Not that he’d disagreed. She knew perfectly well he’d felt the same as the other two.
She humphed. Draping the pelisse over a chair, she carried her gloves to the bureau. Pulling open the top drawer, she went to drop the gloves in. Paused.
Her handkerchiefs were jumbled. She frowned, then opened the next drawer down. Her shawls were rumpled.
A quick survey of the dressing table and the armoire convinced her.
She looked up as the door opened.
Bess came in, packages in her hands. “There you are.”
“As you see. Has anyone unexpected called?”
“No. Why?”
Deliah cast another glance around. “I can’t be absolutely certain, but I think someone has searched through my things.”
“What?” Bess bristled. “The only other of our party who’s been up to the suite since you left is Sangay, the colonel’s boy. He came looking for the colonel’s gloves. But I was out for most of the afternoon, shopping for those things you wanted.” She raised the packages.
Deliah grimaced. “I don’t think anything’s missing.” She looked at the dressing table. “My silver-backed brushes are still there, and all my jewelry, so it couldn’t have been a thief.”
She sighed. “Never mind.” She focused on the packages. “Let’s see what you found.”
Seven
They were silent while they supped. Tension rippled between them-a certain frostiness on Deliah’s part, countered by Del’s studiously arrogant refusal to notice. Tony and Gervase, meanwhile, were exercised over the mission, as was Del; glancing at their faces, Deliah read their mounting frustration.
When they set down their spoons, Gervase spoke. “We haven’t seen anyone who isn’t English.”
Tony humphed. “We haven’t even sighted the man hiring.”
“Larkins, from all descriptions,” Del said.
“Ferrar’s man?” When Del nodded, Tony went on, “I wonder if we’d gain anything by watching Ferrar.”
“We’d have to find him first,” Gervase pointed out.
“I had Cobby ask if he’s been seen at White’s.” Del grimaced. “They said no, and the address they had for him was from years ago-a lodging house in Jermyn Street. He isn’t there, and the landlord hasn’t heard from him.”
Gervase shrugged. “If he’s using Larkins, then watching Ferrar won’t help us. And linking Larkins to the hirelings won’t materially advance our cause.” He nodded at Deliah. “Given you can identify Larkins as the man who shot at Del in Southampton, we can nobble Larkins any time we choose, but unless we can link Larkins and his lethal activities to Ferrar’s letter, we have nothing to implicate Ferrar.”
“Unless we can prove Larkins is acting under Ferrar’s direct orders, then Ferrar will simply deny any knowledge of Larkins’s doings, no matter what Larkins says,” Tony stated.
“Indeed. And it’s Ferrar we want.” Leaning back in his chair, Del looked at Gervase, then Tony. “I have to question whether there’s any point in us remaining in town.”
Cobby and Janay arrived with the next course. They waited while the pair efficiently cleared the table, served them from platters of meats and a tureen of vegetables, then, with everything in order, retreated.
Deliah decided to state the obvious. “London has a large supply of ruffians Larkins can hire to do his master’s bidding. Even if those we caught today warn their fellows, it’s likely Larkins will be able to find enough men to keep us busy here for at least a few more days.”
Del nodded. “And by dallying here, accomplishing nothing beyond running down the stocks of local louts, we give Ferrar time to build up his forces by bringing in more cultists-fighters he’ll deploy only when he needs to.”
“When we, or more likely our other three couriers, force him to act outside the major towns,” Tony said. “Even in the major towns, if the target’s moving he won’t have time to recruit. He’ll need to use his cultists then-they’re his only mobile force.”
After a moment, Gervase said, “We’re getting nowhere here. I vote we send word to Wolverstone, and tomorrow head into Cambridgeshire.”
“I second that.” Tony straightened. “We move-we force his hand. He must know by now that you’re not intending to deliver the letter to anyone in town, but he can’t risk you handing it on, so once you’re on the road he’ll have to make a bid for it, one he won’t be able to plan, and for that he’ll need his own troops.”
Del nodded. “And once we’re on the move, his attention will focus on the scroll-holder itself. That’s his real goal, the thing he needs to seize.”
“True,” Gervase said, “but if the opportunity presents, he’ll still take either you or Deliah as hostage for the letter.” Across the table, Gervase met Deliah’s eyes. “You’ll need to remain on guard.”
She nodded, but added nothing else, instead listening as the three men discussed the possibilities, then made plans to leave the next morning, with Del and Deliah and their combined households making a great and noisy show to ensure they were noted and followed.
“The scroll-holder?” Gervase cocked a brow at Del.
“Is safe.”
When Del said nothing more, Tony grinned. “Our journey to Cambridgeshire is sounding more promising by the minute.”
Deliah belatedly put two and two together. “I think my room was searched this afternoon.” She looked at Del. “Nothing was taken, but perhaps they were looking for the scroll-holder.”
“They
The tension, which had waned, ratcheted up again.
“I don’t know who. I can’t even be sure anyone searched. The things in my drawers were moved, and the bottles on my dressing table, and I’m sure my gowns hanging in the armoire weren’t in such disarray. I didn’t leave them like that, and Bess-my maid-never would.”
“Bess wasn’t here while we were out?” Del’s expression had turned grim.
“I sent her on some errands.” Deliah raised her brows at him. “There was no reason for her to stay in and watch my room-the scroll-holder isn’t there.”
She, Tony and Gervase looked at Del.
He continued to stare at Deliah, inwardly railing, but helpless. Eventually he answered their unvoiced query. “My room hasn’t been searched.” Not yet. Cobby would have noticed and told him if it had been.
“Well, then.” Tony raised his glass. “To a more productive tomorrow.”
They clinked glasses and drank.
The men’s conversation turned to military affairs, then to sporting events.
Irritated by the renewed aggravation she sensed coming her way from Del, Deliah seized the moment when Cobby returned with the decanters to excuse herself and retire, denying any wish for tea and wishing them a good night. They all stood as she rose.
“I’ll see you in the morning, gentlemen.” With a regal nod, she left them.
Del watched the bedroom door close behind her, and felt some of the tension gripping him ease. Not, however, all of it. By no means all.
Resuming his seat, he let himself slide into a discussion of the latest boxing feats. At least outwardly. Inwardly…
She’d become an itch under his skin, even more so after last night. And she-it, whatever this was-wasn’t any
