Page 29

He realized he had been walking along the landing toward the flight of stairs that led upward to the bedrooms, not down to the kitchen as he’d originally intended. Rached gazed down at him from a stair halfway up. She looked rather more serious than when he’d seen her before.

“Good afternoon,” he replied. “I believe you are just the person I wish to see. Can you take me to your aunt’s room?”

She turned and climbed the stairs two at a time. So did Solomon.

“When did you last see your aunt?” he asked casually.

“At teatime yesterday. My teatime. She was on her way to change for dinner, although I’m not quite sure why she bothers, for her gowns all look the same. I wanted to buy her a new one with my share of the treasure money—a lovely bright blue to match her eyes.”

Now he thought of it, Miss Lloyd really did have rather bright blue eyes, despite their continually vague expression. Or was it a mask rather than an expression?

“That was a kind thought,” he said. “Were you all to be given a share of the treasure, then?”

“So I understood. Sydney says he only ever meant to keep it himself, though, even the quarter Sydney was promised for helping to find it. Our shares were to be in better food, new clothes, a governess, and even freedom from the bailiffs.”

Solomon blinked. “Did you mind?”

“Only about Aunt’s dress, because I knew Mama would forget.”

“You are an observant creature, aren’t you?” he said as Rachel opened the door at the end of the narrowing passage, next to the servants’ stairs. He followed her into a room that he suspected was smaller than hers. “I don’t suppose you noticed anyone leaving the house yesterday evening?”

“No, I didn’t. Well, apart from Harry the footman, who’s courting the upstairs maid two doors down.

” She took a deep breath. “I think she left yesterday evening, immediately after dinner when Papa was in his study and Mama and Jemimah were in the drawing room. The servants would have been clearing up after dinner, and it would have been easy for her to escape unnoticed.”

Having cast his eyes around the meager, tidy room that yet had an air of emptiness, he returned his gaze to Rachel. “Why that time in particular? Why not any time up until Garrick locked the outside doors?”

“I went up to see her before I went to bed. I sometimes do. And last night I wanted to ask her to come with Jemimah and me on our expedition. She didn’t answer when I knocked or when I called, so I glanced in and the room was in darkness.

I thought she’d already gone to sleep, so I left again.

” She dashed her hand angrily against her eyes.

“We might have found her if I’d only thought, and told someone, and—”

“Did you tell your father of it this morning?”

“Yes, but he didn’t listen. He never does.”

“Do you want to search the room with me?” he offered on impulse.

“If you like, though we already did. There’s only a shawl with holes, a disintegrating chemise, and a particularly repellent gown.”

“She took all her jewelry?”

“I don’t think she had any. She never wore it if she did. She probably gave it to charity. She was a bit of an angel in her own way, wasn’t she?”

Did angels shoot people for stolen treasure? “She does sound rather saintly. Do you happen to know if she possesses a gun of any kind? A little pistol, perhaps? Does she know how to shoot?”

Rachel stared at him. “I have no idea. I never heard about it if she could shoot, and I certainly never saw her with a pistol. I suppose she would be safer if she was armed.”

“I suppose she would,” Solomon said noncommittally.

He had wanted Rachel here instinctively, to stop himself feeling so much of a sneak, poking into a woman’s private possessions.

But it was as if the room had been wiped clean, as if Audrey Lloyd had never been there.

Wherever she was and whatever she had done, she seemed to have planned it meticulously.

“Did she have no personal possessions?” he asked with odd frustration.

“She had the little wood carvings that were pretty. A dolphin, a mermaid that we thought looked awfully like her.” Rachel cast a sweeping glance around the room, as though she might have missed them before. “They’ve gone too. They wouldn’t have taken up much space.”

As a last resort, Solomon hefted up the mattress. Then he looked under the bed.

Sighing, he sat on it. “I believe your aunt took poor children to the seaside sometimes.”

“She did. Quite often, so that all the children could get a chance. I asked to go once because it sounded great fun, but Mama would not let me.”

“Where did she take them?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. I want to say Folkestone, but actually, I don’t know why. Someone else may have mentioned it.”

The railway went to Folkestone from Tower Bridge.

Or was it Waterloo? Either way, the trains connected with the ferry to Boulogne.

It was the most convenient way to get from London to France.

“I shall look into that. Thank you. Rachel…you once mentioned to me in passing that in her youth, your aunt had been disappointed in love. Who with?”

“I don’t know,” Rachel said with regret. “She only referred to it obliquely, and when I asked my parents, they denied knowing what I was talking about.”

“Perhaps they didn’t.”

“No, I expect he wasn’t good enough for Papa. He preferred the appearance of a spinster sister to a mésalliance.”

Because that way he could blame Audrey for the failure? Solomon suspected that was what Rachel thought, though she was too loyal—just—to say it.

“Have you ever met Captain Tybalt?”

“Papa’s sea captain? What on earth makes you ask that?”

“A shade too innocent,” he observed dryly. “I imagine you have contrived to make the acquaintance of all your parents’ friends. And your siblings’.”

“Well, I did speak to him once or twice. I was curious—the captain being the person most in control of Papa’s safety during his expeditions.”

“What did you think of him?”

She considered. “Too polite. I didn’t dis like him, but he never smiled as though he meant it. To be fair, though, many people are not amused to be accosted by a nosy child, especially people who cone on business.”

“Then he was never a dinner or a party guest?”

“Oh, no. To Papa, he was staff.”

“Do you think your aunt might have known him?”

Her eyes widened. “I never considered it, but I suppose she might have. She is involved with a seamen’s charity, and Captain Tybalt… I have this idea that Papa knew him in the country.”

“On the estate? So if your father knew him, so might your aunt?”

“It’s more than possible. Have I said something helpful?”

“Very helpful,” he assured her, standing. “One more question about your observations, Miss Rachel. What do you think of Ben Devine?”

“Oh, we’ve known him forever,” she said dismissively. “He’s too used to following Sydney around, but otherwise I don’t mind him.” She frowned. “I wouldn’t marry him, though.”

“I wouldn’t let your sister do so either, if I were you. Not for a few years, at least.”

“Wild oats,” Rachel said with a vague yet wise nod. “Where are you off to now? Can I help?”

“Do you know where Sydney is?”

“We can see if he’s in his room.”