by Archer, CJ
"We want to find your body," Lady Preston blurted out. We all looked at her. She looked at the daguerreotype in Jacob's hand. "And to do that we must ask your...your..."
Killer. "Yes!" I said, perhaps a little more enthusiastically than was polite considering the circumstances. "I agree, Lady Preston." I raised an eyebrow at Adelaide.
She nodded. "I told Mother and Father about that Frederick boy and how his parent might be involved. Father said...well, never mind his exact words, but he's not interested in following that line. He says his detectives are being paid well and will discover who the murderer is without your...our intervention."
Lady Preston winced. "However, I think you might be right about this Frederick, Miss Chambers."
"It was Jacob who made the connection. I'm just his voice," I said.
"Don't disregard your role, Em," he said. It was the first time he'd spoken directly to me since his appearance and it caught me off guard. I couldn't think of anything to say.
"Do you mean you will hire detectives of your own, Lady Preston?" Celia asked.
Lady Preston shook her head. "I came here to speak to Jacob, to urge him to think very hard about who precisely Frederick is, or was."
"He has tried," I said. "He can't recollect him. Perhaps if we made discreet enquiries, someone at Oxford may know of him."
"My thoughts exactly," Adelaide said.
"No." Celia spread her fingers on her lap, a sign she was trying very hard not to raise her voice. "Absolutely not. You are not to get involved, Emily. This is a matter for others, not young ladies."
"Agreed," Jacob said with all the coldness of mid-winter in his voice. I wrenched my gaze from his but shivered nevertheless. I didn't want to argue with him over the point, but I would if I had to.
"I'm not suggesting your sister be involved at all," Lady Preston assured Celia. "Just that she communicate with Jacob and learn as much from him as possible. I'll write to his old friends and see if they know of any Fredericks. If that fails, I'll write to the university itself and obtain a list of all Fredericks in Jacob's year."
"A sound idea," Celia said, relaxing.
No, it wouldn't do. Not at all. Letters would not suffice, and I would not be shunned. The investigation was too important. "I'm not sure letters are quite personal enough for this task." I turned to Jacob. "Is there one friend in particular who might know about this Frederick fellow? Someone popular with a wide circle?"
He narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at, Emily?"
"Just that a visit to one person might be more appropriate and discreet. In fact, I'd go even further and suggest that you be the one to visit him, not your mother or sister."
"Ah." He crossed his arms and his lips tilted in a sardonic smile. "I see now. If I agree then that means you have to attend too as my medium. A good try, but the answer's no. I'll not involve you."
"Because it's not my business?" I spat.
"Because I don't want you to get hurt."
A little late for that. My heart hurt like the devil ever since he'd suddenly appeared in my life then just as suddenly disappeared.
Celia coughed politely and I apologized for my one-sided conversation. "But I do think it's a good idea," I added. "And yes, it necessitates that I go too, but it's just a simple visit and will be one time only."
"I don't think it's wise," Celia said, but she was wavering. I could tell by the way she studied her teacup and didn't meet my gaze.
"I'll chaperone her," Lady Preston said quickly.
"I'll go too, of course," Adelaide added. "It'll be quite safe. As Emily said, it will be very discreet this way. No one will ever know we're making enquiries and I do think Jacob's guidance will be invaluable."
"Ha!" Jacob barked. "Bloody female logic. I don't suppose I have any say in this."
"Jacob agrees to the scheme," I told them.
Another harsh laugh from Jacob's direction. I ignored him. It seemed the best course of action while in public. Now if I could get him alone...
"Excellent." Lady Preston rose and smoothed her black basque jacket over her hips. "Come tomorrow, Miss Chambers. In the mean time, if you could tell her which of your friends will best serve our purposes, Jacob, that would be most helpful." It seemed our new endeavor had indeed brought Lady Preston back to life, and I found I liked her very much. I could believe this forthright woman was the mother of two charming, remarkable people better than the shadow I'd met over a week ago.
Our guests—the live ones—said their goodbyes. Celia and I walked them to the front door like old friends. Jacob remained behind in the drawing room, or perhaps he'd already vanished back to the Waiting Area. At least he would return to give me the name of someone to contact. It would give us a chance to finally talk. Alone.
I opened the front door and the familiar feeling of being watched returned. I tensed, looked left then right. At the corner of the street, peering back at us from behind the red-brown bricks of the largest house on Druids Way, was a little girl. It was too far to make out much except that she had black hair, a black coat, and couldn't have been more than about ten. It was the same girl whose bootlace was being retied by the man earlier.
"Excuse me," I said, moving down the stairs past Adelaide. "I must speak to that girl."
"Emily!" Celia scolded. "Our guests are just leaving."
I held my hand up for her to wait and began to run, but before I reached Mrs. Norstrop's house two doors down I saw the little girl's mouth move, uttering words I couldn't hear. An edge of something black—a coat?—flapped beside her, but the rest of it was out of sight around the corner.
Behind me, someone grunted.
"Adelaide!" Lady Preston cried out.
I spun round to see Celia supporting Adelaide and Lady Preston flapping a hand at her daughter's white face. Jacob hovered anxiously nearby and I knew he wished he could help.
"She almost fainted," he said, pacing around her.
Adelaide shooed Celia and her mother away, but she swayed unsteadily. "Bloody hell," she muttered, pressing both hands to her temples. "My bloody head hurts."
"Adelaide!" Lady Preston gasped. "Language."
Celia coughed politely and looked away. Jacob stopped pacing and stared at his sister as if she were a creature from another world.
Adelaide put a hand over her mouth. "Oh! Oh, I can't believe I said that. I'm so sorry, Mother, really. I don't know what came over me." She closed her eyes and groaned loudly.
"I think we should go home," Lady Preston said. "It's been a draining day."
"Would Miss Beaufort like to return inside and rest?" Celia asked.
"No." Adelaide sliced her hand through the air. "Let's go."
I suddenly remembered the little girl. I looked up the street, but she was gone. Curses!
"Until tomorrow, Miss Chambers." Lady Preston took her daughter's arm. Adelaide's face screwed up and she regarded her mother with disdain. With a snort and deep laugh that made my spine tingle, she marched down Druids Way with long, purposeful strides. Lady Preston had to trot to keep up.
Jacob watched them go, a frown cutting across his forehead. "Strange," he muttered. "Very strange."
"Did you see her?" I asked. "That girl at the corner? Did either of you see her standing there? I think she's the one who's been watching me."
"Someone's been watching you?" Jacob asked, his full attention on me. "For how long?"
"Ever since..." you left. "For about a week."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I thrust one hand on my hip and stalked across to him so that we were close enough to touch. Dear God, how I wanted to touch him, but he'd made it clear there would be no more intimacy between us. My frustration made me speak harsher than I meant to. "If you'd come when I summoned you, I might have."
He had the decency to look away. "Well, I'm here now," he said softly. "Tell me about the girl watching you."
"There's nothing to tell. Today is the first time I've seen her. She was just a li
ttle girl, only..."
"Only what?"
I shook my head. "Nothing. She was too far away to see clearly." And I might have imagined the dark, wild curls and the darkish skin, so like my own.
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