large imagination.” Sydney glanced up suddenly. “Good Lord, you don’t think Aunt Aud’s suitor was Tybalt, do you?”
“Is there any reason it couldn’t be?”
“Yes,” Sydney said. “My father still speaks to him. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not a forgiving man.”
