your very fine brandy. Telling you unofficially, of course, and only due to our common profession. I know all about criminal libel and am making no actual accusations.”
“I thank you for all of this. I know it was imparted with the best intentions. Tell me, do you often work out of London?” Chase managed to keep an even tone, despite his silent cursing.
“Never do. I’m here on a family problem. For all the good it will do. Normally I am in the Midlands and such, and the northern cities. Liverpool at times. Manchester. Business inquiries. Financiers and industrial men. It’s more interesting than domestic matters, and for all their ruthlessness, cleaner. They aren’t gentlemen for all their money, but at least you don’t feel like you are pawing through someone’s underclothes.” He began to sip again, then stopped as if a thought had dawned. “One inquiry touched on your family, now that I remember. The last duke.”
“How interesting. You must tell me about it, if it would not be an indiscretion.” Chase rose and retrieved the decanter while he spoke. He refilled Mr. Monroe’s glass, to the man’s surprise and delight.
“I can tell you a bit, since we are colleagues of a sort, I suppose.” He enjoyed the brandy a moment before continuing. “Was up near Manchester. There’s a canal up there and them that own it were thinking of widening it. Only one of the partners would not agree. He said doing so would only benefit factories owned by two other partners, and not bring in enough to pay for the work or show a profit. Well, those two were angry, and one of them had me doing a few inquiries into the partner who stood in the way. Looking for secrets or such. Something that would be embarrassing if it came out. Was the late duke I was trying to learn about. He was the stubborn partner.”
The rogues had wanted to blackmail Uncle Frederick. “Did you learn anything of use?”
“Nah. First, it is hard to do inquiries on a duke. Then, I learned that he didn’t much care what was said about him, so what little I did find would not embarrass him. A taste for whores, for example. Common enough, but there’s those who would be mortified if the whole world knew. Was clear he didn’t hide it at all. I guess being a duke makes it all different.”
“Mostly.”
“I did learn that he would show up wearing costumes. Like he had attended a masquerade. Only he hadn’t. Took me a week to learn that. Wormed it out of a housemaid in his London home that he had a whole wardrobe of such things, and at times wore them in his house too, for no good reason. Even when he was alone.” Flush-faced now, he leaned in confidentially. “I confess I wondered if maybe he was a little mad, when I heard that.”
“Not mad. Only unusual.”
Those balls had taken permanent residence on Monroe’s cheeks above his big smile. He chortled, and firmly put down his glass. “Enough of that, and I thank you. Now I should return to my sister’s house and have some dinner. I am glad you received me, sir. I hope I have done you a good turn, as was my intention.”
“You have. I look forward to returning the favor.” Chase still expected a request for payment of some sort. When it did not come, he felt very cynical.
He accompanied his guest to the door. As the man started down the stairs, Chase asked a final question. “Who had you investigate the last duke?”
Monroe paused. “Well, now, I shouldn’t say.”
“I understand.”
Monroe stood there a minute, then came back to the door. “Excuse me. I’ve remembered that I need to write a quick letter to post when I leave. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. Make use of the writing desk.”
Monroe entered the sitting room, went to a writing desk, and used the pen on a piece of paper that he blotted, folded, and slipped into his frock coat. As he returned to the door, the paper fluttered to the floor.
With an innocent farewell, he went down to the street.
Chase picked up the paper that had “accidentally” been dropped. He read it, then tucked it away in the writing desk.
He looked out the window and watched Monroe walk down the street. Jaw tight, he barely managed to contain his anger with himself.
He had been negligent. With his mission, with his duty—hell, with his honor. He should have