Page 42 of Murder at Somerset House (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery #9)
H awk shimmied back into the schoolroom from the narrow ledge outside the window. “Aunt Alison’s carriage just rolled into Berkeley Square.”
“Something havey-cavey happened this morning,” mused Peregrine. “Maybe we can winkle the details out of Eddy.”
“Oiy.” Hawk’s mouth pinched in a scowl. “Wrex and m’lady have been huddled with Herr von Münch for most of the day.” A sniff. “It seems to me that’s in violation of the House Rules. When Raven returns—”
“Shhh!” Peregrine held up his hand for silence. “I think Eddy is coming up the stairs.”
Woof. The sound of steps roused Harper from his slumber by the hearth. He raised his shaggy head and pricked up his ears.
Woof. A louder one.
The soft swoosh of skirts brushed over the corridor floor, followed by a tentative knock on the door.
Harper rose and nosed it open.
“Lady Peake thought you would like some Pontefract cakes,” said Eddy, holding out a bulging paper sack.
“Huzzah, huzzah!” exclaimed Peregrine, for a moment forgetting about the mystery as Hawk accepted the treats. “Heh, heh—Raven had better hurry home or there won’t be any left.”
Eddy frowned in puzzlement at their obvious glee. “What are Pontefract cakes?”
“Licorice confections!” chorused both Weasels.
A blank stare. “What’s licorice?’
“It’s made from the root of the flowering plant Glycyrrhiza glabra , a member of the bean family Fabaceae,” explained Hawk.
She crinkled her nose. “That sounds disgusting.”
“Suit yourself.” Hawk popped a confection onto his tongue and emitted a blissful sigh before passing the bag to Peregrine—who crammed two discs of licorice into his mouth and began chewing.
“You’re welcome to try one,” offered Hawk as he reached for another piece.
Eddy hesitated.
“Feel free to abstain!” said Raven, hurrying into the schoolroom. “All the more for us!”
Hawk grinned and tossed him a confection.
Reacting with lightning quickness, Raven plucked it out of the air, spun it between his fingers, and was about to take a bite when suddenly he paused.
“You really should try a taste,” he said to Eddy. He held out his hand, the Pontefract cake cupped in his palm.
“It’s … black.” She made a face. “Ewww, I’ve never eaten anything black before.”
“All the more reason to try it,” replied Raven. “Wrex and m’lady have always encouraged us to test our preconceptions, because we might find ourselves pleasantly surprised.”
Eddy didn’t miss the hint of challenge in his voice. Drawing in a deep breath, she accepted the offering and took a tiny bite.
The other two Weasels waited expectantly.
A sputter. And then a horrible gagging sound.
“Hell’s bells—fetch her some water!” cried Raven.
The gagging gave way to a giggle. “Just jesting,” she said with a sticky smile.
“That’s not funny,” he retorted, but a grudging grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“It’s actually delicious,” added Eddy. “Thank you for sharing.”
“Have another,” said Hawk. “And then, you really need to tell us about what happened this morning in the park.”
“So, what’s our next move?” asked von Münch, once Charlotte and Wrexford finished the lengthy explanation of all the twists and turns the investigation had taken, ending with the revelation that David Ricardo had cleverly spotted what the French were planning.
“For the moment, nothing,” answered the earl.
“Starting tomorrow morning, Sheffield and Cordelia, aided by Raven—who, as you know, has a special gift for mathematics—will begin working with Ricardo to counter the French attack and effect their own manipulations of the stock market to keep our country financially stable. Until they have specific marching orders for the rest of us, I’ll keep on trying to learn where Le Loup has his lair. ”
Wrexford explained about his suspicion that the French operative had an informant within the highest circles of the British government. “Sheffield is making some inquiries. I am doing so as well.”
“I, too, can seek information from my contacts here in Town,” mused von Münch.
“Might I also ask you to accompany my wife and my sister on a visit to the Tower Menagerie tomorrow? After all it was you who suggested to Eddy that she would enjoy seeing the legendary ravens.” Wrexford shuffled his feet, the weight of the pistol in his coat pocket a grim reminder that danger shadowed their every move.
“I wish to visit several of my acquaintances at Horse Guards to learn more about Wellington’s situation in Brussels and would prefer that they don’t go alone. ”
“Of course. I would be delighted to do so,” replied von Münch. To Charlotte he added, “Shall I come around after the nuncheon hour?”
She nodded.
“I look forward to—how do you English say it?—having a comfortable coze with you, milady.”
“With you, nothing is comfortable,” muttered the earl.
Repressing a smile, von Münch rose stiffly. “I shall do my best to change your mind on that. However, now, if you don’t mind, I am going to take my leave and get some sleep.”
“Where are you staying ?” inquired Wrexford.
“Don’t worry, milord. I promise you haven’t seen the last of me.”
“An incident this morning in the park?” croaked Raven as a piece of licorice suddenly stuck in his throat. After swallowing his surprise, he looked at Eddy. “I—I thought you went out riding with Wrex.”
“Oiy,” answered his brother. “She did.”
“And when she and Wrex returned, they were accompanied by Herr von Münch,” added Peregrine. “Wrex and m’lady were closeted with him in the drawing room for over an hour before he left.”
“Who is Herr von Münch?” demanded Eddy, noting that the name sparked a flash of alarm in Raven’s eyes. “He seems a very pleasant fellow, and yet …” She hesitated, letting her words trail off.
“He’s an old family friend,” answered Raven.
“Then why doesn’t Wrex seem to like him?”
“Oh, gentlemen are wont to engage in friendly banter,” responded Peregrine. “Think nothing of it.”
Eddy didn’t appear convinced, but Raven quickly turned the conversation back to Hawk’s original question. “Don’t keep us in suspense. What happened during your ride with Wrex?”
“As we made our way through a wooded part of the bridle path, a man with two pistols stepped out to block our way—”
“What did he look like?” demanded Raven.
“Hard to say. His face was in shadow—he may have been wearing a cloth pulled up over the lower part of his face—and he was dressed in dark clothing with no distinguishing marks.” She thought for a moment.
“He was broad-shouldered and about Wrex’s height.
” A fleeting frown. “And he had an aura of evil. Lucifer didn’t like him at all. ”
“You’re very observant,” murmured Hawk.
Eddy shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone pay attention to their surroundings?”
Seeing the Weasels surreptitiously glance at each other, she narrowed her eyes. “What are you not telling me?”
“Nuffink!” answered Hawk.
“We’re just surprised that a footpad would be so bold as to attempt to rob a member of the beau monde,” added Raven quickly.
“It wasn’t a random robbery,” said Eddy. “Wrex ordered me to drop back behind him when he spotted the man. Between the rustling of the trees and the restlessness of our horses, I could only catch occasional snatches of their exchange. But from what I did hear, the man appeared to know Wrex.”
She tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear. “Even odder, he knew my name, too.”
“Weren’t you scared?” asked Peregrine.
Eddy scrunched her face in thought. “No, I was more angry than frightened. He was pointing his pistols at Wrex, and now that I had finally met my brother, I … I didn’t want to lose him.”
“The encounter is very puzzling,” said Raven, after shooting the other Weasels a warning look. “But I’m sure Wrex will pursue the matter. In any case, there’s nothing we can do about it. Save, of course, to stay alert and do our best to keep out of trouble.”
“Oiy,” chorused Hawk and Peregrine.
“I thought you boys had more spunk than that,” she muttered.
Before they could respond, McClellan poked her head into the room and shook a warning finger at the four of them. “No more sweets! Supper will be served shortly.”
Harper raised his head and flashed his teeth.
“You’ll be eating in the kitchen with me, as Wrex and m’lady are going to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield.”
Raven scrambled to his feet. “Don’t bother setting a place for me. I think I’ll go along with them.”
“Absolutely not,” retorted the maid. “Since your name was not included in the invitation, you will be staying here and enjoying our scintillating company, along with my beef and mushroom stew.”
Raven blew out his breath, along with a very bad word.
McClellan raised her brows. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“I’m not hungry,” countered Raven. “I’m going to stay here and work on some of the mathematical equations mentioned in the book that Mrs. Sheffield gave to me.”
“Suit yourself. Just as long as you don’t subtract yourself from this house,” said the maid dryly.