Page 41 of A Whisper in the Shadows (Raven & Wren #4)

“We’ll discuss your involvement with them,” Hadrian said. “I’d like to propose another way you can contribute, since you’re so keen to see the society succeed. Dr. Giles is an important asset, and we may need to provide him with a salary, lest we lose him to other endeavors.”

Mrs. Atkins waved her hand. “Bah. Giles just wants to elevate his position. He’s been trying to needle his way ahead for some time.

It’s the only reason he joined the society and agreed to be the physician.

” She lowered her voice as if she were imparting a secret.

“He isn’t even really a physician. He’s a surgeon .

” Her nose wrinkled as if she’d just stated that Giles was lower than the manure found on the street.

“I think he is, in fact, a physician,” Hadrian said coolly. Mrs. Atkins was not helping to ease his headache. “As well as a surgeon, which makes him incredibly qualified and useful.” He realized he may very well be defending a murderer, but he didn’t care for Mrs. Atkins’s superiority.

Before the woman could respond, Tilda smiled brightly. “We should be on our way. I need to attend to dinner.”

Hadrian wanted to kiss her in gratitude. They bade Mrs. Atkins farewell and left the pub, making their way toward London Wall.

“Thank you for ending that conversation,” Hadrian said with great relief.

“You seemed to need rescuing,” Tilda said.

“I most definitely did. Were you able to learn anything about her relationship with Phelps?” Hadrian asked.

“A bit,” Tilda replied. “I asked if they’d planned to marry.”

“You had to gossip again?” Hadrian asked with a smile.

Tilda chuckled. “Somewhat. She said she had no plans to marry him or anyone else, that she doesn’t want to do that again. I have the impression she enjoys being an independent widow of means, which I can wholly understand.”

Hadrian glanced at Maxwell to see the man’s reaction to her statement, but he didn’t seem to have one.

Tilda went on. “She said they cared for each other, and she believed their liaison was special—that they were dedicated to one another, I believe she said. However, there was an edge to her tone, and I’m not entirely sure if she was exaggerating, or if she was perhaps lying to herself about what was really happening between them. ”

“That’s an interesting perspective,” Maxwell said. He looked to Hadrian. “How was your conversation with Dr. Giles?”

Hadrian was itching to tell Tilda what he’d seen when shaking everyone’s hands, but that would have to wait.

Instead, he shared what he’d learned from Dr. Giles.

“I do think he’s still a suspect,” Hadrian concluded.

“He was angry about Eaton profiting from the society, whilst the doctor’s career has not been aided by his involvement.

I’m not sure he’s going to help me identify which of Eaton’s recruits are ill. ”

“That’s unfortunate,” Maxwell said. “Whatever happens with the investigation, I hope those people get their money back.”

“It depends on if the funds can be recovered,” Tilda said. “I wonder how much was under Phelps’s floorboards and if it can be proven to belong to the society.”

Hadrian glanced over at her. “Giles suggested that whoever killed Eaton stole the money from him.”

“That’s a fascinating idea,” Tilda replied. “And believable. Who do we think killed Eaton? And where? It seems the knife Jarret told us about could be the murder weapon, but does that mean Phelps killed him?”

Anticipation pulsed through Hadrian. He wanted to respond that Eaton had been killed at Phelps’s house and that both Phelps and Nevill had been present.

He’d never been more frustrated by Maxwell’s presence than he was in that moment.

The man had completely come between him and Tilda and the way they worked together to solve things.

“It occurred to me whilst I was speaking with Dr. Giles that the blade used to kill Eaton could have been something from a surgeon’s kit,” Hadrian said. “Dr. Giles has worked as a surgeon on occasion in order to meet his financial needs.”

Tilda’s eyes gleamed with interest—and admiration. “Excellent deductive reasoning.”

Hadrian preened inwardly at her praise, which was a trifle silly. And yet it wasn’t—he was beginning to acknowledge just how much her opinion meant to him.

Maxwell came to a stop and turned toward Tilda. “We shouldn’t accompany you to Mrs. Burley’s house. You’ll be better on your own.” He glanced at Hadrian. “We’ll loiter at the end of the street.”

“Brilliant,” Tilda replied. “Then afterward, we’ll meet with Clement at the Lion’s Heart. I do hope we’ll be able to narrow the list of suspects soon.”

“For which crime?” Maxwell asked with a faint smile.

At least for Eaton’s , Hadrian thought to himself. He began to despair that he wouldn’t be able to tell Tilda what he knew until after they met with Clement. He disliked that she didn’t have all the information he did and would be making further inquiries without it.

This wasn’t efficient.

And it was damned frustrating.