Katherine prayed that, this time, a stroke of luck would befall them. She was running out of suspects.
Chapter Sixteen
Lady Dalhousie could very well have died from the last attack. That knowledge swam in Katherine’s mind. She was unable to sleep, tossing and turning in the bed she shared with Harriet until her maid glared at her, gathered some blankets and a pillow, and moved to the floor.
Even Emma didn’t like the tossing and turning and soon joined Harriet. Katherine couldn’t help it. Every time she shut her eyes, she recalled the Pink-Ribbon Murderer.
Mere weeks ago, she had stumbled across the prone and strangled body of a young woman on the brink of death. Only her fortuitous arrival had stopped the killer from completing the task he’d set out to do. Sard it! Katherine had chosen the Burglar of Bath as her next investigation because the thief had yet to harm anyone. They slipped in and out of homes, public places, private rooms. Like a ghost. That was the way it was supposed to stay.
Now? If she didn’t catch the thief soon, Katherine feared that she would face another frightening moment when she stumbled over a nearly dead body. Perhaps this time, she wouldn’t be able to save the victim.
I have to do something. Unable to sleep, Katherine resolved to catch Sir Hugh in a suspicious act. In order to do that, she had to follow him.
There were no places at all to hide in the guest wing, with only a narrow corridor dividing the two rows of rooms. The narrow stair exited near Lady Dalhousie’s room, whereas the wider main staircase surfaced in the middle of the hallway. If Katherine lingered in the common room on the ground floor, she might not catch Sir Hugh in the act of leaving the hotel.
However, the first floor, where the Long Hall was located, provided a better vantage point of both staircases. If she hid near the servants’ stair, she had a splendid view of the main staircase in case Sir Hugh used that one instead. Because she expected a long wait, she busied herself jotting down her every suspicion in a slim leather volume, chewed in the corners from Emma’s pilfering. At first, it was difficult to read the words she added, but the light grew as she slanted her page toward the nearest window.
When she heard footsteps on the main staircase, she scrambled to her feet and prepared to follow the culprit. She was in luck! With his collar curled up around his chin and his shoulders hunched, Sir Hugh snuck down the staircase. If only he’d been wearing a dark cloak, she might have apprehended him on the spot! He looked up to no good.
After a count of five, she hurried down the stairs after him, stepping lightly in the hopes that she wouldn’t be noticed. When she reached the common room, she expected it to be deserted. To her surprise, she found a sleepy-eyed maid cleaning the tables and settling the chairs around them for visitors.
As the woman spotted her, she straightened, but Katherine waved her off. Since Sir Hugh was leaving the hotel, she didn’t intend to stay either. The door swung shut behind him, and she quickened her pace so she could peek out and discover which direction he had taken. He strode toward the center of town, where Bath Abbey loomed.
The early-morning chill was bracing. Fortunately, the air was dry; Katherine feared that, had it been humid, her breath might have formed ice crystals in her eyelashes. As it was, she wished she had thought to bring mittens despite it only being mid-September. She tucked her cold hands beneath her pelisse instead to warm them from the biting air.
When she judged Sir Hugh to be sufficiently ahead of her, she strode away from the hotel in pursuit. Unfortunately, she didn’t get far.
“Lady Katherine!”
Tarnation! Katherine inwardly swore as she heard the caller’s Scottish brogue. She couldn’t be rude to Lord Annandale, of all people, not when she suspected that Pru might be developing a preference for him.
As she turned, he jogged to reach her. “I cannae say I’m disappointed to find you’re an early riser. Can we speak a minute?”
Every second she spent with him, Sir Hugh strode farther away. However, Katherine was wise enough to know that she had little hope of following her best suspect this morning. She might as well capitulate to Lord Annandale’s request.
With a wave of her hand, she indicated the hotel. “Why don’t we speak indoors?”
He nodded and opened the door for her to enter.
Inside, the serving girl quickly settled them at a clean table with a cup of steaming chocolate and a Sally Lunn still warm from the oven. In all, a far preferable way to spend the morning. They sat next to a lit hearth, the crackle of the flames soothing her as much as the warmth shed by them.
When Lord Annandale said nothing to further their conversation but stared into his cup, Katherine prodded him. “I must admit to some surprise seeing you out of bed so early. Don’t most peers prefer to lie abed until noon?”
He frowned, the corners of his mouth disappearing into his auburn beard as he studied her. “What sluggard has time fer that? There’s work to be done in a day, at least there is back home.” He passed a hand over his beard. “Miss Burwick doesn’t lie abed all day, does she?”
When he spoke Pru’s name, he rolled the r almost as if he were purring. Katherine started to understand how Pru might have been pulled under his spell. Lord Annandale was an attractive man, not to mention one of the few lords who took his duties seriously.
“She does not,” Katherine answered.
The set of his shoulders relaxed a bit. He took a sip from his cup, cleared his throat, and glanced around the nearly empty room. Aside from the maid, they were the only two people occupying it, since the sun had scarcely risen. He met Katherine’s gaze then studied the contents of his cup.
“Ye’re Miss Burwick’s matchmaker, are ye not?”
“I am,” Katherine answered, wary.
He coughed into his fist as a flush climbed up his neck to disappear into his beard. “I’ve nae done this before.” He cleared his throat again and fiddled with his collar. “I knew you’ve got yer eye on Wayland for her—”
Katherine winced. How far had that rumor spread? Pru would not be pleased.
“—but I ken he has nary the least bit o’ interest in her. Not to say that she isn’t lovely.” Annandale raised his hands, as if trying to ward away an attack. “She is. But Wayland…” He scrubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “Wayland has his eye on a diff’rent bit o’ muslin, if ye ken my meaning.”
Katherine didn’t know how he could have made himself plainer. Wayland didn’t want to marry Pru; that she knew already, and it was a fortunate thing at that, for Pru would be more likely to slap him than kiss him.
“I know Wayland has no intention of making an offer for Miss Burwick,” Katherine answered. What a bizarre statement to say aloud. For some reason, she couldn’t picture Wayland making an offer for anyone. Perhaps that was due to the fact that she thought of him as more of a detective, perhaps a thorn in her side, but a professional worthy of respect and perhaps envy rather than a man with… desires. Again, that moment in the alley when her imagination had run wild with her flashed across her mind. Wayland’s body close to hers. For a moment, she’d considered kissing him. But he…
She shook the thought from her mind.
Fortunately, Lord Annandale didn’t seem to notice her sudden preoccupation. His blush climbed into his cheeks now as he admitted, “I’d like ye to match me with Miss Burwick.”
Had she just gotten her first proposal? In the past, the men who found themselves attached to her clients — whether said client was an official one or merely a sister she hoped to help — had always asked the object of their affections directly. She had never had anything to do with arranging the marriages themselves. What was she to say?
If Mrs. Burwick ever learned that Lord Annandale had come begging to Katherine for Pru’s hand, Katherine would have far more notoriety and clients than she wanted. Even if she must pretend at playing the matchmaker in order to hide her true objectives, she had hoped not to earn a reputation for being good at it. A good reputat
ion put pressure on her to try to arrange the matches she agreed to.
Though in this case, she believed Pru craved the match more than she let on. However, she couldn’t accept a proposal without speaking first to her friend. In fact, it was likely for the best if she wasn’t put in the middle of this.
Choosing her words carefully, Katherine answered, “I’m hired more as an advisor than someone meant to handle all the particulars of marriage. You’ll have to ask Miss Burwick directly, and if she’s so inclined, she will accept. I’ll remember you to her and encourage her, but the decision is ultimately hers.”
“Aye, of course.” He bit his lip and glanced at Katherine out of the corner of his eye before he asked, “Do ye ken if she has any preference for me at all? If she has her heart set on Wayland…”
That rumor might be preferable to the one of Katherine matched with Wayland, but it still aggrieved her to hear it flaunted. Why must people gossip at all? Perhaps she shouldn’t disparage the habit, as she sometimes learned pivotal information pertaining to her investigations in such a manner.
“I don’t believe Miss Burwick will be heartbroken to learn that Captain Wayland is disinclined to make the match.”
Lord Annandale straightened. His blush faded, and his smile grew. Zeus, the poor man was smitten with Pru. Katherine had to do something to facilitate the match, since it seemed obvious to her that Pru returned his affections. If she only spent a bit more time alone in Lord Annandale’s presence, perhaps Pru would realize it herself. But how? Now that Miss Newcomb had taken to stumbling after Pru no matter where she went, it was impossible. Unless… perhaps Katherine could arrange for Miss Newcomb to be too busy to serve as an impediment to Pru’s match! Although Mrs. Fairchild was an early riser, Katherine expected that she still had an hour before the rival matchmaker awakened.
Annandale said, “There’s hope, then?”
Katherine smiled. “I don’t see why not. Spend a bit more time with her, and we’ll see.”
“What do ye think might tip the scales in my favor?”
How was she supposed to answer that? After a moment’s thought and another sip of the rich, bitter chocolate, she said, “Miss Burwick enjoys the freedom to act as she pleases. She doesn’t care for the trappings of polite society.”
His lips tipped up at the corners, the look in his eyes softening. “I’ve noticed. ’Tis refreshing. Some say I’m a bit wild, too.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, you’re friends with Sir Hugh, are you not?”
“Aye…” He frowned, focusing his full attention upon her. “Has Miss Burwick asked after that scoundrel?”
“She hasn’t.” At least, not as anything other than a suspect in the robberies. Katherine leaned forward, her senses humming. “Why do you refer to your friend as a scoundrel?”
Annandale scowled. “The blighter’s been spending far too much time in Miss Burwick’s company after he knows she caught my eye.”
Jealousy. Katherine bit her tongue before she laughed.
“I hear he came into some money of late. I must admit, I found it odd that he carried around his mother’s earrings as a keepsake. Do you know anything about that?”
The Scottish lord looked at her as if she’d grown a third eye. “He does carry his ma’s earrings about. E’er since her passing, he’s been selling ’em steady to pay off his debts.”
If Sir Hugh had sold his mother’s jewelry here in Bath, could he have slipped in an item or two that hadn’t belonged to her?
Katherine asked, “Would those be debts incurred by gambling?”
“His da’s debts.” Lord Annandale gathered an air of disapproval, deflating a moment later with a defeated sigh. “He’s nae done well to turn to cards as a means to cover them. ’Tis why I followed him to Bath. He’s a good lad, but he thinks he can win and square away his life. It does not work like that.”
“No,” Katherine murmured, “it doesn’t.”
Had Sir Hugh grown tired of losing at cards and decided to supplement his income by stealing jewels instead? Why, then, had he chosen to lose his newfound money in a card match? Katherine couldn’t fathom it, but then she didn’t see the appeal of risking money at the table to begin with.
“Have you and Sir Hugh been in town long?”
“Months,” Annandale confessed.
The timeline fit.
She smiled, though it felt a bit forced. “Perhaps it’s fortunate that Miss Burwick and I decided to venture here after the close of the Season, then. You might have missed us, otherwise.”
“That’d be a sore pity.”
After draining his cup, Lord Annandale set it in the saucer with a click. He scraped back his chair and stood. “Many thanks for takin’ the time to hash this out with me, Lady Katherine.”
“My pleasure.” She hastily stood as well. “If you’ll forgive one more question, I’m curious.”
The marquess cocked his head to the side then nodded.
“When did Captain Wayland contact you requesting to stay at the townhouse you were letting?”
“Ah, that.” Annandale laughed. “The mad blighter showed up on my doorstep one eve and begged me a favor. Said he’d followed a bit o’ muslin to town and he feared she’d be up to no good. He ne’er did tell me her name, but I think his affections are obvious enough, don’t you?”
The one thing obvious to Katherine was that Lord Annandale was exceedingly gullible. Katherine knew that Wayland had to have ventured to Bath in order to solve the mystery of the stolen jewels. However, the fact that he’d arrived spur of the moment without asking Annandale in advance informed Katherine that he’d only arranged the trip after learning that Katherine intended to solve this mystery. He pretended to play fair, but he’d had an ulterior motive all along. He must have taken offense in some way that she had solved the Pink-Ribbon Murders before him.
Well, I intend to solve these thefts first, as well.
Katherine parted ways with Lord Annandale, venturing above stairs as she searched for Mrs. Fairchild. Pressing her ear to the woman’s door along the way alerted Katherine to the fact that the woman had risen, even if she hadn’t yet left her room. Unfortunately, Katherine wasn’t quiet enough to fool Emma. Her pug whined from behind the closed door to her room.
With a sigh, Katherine detoured to fetch Emma’s leash and escort her out of doors to void her bladder. Harriet was still asleep on the floor. Katherine must have tired her out more than she’d thought, with all the restless tossing and turning throughout the night.
The air was no less brisk for Katherine’s foray next to the fire. If anything, it felt even colder. She rushed Emma through their jaunt in the gardens. Unfortunately, once she did her business, the pug was not at all interested in returning inside. Instead, she yipped and pulled with her full inconsiderable weight on the leash, leading Katherine deeper into the gardens. To keep the poor dog from strangling herself, Katherine followed.
Emma led her all the way to the Marquess of Bath. What was he doing out here, on such a bitter cold morning?
“Lady Katherine,” he greeted her with a smile, not seeming to notice the way Emma begged for his attention.
“Lord Bath. What an unexpected delight. Why are you out in the garden and not inside the hotel?” She twisted, looking over her shoulder toward the looming building. She didn’t espy any movement, indicating that the bulk of the residents were still abed.
A furrow forming on his brow, the marquess followed her gaze toward the hotel. “I’m worried over this latest theft,” he admitted. “It isn’t like this thief to harm someone in the process of his robbery.”
“That means we have yet another danger to look out for,” Katherine completed.
Lord Bath nodded once, tersely. “Precisely.” His jaw was clenched, his usual jovial air replaced by one of seriousness. “I thought I’d take a walk in the gardens to clear my head. These afford a good view of the hotel, in case the thief returns. I can head him off.”
The marques
s was attempting to catch the robber himself? “That is… an admirable yet surprisingly direct approach. Haven’t you hired Mr. Salmon to handle matters such as this? Granted, you know my opinion of his professional acumen…”
“I’m beginning to worry it might be too much for him to handle,” Lord Bath admitted. “I’ve had reports from a patrol who, only the other day, encountered a group of robbers and chased them off from a townhouse near here. I’m afraid every would-be thief will now come out of the shadows and try to take advantage of the situation. We could have several thieves in town. They’ll drive away visitors, for certain.” His face fell. “Until now, most have seen the thefts as a sort of entertainment, but if people continue to get hurt…”
She laid her hand on his sleeve, wincing. “The group the patrol encountered, they weren’t thieves.”
“They must have been. They were climbing into a window near the scene of a previous crime.”
She examined the sky as she admitted, “Or investigating the crime.” As she met his baffled gaze, she cringed. “I was one of the group. Mr. Murphy and Captain Wayland were with me. They can attest that we were only searching for clues so we could end this.”
The expression on the marquess’s face turned to stone. “Katherine,” he admonished her. “What would your father think?”
“He would applaud my initiative.” Though perhaps not her choice of company.
“I highly doubt he would approve of you putting yourself in such danger. You ought to leave the matter to professionals.”
I am one such professional. Since she couldn’t point that out, she settled for “Such as Lyle Murphy, you mean?”
Lord Bath exhaled, exasperation and irritation clear in the flare of his nostrils and set of his eyebrows. Whatever disparaging thing he meant to say regarding her friend, a whimper from the dog at his feet caught his attention. His forbidding expression faded, replaced with a softer one.
Wagging her tail, Emma jumped on her hind legs to plant her paws somewhere in the vicinity of his kneecaps. Her mouth open, her tongue lolled as she whined again, canting her head to the side and offering him the saddest eyes Katherine had ever seen. Emma was quite the actress when she wanted to be. If Katherine didn’t know better, she would think Emma one of the most neglected, flea-bitten strays.
The Baffling Burglaries of Bath Page 21