ain’t safe. I told my gran she should move away, but she said that was nonsense.”
I imagined Mrs. Beadle did not want to shut up her house and the income it brought her.
“I think I saw the murderer,” Harry declared proudly to Brewster. “I didn’t confront him or nothing. You said to only fight those what I was as good as. So I hid.”
I opened my mouth to question him, but Brewster held up his hand, and I subsided. “Good lad,” Brewster said. “Never start a fight ye can’t finish. Who was it that you saw?”
“The tall, thin bloke I saw outside our house, before Mr. Warrilow was done over.”
The tall thin bloke was probably Mr. Kingston, the missionary.
“Did he go inside?” I asked, unable to remain quiet.
“No. He knocked on the door, but the landlady sent him away.”
“What time was this?” I went on.
Harry considered. “Maybe seven of the clock? Me gran sent me around to the baker’s down this street for bread. He sells the loaves leftover for a lesser price. I was walking back with the bread when I saw him. Oh, and the major.”
“Major Eden?” I asked in dismay.
“Aye, it were him. He were walking along, easy as anything. He went around the corner yonder.” The boy pointed to the east end of the road.
I stifled curses. What the devil had Eden been doing in Cable Street on a night a man who lodged there had been killed?
If Pomeroy discovered this information, he’d not hesitate to arrest Eden anew, and this time make it stick.
“WANT to go wring the story out of Major Eden?” Brewster asked as we rumbled away in the coach. Harry had got another shilling from me for his information.
“I do, though there’s also another visit I’d like to make. But I’ll do that one alone.”
Brewster regarded me in irritation. “No, you won’t. I won’t be explaining to your lady wife why I let you get bashed about because you insisted on being private. My life won’t be worth a farthing. I’ll go if I have to stand in the street to be run down by passing carts.”
I hid a sigh. The errand would be taxing enough without having to explain to Donata why I’d gone. She’d have the truth out of Brewster quickly enough. There was no question which one of us he’d obey if pressed.
“St. James’s first then,” I said. “We’ll find Eden and ask him what his business was here last night.”
The task was not so simple. When we arrived in St. James’s Place, Eden was out. His landlady had no idea where he’d gone or when he’d return. No, he hadn’t moved out—all his things were still in his rooms, and he’d bade her a cheerful good morning as he’d gone.
I handed her my card. “Please tell him to call upon me at his earliest convenience,” I said. I touched my hat and departed.
“So polite we are,” Brewster growled as we walked away. “At his earliest convenience. I’d say I’d pull all his teeth out if he didn’t come to me right away.”
“I doubt such a threat would frighten Eden. Besides, if you tell a man you’ll pull out his teeth if he doesn’t come to you, it hardly motivates him to find you.”
“Yes, it do. Because he’d know if I ever found him again, he’d be gumming porridge the rest of his sorry life.”
Statements like these made me realize why I preferred Brewster as a friend, not an enemy.
We emerged from St. James’s Place to the corner where the carriage waited. “Brook Street,” I told the driver.
Brewster was silent as we traveled the short distance northward into Mayfair, through Berkeley Square and on to Brook Street. Brewster offered to remain in the hackney, but I told him he might as well take some relaxation in the kitchen. Here, I knew, they’d give him tea, or beer, or whatever he liked.
I plied the knocker on the front door and was told by the cool footman who opened it that Mrs. Brandon was indeed at home and would receive me in her breakfast room.
CHAPTER 18
“G abriel, how delightful.” Louisa Brandon came to me in a waft of lemony scent and kissed my cheek. “Please, sit. Coffee, Albert.” This last was spoken to another footman, who had the silver pot in his hand and was setting down a porcelain cup at a place opposite Louisa’s before she finished her command.
I bowed. “Thank you for seeing me and rewarding my appallingly bad