akicif

It was a little irksome, had one been away for some years about the business of the nation, and given leave to return to visit one’s family for what one feared would be a short while, to discover that one’s mother, whom one particularly wished to see, was from home. About some tiresome matter to do with his little sister Bella, Gillie – Lord Gilbert Beaufoyle – was apprized by his father the Duke almost as soon as he entered Mulcaster House.

It was entirely clear to Gillie that his father was in a considerable concern that, was he not immediately conveyed the facts of the matter, he might hear some scurrilous gossip upon the business and at once go act the offended and vengeful brother upon the Earl of Blatchett.

Gillie sighed and said, one duel in Buda-Pesth, where these things are taken quite as a matter of course, with a Hungarian hussar, that I may as well reveal to you, was in order to gain an entrée to their circles.

Not quite the whole truth, but at least it would reassure his father that it had been in pursuit of his duties: that were not, as was generally supposed, as a younger son of a Duke in the Diplomatic, merely about being an adornment of Embassies at tea-parties, balls &C. No, Gillie, with his gift for languages, a keen intelligence, and his athletic abilities, was at rather more dangerous work.

So he diverted the conversation into all the news of family and Town Society that he had missed while travelling in the domains of the Tsar and then the Baltic regions. Brother Essie still not married – Rollo still philoprogenitive – Cathy the mother of a promising brood – Steenie a would-be poet that was getting up a magazine –

Sad thing about the Admiral – his aunt Lady Jane came round and now out of mourning – no, not living here – has good quiet apartments near Miss Addington – convenient for her philanthropic operations – no sign of Janey increasing after these several years – has quite the salon for her coterie of blue-stocking young women –

The various marriages among their set – Zipsie Parry-Lloyd got off at last – similarly Saythingport’s youngest daughter, married into wealth rather than rank, now she is out from the shadow of Lady Iffling quite an agreeable young woman, has the greatest admiration for Lady Bexbury – Raxdell now has all his offspring suitably wed –

There was young Jimsie Ketterwell, scarce returned from his honeymoon with Saythingport’s lame daughter, when there is this shocking matter of his father’s death and he finds himself Trembourne quite unanticipated –

I saw somewhat of that, said Gillie, but did not have the full story.

His father snorted, remarking that he doubted any would come at the full story. One must commend Asterley’s very tactful evidence at the inquest, though that had not stopped gossip.

I should go convey my condolences – saw somewhat of the Countess – the Dowager Countess I should say – in my travels –

Oh, she has gone abroad – given out that she recruits from the shock at some spaw, but there is speculation that she has some foreign lover, and really, one could hardly blame her married to that hypochondriacal bore.

Being about the nation’s confidential matters abroad most fortunately gave one practice in concealing one’s emotions. Rosy.  In spite of the difference in their ages, from being colleagues they had become lovers, and he was exceedingly anxious to know how she did.

So he gave a vague smile and said, did not immediate recall any overt scandal or linking with any particular name – but as for scandal, what was the latest to-do in the Fendersham imbroglio?

It was of course imperative that he should go see Sir Vernon Horrabin, provided he could manage to do so with all due discretion, as soon as might be.

That could be, he supposed, accomplished rather more readily in the absence of Mama and Essie and Bella – his father was preoccupied with the weakness of the present Ministry and the impending likelihood of a General Election, and Steenie was unlike to notice anything that did not strike some poetical note. He had made a very proper duty call on Cathy and Phil and their household – would have to journey down to Norleigh Hall to call upon Rollo and Di – ought to go make his bow to Aunt Jane –

But first, Sir Vernon.

There were certain matters to report best conveyed verbally rather than writ down even in the securest cypher – but a deal of the business was his superior expertly gleaning his impressions of a deal of phaenomena he had encountered during his sojourn abroad.

Sir Vernon gave an approving nod and said, was all very well, but there was a delicate matter – knew Lord Gilbert had been obliged to present as the cavaliere servente of Lady Trembourne –

Gillie nodded. A device to enable the communication of intelligence that had started their whole affaire.

– fancied he might have observed whether there was some particular favourite? He sighed. Has quite vanished since her husband was interred – said to be recruiting at some spaw but I can hardly go interrogate Lady Undersedge – very troubling.

Gillie looked pensive, then shook his head. She was very much pursued, but I did not think she favoured one more than another.

One cannot suppose her devastated by the loss of that tiresome fellow. But, to other matters. Before you leave for Paris –

Paris! Gillie could not completely suppress a grin. Quite the accolade. Of course, he not only had a superior command of Parisian French, but also Provençal, Breton, other regional dialects, and was at present studying Basque for his own entertainment.

– it would be advizable to convoke with Miss Hacker over the latest methods in lock-picking, the most recent things in skeleton-keys, &C: I will arrange it.

Gillie had somewhat of a conceit in his skills in such matters but he was somewhat cast down when he met Miss Hacker at the appointed hour. She desired him to demonstrate his aptitude, sniffed, and remarked that he sure required some brush-up to his talents.

He had to concede, watching her at work, that she had an almost supernatural ability with locks. Indeed, very clever fingers.

He had been wondering whether he might apply these skills he was improving to finding out Rosy’s whereabouts.

Except –

Maybe it was a qualm that he should overcome – for in the pursuit of his duties he might well have to undertake the like – but all the sense of honour bred in him from childhood revolted from the thought of sneaking – somehow – into Trembourne House and, once there, ferreting around in Grissie Undersedge’s escritoire to see did she have any correspondence from her mother. The feeling was quite physical nausea.

Don’t, said Miss Hacker, stand staring at the lock – look lively to it!

Gillie started.

It dawned upon him that Miss Hacker was, it was given out, in the employ of Matt Johnson’s investigation agency.

When the practice was over, and she was giving him an inventory of his weaknesses very like a fencing master with a promising pupil, he wondered –

Miss Hacker, do you ever take private commissions?

She narrowed her eyes at him. Private commissions?

To investigate things –

Ah-ha. Investigate things very discreet, nothing mentioned to Sir V, mayhap – She was looking at him as if he were a not very complicated lock. Perchance there might be a lady in it?

You guess aright, said Gillie, though the matter may be rather different than you suppose.

Say on!

There is some mystery about the present whereabouts of the Dowager Lady Trembourne –

Was that a blink?

– that I am rather anxious to ascertain without I bother her relatives.

There are those, said Miss Hacker in very dry tones, saying she had been playing high at the tables at the spaws the late Earl dragged her about.

Rosy had been far too canny to get into difficulties with play, but one saw it made some explanation.

But I can assure you I intend her no harm –

She tilted her head and scrutinized him for some moments. Mayhap and perchance! What’s it worth?

Gillie gulped.

Miss Hacker grinned. O, very like one day I may require a favour from you, or from one you can require it of, and I would rather have that laid up, I am not in want –

He nodded. That was fair. And also, he had not liked the thought of this transaction to discover Rosy being a matter of cash.

Well, you go practise what I have shown you, and I will go investigate.

So there were a few days in which he endeavoured to occupy his mind with practicing lock-picking, studying Basque, and going to a fencing saloon so that that skill did not lapse. He dared say that he ought to be going about Society, but – not yet.

On his next meeting with Miss Hacker, she put down a jangling of locks and skeleton keys as she said, Delft.

Delft? In Holland? What would Rosy do there?

She slid a slip of paper into his hand, that he supposed must be further information as to Rosy’s direction there.

Thank you, he murmured, picking up the skeleton keys.

She perched against a table to scrutinize his proceedings, making the occasional sharp comment. Eventually she called a halt, not before he found his hands beginning to tremble a little.

You will not, she said, glancing at them, be at all like to be at the task so long does it come to it.

He sighed. Does it take that long, should probably abandon it for fear of discovery.

She nodded. 'Tis the wisest course. But you come about to have a nice hand in the business.

Gratifying praise!

She then shifted from foot to foot, and frowned a little, and said, 'twas give out that he was very handy indeed with a sword, but had a notion that there might be occasion when a chiv might be a more suitable weapon.

 Gillie gulped. He wondered whether this was instructions from Sir Vernon or a thought that had struck Miss Hacker quite independent. One apprehended that there might be somewhat rough and tumble came about in the proceedings of enquiry agents….

Later, he had a further thought that perchance she hinted at the Blatchett business.