Bellditch nodded, looking a little relieved.
“Indeed. Mr Black, will two days hence also be suitable for you, for us to visit the Charter Bank, and conclude arrangements there?”
Thomas nodded, still looking thoroughly stunned.
“Yes, Mr Bellditch, that will suit perfectly. Whilst the funds will be most welcome, two days wait will not be an issue – and I have much to think on. Might I, at this point, also arrange for you to meet with Mr Swithin, who has been my man of business for the last seven years, to work out between you what must be done, to align all of my affairs sensibly?”
“Certainly, certainly, Mr Black. And might I say again how delighted I am that we found you – and that the outcome has been so very positive?”
“Thank you. I am, as you can imagine, also most glad to have finally reached this point. But I will leave you now, as you suggest, and think deeply on how this will change my life.”
Thomas turned towards Damien, who smiled.
“Take the carriage Thomas, then send it back here for me. I have a few things I still need to speak with Bellditch about.”
Thomas sketched an elegant bow, and grinned at his half-brother.
“I suppose I will have to get used to having a carriage available now – for, from the sound of it, I now own at least one.”
They laughed for a moment, then Thomas went, shown out by the same wide-eyed clerk, and Damien turned to Mr Bellditch.
The man of business looked uncertain as he set the papers down on his desk.
“Do you think that you can find those deeds, Bellditch?”
“I certainly hope so. Give me a moment.” He turned to another of the large wood panelled cupboard doors along his office wall, and opened it, revealing another safe, which he proceeded to open. Inside, large boxes were crammed on shelves, each labelled with tags tied to their handles with string. He selected one of the largest ones, and pulled it out, straining a little as he brought it back to the desk. “If I have them, they should be in here. I will look through it immediately. But… before I do, there is something I wished to tell you, something for your ears only. I have uncovered a most puzzling thing – but one which I think today’s revelations may have just cast light on.”
“Oh – that does sound mysterious. Please do tell me of it.”
Damien watched, fascinated, as Bellditch actually flushed, looking acutely embarrassed.
Today, he had seen the man discommoded twice, when in the entire rest of his life, he had never seen Bellditch flinch at anything.
“You might have noticed that old Mr Jonas is no longer with us. He retired, after forty years of good service. Young Waters, who greeted you today, has taken the position. Waters is settled in at Jonas’ desk, and has been doing very well sorting out any remaining papers which Jonas had not completed. But… a few days ago, he brought something to me – something which he had found, tucked away in the bottom of the bottom drawer of Jonas’ desk. Something which I did not know of, and which should not have existed at all. It is a ledger, recording transactions made on behalf of your mother, for near twenty-two years. Transactions I knew nothing of. It seems that Jonas was working on her behalf, secretly, for all of those years. The records are meticulous, but…”
“But?”
“I do not know why those payments were made. Every single month, for all of those years, until her death, your mother sent 250 pounds to an account in one specific bank. In every place in that ledger, but one, the recipient is identified only as P.D.”
“All but one, you say? How are they identified in that one exception?”
“As Lady P. Danby. I do not know who she is, and have had very little luck to date discovering anything of her. Until now.”
“Until now?”
“Yes. I believe that the bequest which we unsealed today has provided us a clue, albeit a puzzling one. Did not your father, in that bequest, name Thomas’ mother as Lady Augusta Danby? It cannot be a coincidence, surely?”
Chapter Fourteen
Lord Setford froze, even as his hand touched the door. There, just outside, was Blackwater, striding towards the shop. Setford spun on his heel, and brushed past Thomas with an apology, and into the back room, allowing the curtain to fall back into place. He leant against the wall, and listened.
Thomas blinked a moment, unsure what was happening, then, as the front door opened, he realised the cause of Setford’s precipitous change of direction. Blackwater – his brother – strode into the shop, a frown making his scarred face look ferocious. It was enough to make a man quail.
“Blackwater – I was not expecting to see you again, so soon?”
“Nor was I expecting to be here. But, after you left Mr Bellditch’s offices, he spoke to me of something strange which had been discovered in our family records – something which I hope you can cast some light on, for I confess that Bellditch and I are both at a loss to explain it. Might I ask you some questions, about your mother?”
“My mother?”
“You told me a little of her before, but at that point, not what her full name was, before she became ‘Mrs Black’. I only heard that for the first time, when Bellditch read out the bequest today. But… what he told me after you had left, relates to a person of a similar name – and I suspect that cannot be a coincidence, although I do not yet understand the meaning of the connection.”
“That sounds most mysterious.”
“It is. What Bellditch had found was a ledger – a ledger in which his oldest employee had kept meticulous records for more than twenty-two years, without Bellditch’s knowledge. And those records showed that my mother had sent money, every month, to the same person, for all of those years.”
“My, that is, I gather, a very unexpected finding?”
“Yes. Tell me, do you know if your mother had any sisters, or aunts, or female cousins, whose family name was also Danby?”
“I think that she did, but I am not entirely certain – the only memory I have of anyone related to her is from when I was barely one year old. I think that there was a woman, but I may have imagined it, in my childhood desire for family. All my life, she refused to discuss her family at all, beyond that one early comment. The idea that I might have aunts and uncles out there, somewhere, whom I have never met, is in the same category as you were, until your father’s Will. People who are, to me, simply theoretical – not a real influence in my life in any way.”
“Damn! I had hoped that you might know more.”
“Why?”
“Because every entry in that ledger, except one, simply showed the payment going to P.D. The single except said ‘Lady P. Danby’. And neither I nor Bellditch have the slightest idea why my mother would have been sending money to this person, whoever they are, for so many years. I need to understand why. For, of all the unexpected revelations of the last two years, this is by far the strangest – and I have had enough of mysteries, and secrets.”
“Hmmm. Well, as I mentioned before, all that I know of my mother’s family, is that her father was an Earl, although not an especially wealthy one. Still, that should allow you to trace them, through Debrett’s, if nothing else. There are a lot of Earls, but still, not so many that it is not possible to view the entries for all of them in a relatively short time. And one of them will have a family name of Danby, if what my mother told me was the truth. And once you have found the correct Earl - one who had a daughter called Augusta – you will be able to discover what other children he may have had, or sisters.”
“A very sensible suggestion. I had forgotten that you thought that your mother was the daughter of an Earl. There is a Debrett’s in my library, as there is in the home of most peers – even if they are rarely consulted. Thank you. I will leave you to the rest of your day, and lock myself away in the library for the next few hours. I will let you know what I find – you deserve to at least know what your heritage is, even if you never meet any of them.”
“Thank you.”
With that, Blackwater spun, and was out the door at speed, leaving Thomas standing there, bemused, and wondering if he really wanted to know more of his mother’s family, or not.
He had to admit, though, that he was as intrigued by the puzzle of it as Blackwater seemed to be. Until just over a year ago, his life had seemed ordinary – he’d had little to worry about, beyond keeping the shop operating with enough cash flowing through it to pay his bills. And now… now, he had relatives he had not expected, money beyond his wildest dreams, and two properties. It all made his head spin.
A sound behind him made him turn. Lord Setford emerged through the curtain, smiling.
“Thank you, again, for the use of your back room. It seems that Blackwater has quite the talent for causing me to hide behind curtains. But I must admit, what I overhear in such circumstances is generally fascinating. I hope that your newly discovered family members turn out to be decent people. Good day to you – I will see you next week to collect my order.”
“It will be waiting for you, Lord Setford.”
<<<
Damien, went home, his mind turning everything over and over. The blackmail note he had received, the puzzle of that ledger, and its potential relationship to Thomas Black’s mother, the terrible gossip, and the challenge he faced to protect his sisters from it all.
He went to his salon again, shut the door, stripped off his coat, and took the swords down from the wall. He needed the calm of movement to think.
That evening, he would be attending a soiree, given by Lady Wells, escorting his sisters. Lady Camellia would be there, of course, to assist his sisters, and introduce them to yet more people of significance. That was, he admitted, the only bright spot in his day – well, apart from the fact that his father had done at least one thing right, in that bequest to Thomas.
But the thought of seeing Lady Camellia warmed him. He could no longer pretend that he was not attracted to her, no matter how unsuitable such an idea was – now of all times, when he should be focussed on protecting his sisters, and finding them good men to marry. She was bright, and kind, and generous to a fault, and so beautiful that she stunned him anew every time he saw her.
But he had to remind himself – she was in his presence so often only because of her promise to his sisters, not because she felt anything at all for him. He would be a fool to forget that fact, no matter how much he was coming to wish that it was different. He pushed that thought aside, and spun into movement, the swords a glittering whirl about him, allowing the calm of precision to overtake him as it always did.
After this, he would find his copy of Debrett’s, and look for an Earl with the family name of Danby.
<<<
Setford walked the few blocks from Bentick and Black to Bond street, and merged into the general foot traffic, until he reached the spot where his inconspicuous yet elegant carriage waited.
He had the feeling that what he had just overheard was important – he just did not know why, yet. But Blackwater would not be the only one consulting Debrett’s this evening.
Looking into it would nicely fill his time until Canterford arrived for the meeting he had requested.
Rather than be set down at his front steps, he stayed with the carriage into the back lane, and entered his home through the garden gate, leaving the coachman and grooms to unhitching the horses and storing the carriage in the coachhouse. Being inconspicuous was habit, after twenty years as the spymaster for the Crown. His cook barely even nodded as he slipped through the kitchen, and his butler simply smiled in greeting as he took Setford’s hat and cane once he reached the hall.
In the library, an hour later, he leant back in his chair, and savoured his cognac. On the reading desk before him, the weighty tome of Debrett’s Peerage lay open, to a page which provided him the details of the family of Arthur Danby, the previous Earl of Polfredge. Frederick Danby, the current Earl, now forty-seven, had succeeded to the title twelve years previously, at the age of thirty-five.
What pleased Setford most, however, was that the children of Arthur Danby, as listed, were Frederick, George, Charles, Anne, Augusta and Prunella. It seemed that he had found the right family. The significance of it all still eluded him – but he was sure that the information would come to him, and the puzzle would unravel in due course.
His ruminations on the issue were brought to a halt when the arrival of Lord Canterford was announced. As the man was shown in, Setford rose to greet him.
“Canterford, it’s good to see you looking so well. I assume that you asked to see me for a specific reason – have you found some new hint of treason amongst the ton?”
The Marquess smiled, and came further into the room. Setford waved him to a seat, and poured him a cognac.
“Perhaps. Perhaps not treason, but something odd, and underhanded. An issue brought to my attention by Lady Camellia, who has, as is her wont, been dedicated to helping others, which has made her aware of this. She has been utterly observant, and collected a plethora of details – but I am left with a puzzle. I am hoping that you may see it more clearly than I.”
“I see. You’d best tell me the tale then.”
Canterford took the glass Setford offered him, set it down on the side table, and reached into his pocket.
“I’ll be blunt – it seems that someone is trying to blackmail the Duke of Blackwater’s sisters. The threat is the ruination of their reputations – and the recent surge in gossip is the ‘proof’ that it can be done, designed to urge them to pay the requested sum. Camellia has been unable to convince the ladies to tell their brother, but the situation is becoming rather dire, as recent articles in the Daily Tattler have proven. The issue with it all, is that they have no idea of why they have been singled out to be blackmailed, nor of who the blackmailer could possibly be. So… I cannot tell if this might be related to something bigger, to something of likely concern to the Crown, or if it is an isolated case of petty opportunism.”
“It seems that today is a day for puzzles. And that piece of paper in your hand – is that relevant to the case?”
“It is. This is the second note that the Ladies have received from the blackmailer, with instructions for how the payment should be made. A payment which they would have made, had they had access to that much money – which they do not. It names a location for the wrapped funds to be deposited – a location I have men watching.”
Setford took the paper, and dropped into his chair to read it. After a moment, he looked up again.
“And what have your men discovered?”
“Very little. The place is much like any pawnbroker’s shop – a steady stream of people, frequently young men pawning precious items so that they can pay gambling debts, and an eclectic selection of oddities for sale. No one has brought any package which was in any way similar to that described in the note into the place while we have been watching. The only slightly strange thing was a visit to the shop by an older woman, obviously of the quality, who took nothing in, and left with nothing – unless she purchased some small piece of jewellery which went into her reticule. Not the sort of person I would expect to see in a pawnbroker’s – although you never know.”
“Is there anything else to go on? You said there was one note before this?”
“Yes – and a threat made in person, from behind the ladies, at a crowded soiree. They were unable to identify who spoke the words. In that, there may be another clue, although I cannot see it. The person who spoke to Lady Georgette apparently said ‘do be a sensible woman, like your mother was’. It seems irrelevant, but… perhaps it means something.”
“Perhaps it does, indeed.”
Setford sipped his cognac, staring at the wall before him, his piercing grey eyes thoughtful.
“What do you wish me to do, Lord Setford?”
“Exactly what you are already doing, m’boy. Keep your men watching the pawnbroker’s, and inform me of any oddities. I suspect that I have some idea of what is happening – but there is mu
ch to confirm before I can be certain.”
“Good, I’ll leave it with you. I trust that your astute mind will find answers, as usual, where no one else can see them. If anything further comes to light in the next few days, I will call on you again.”
Canterford rose, bowed, and departed, leaving Setford deep in thought.
<<<
The pieces of the puzzle were nearly all there, Setford was sure – he just didn’t quite know how they went together yet. Was it one single puzzle, or two? At first, he had considered it two separate issues, but something Canterford had said had left him with the feeling that the two seemingly unrelated things actually went together.
He reviewed what he knew.
The first puzzle was the payments Blackwater’s mother had made, every month for twenty-two years, to someone – someone who was almost certainly Lady Prunella Danby. Payments for which there was no known reason.
The second puzzle was the one Canterford had brought to him, of an unknown person blackmailing Blackwater’s sisters, for an unknown reason, and using a pawnbroker’s shop as the intermediary point. That person was almost certainly female, and a member of the ton, or able to move amongst them – for that would be necessary for them to have delivered the spoken threat at Lady Weatherby’s musical soiree.
And in that spoken threat, Setford realised, lay the clue which made him think that, perhaps, the two puzzles were one.
The threat had involved a reference to Blackwater and his sisters’ mother. And the inference which one could draw from the words ‘be a sensible woman, like your mother was’, was that their mother had paid in a similar way.
Which made the existence of that ledger full of payment records all the more interesting.
A Diamond for a Duke : Book 4: Camellia: Clean Regency Romance (A Duke's Daughters - The Elbury Bouquet) Page 11