‘How did Ezra know Lane?’
‘As I understand it, they grew up together, getting into scrapes on the streets of Clapham. Lane’s a good few years older than Ezra, but he obviously recognised an entrepreneur in the making in the younger lad even back then.’
‘Well, thank you. You’ve been most enlightening,’ Riley said, draining his glass and standing. ‘But a word to the wise. Don’t get it into your head to take over from Ezra and try to get Ida to finance the venture. I know where the premises are, they will be raided and the owners will be prosecuted if it’s an illegal establishment. Ida doesn’t deserve to be dragged into such a tawdry business.’ Buckingham’s face flushed, and Riley knew that was precisely what he had intended to do, probably playing upon Ida’s affection for Ezra to keep her involved. ‘I trust I’ve made myself clear. Good evening to you.’
‘What’s good about it now?’ Buckingham muttered to Riley’s retreating back.
Riley made his way home, ruminating upon Buckingham’s surprising revelations, not doubting that they were true. It would be interesting to learn whether Salter had picked up any information about Lane attempting to break away from his working class roots and graduate to fleecing the upper classes too.
Norris opened the door to him when Riley arrived back at Eaton Square and took his hat and gloves.
‘Evening, Norris. Is Lady Riley back from her day’s jaunt?’
‘She is in the garden, my lord.’
Riley found Amelia sitting on a bench at the side of the lawn, watching Simon crawling about, already attempting to pull himself upright by grasping Amelia’s skirts. She heard Riley approaching and turned to smile at him but Bruno got to him first, bounding up to have his ears tugged.
‘There you are,’ she said, as Riley dispensed affection to the dog and then leaned over to kiss his wife. ‘Just in time to watch your son attempting to take his first steps.’
Simon promptly fell on his bottom, making his proud parents laugh.
‘How was your day?’ Amelia asked.
‘Baffling. I hope yours was better.’
‘Much better, I’m sure,’ she said, watching Riley as he scooped his son into his arms and tossed him in the air. ‘But now that you are here we shall go back inside. I dare say you are ready for a drink, even though I can smell that you have already had one.’
‘All in the line of duty, I can assure you.’
She laughed. ‘How tedious your duty must sometimes seem.’
Riley carried Simon inside and handed him over to Agnes, who disappeared upstairs with her charge cradled in her arms.
‘What did the family think of Ashdown?’ Riley asked, pouring his own whisky without bothering to ring and have Norris do it for him.
‘Your sister and Sophia were enchanted. I think your mother was too, but she doesn’t know how to express her pleasure, since she is too accustomed to disapproving of everything. Anyway, I shall have a willing helper in Sophia when it comes to redecorating and furnishing. She is bursting with ideas.’
‘I don’t doubt it for a moment, but don’t allow her to wear you out.’
‘Oh, she won’t.’
‘I’m glad they approve,’ Riley said, sitting beside his wife and sipping his drink. ‘Is Stout here?’
‘No. He received a message when we got back and rushed off somewhere to do something for you. Now tell me how you got on today.’
Riley told Amelia a little about the business that had occupied him, but in truth he was looking forward to a quiet dinner with just his wife for company, putting all thoughts of murder and avarice from his mind.
Stout returned just after Riley had gone up to change.
‘You have news for me, Stout?’ Riley asked, pausing in the act of washing his face.
‘I have made progress, my lord. I received a message from a young man who knows just about everything there is to know about every senior servant in London. No skeletons remain in cupboards for long when he rattles the doors. Not sure how he does it, but there you have it. Anyway, I have utilised his services on your behalf in the past, and although he isn’t cheap, his information is always reliable.’
‘Don’t worry about the cost,’ Riley said, drying his face and hands on the towel that Stout handed to him, wondering why he felt the constant need to pay for information that led to convictions out of his own pocket. Money, he knew, that would not be forthcoming from the Yard’s funds without applications being submitted in triplicate together with countersigned receipts, and perhaps not even then. Riley wondered if the explanation lay in the fact that his determination to prove the detective department’s worth had not yet diminished. Then again perhaps it was pride, or pig-headedness on his part, since he disliked being outwitted by murderers. Either way, the money barely signified. He wouldn’t feel its loss, so he put it down to charitable inclination. ‘Just tell me what you discovered.’
‘Gregg’s mother worked for Sir Philip’s father as a housemaid, my lord.’
‘And let me guess,’ Riley said, rolling his eyes. ‘Gregg was the result of the master’s depravity.’
‘Precisely so.’
‘Is Gregg aware that he and Sir Philip are half-siblings?’
‘I think Gregg knows, but whether or not Sir Philip does I cannot say.’
Riley paused to think about it. ‘I rather think that he must do, Stout. Lady Randall purchased the house in Portman Square with her own money and employed all the servants
