Page 76 of The Trick of the Treasure
The woman looked genuinely confused. “What lady? There’s no lady here.”
Reluctantly, Solomon believed her.
He touched his hat, removed his foot from the danger of violence, and told the waiting hackney to take him back to Grosvenor Square and Constance.
*
Captain Tybalt, havingalighted from the train at Folkestone Harbor, left the station against two tides of people, one swarming in the direction of the Boulogne ferry, and the other who had just got off the ship to return by railway to London and all points beyond.
After a moment’s hesitation, he turned away from the town. He knew her well enough to try the beach first. It was pebbly rather than sandy, but still a pretty place from which to look out to sea as the sun went down. Even in the drizzle that seemed to have followed him from London.
It took him some time, and it wasn’t the pleasantest of strolls, with the wind off the sea freezing the moisture on his face and hurting his ears. How come he never noticed such discomforts at sea, when they were so miserable on land? The relentless drizzle formed a semitransparent mist in front of his eyes.
Since the weather had driven most people indoors, he followed the one speck he could make out in the distance until it resolved into the unmistakable, endearingly untidy shape of Audrey Lloyd. She wore a surprisingly bright shawl over her old bonnet to keep off the rain. Or as the symbol of the brave new life she had chosen.
He wished she had chosen it—he wished they both had—seven years ago.
She seemed to become aware of his footsteps on the shifting pebbles, for she halted and turned quickly to face him, almost losing her footing.
He reached out to catch her arm and she stumbled back from instinct, before he steadied her. She peered through her rain-misted spectacles, looking surprised in that vague yet unafraid way of hers that was quite unique.
“Captain Tybalt,” she said with a smile.
He raised his hat. “Miss Lloyd. May I join you? And may I further suggest we turn around and seek some shelter?”
“Yes,” she said willingly enough, accepting his proffered arm.
“They know you’ve gone,” Tybalt said. “Your nieces found you out this morning.”
“Did they?” she said wistfully, then smiled again. “Don’t worry, I’m not going back.”
He had never seen her eyes so determined. Nor were they vague in the slightest. There had always been more to Audrey than the obvious, and the world—including Tybalt—had been unbelievably foolish not to realize it.
“I’m glad you’ve come,” she said. “I have been so worried.”
Chapter Sixteen
Constance, having sleptfor a couple of hours, still had a horribly sore head, inside and out. But she was restless about being in bed while Solomon was on the case, and her friends would not lot her get up, even into the chair. She tried arguing and pleading and ordering, but she had taught them too well and none of them gave in.
“Can’t you see this inaction is making me feverish?” she said at last.
“No it ain’t,” said Fran, feeling her forehead to be on the safe side. “Just relax. He’ll be here soon enough.”
How dare she think I’m so desperate to see him?She glared at poor Fran, but the trouble was, the girl was right. Shewasdesperate to see Solomon, and not just to find out what was going on. She also worried for him. The murder of Joshua Clarke and the attack on her in his house had turned the case into one of acute danger and violence.
Eventually, Fran consented to bring her the small writing desk, but when Constance tried to write anything down, her head hurt and her eyes would not focus. She shoved it away in more fright than anger. It seemed she was more hurt than she thought.
Then why does Solomon not come?
At around half past six, Janey whisked into the room.
“’Ere! What the bloody hell you been up to? What you sodding done to yourself?”
She looked so terrified that Constance didn’t even tell her off for swearing. The girl only lapsed now at moments of extreme stress.
“Hurt my head,” Constance said carelessly.
“Someone hurt it for her,” Fran said dryly, “but she’ll be fine, Dr. Donaldson said, if she just stays in bed for a day.”
