His Lordship Possessed (3 page)

distress. “I bear unhappy news this morning. Mr. Davies’s

solicitor paid an early call. About you.”

“Indeed.” I looked over his shoulder at the stone-faced

doorman who was decidedly not watching us. “What

about me?”

“You’ve been evicted,” Fourth blurted out. “Th is

very morning, I fear. Th e solicitor quite forcefully

communicated Mr. Davies’s desire that you not be

permitted in the building by the doorman or any of

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the other tenants. Unfortunately he was not at all

forthcoming as to why such a grossly undeserved action

is being taken.” He twisted his hands together. “I assured

the man that you are the kindest and most considerate

of tenants, but he refused to be swayed. I cannot fathom

why Mr. Davies would do this to you.”

I could.
Walsh, or Dredmore.

I looked up at my offi ce window. “Have they closed it

up, or cleared it out?”

“Both. Mr. Docket told the solicitor that he would

see to your belongings.” Fourth grimaced. “As soon as he

mentioned casting them into the incinerator, the solicitor

happily agreed.”

“You needn’t worry,” I told him. “Docket is a mate; he

won’t torch my things. If you would be so kind as to drop

him a note through the tube and say that I’ll arrange for

a cart to come round tonight, after the building closes.”

“Anything,” he said, nodding. “Miss Kittredge, I

cannot express how sorry I am about this. I will be

writing a letter of protest to Mr. Davies as soon as I

return to the offi ce.”

“You’re very kind, Mr. Gremley.” I patted his arm.

“But under the circumstances, it would be wiser not to

openly associate yourself with me.”

His expression changed to one of unhappy

understanding, and he off ered me a sad smile. “You

should know that your advice to me was brilliant. I was

introduced to Maritza Skolnik by her father, who also

obtained her consent to be my escort on Friday night.”

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Skolnik was no fool; within a fortnight he’d have Mr.

Gremley engaged to his daughter. But as she was a lovely,

gentle creature, I imagined Fourth could look forward to

a very pleasant future. “I’m so glad. I wish you and the

lady all the best, sir.”

Fourth hesitated before bending and giving me an

awkward peck on the cheek. “As I hope for you, Miss

Kittredge.” With his face still turning red, he hurried off .

Davies had always been a conservative man but genial

landlord; he wouldn’t have thrown me out unless he’d

been given ample cause.
Walsh, or Dredmore.
Whichever man had made the complaint against me, I knew I would

not be invited to renew my tenancy at this or any other of

Davies’s buildings.

I might have sought sanctuary with Rina or Bridget,

both of whom had been completely justifi ed in their

advice to me, but I couldn’t do it, not yet. Not until I

found out which man was responsible.

I walked slowly back toward my fl at, but had no

interest in spending the day alone sulking. I also realized

that there might be other reasons I was being hounded.

What was Nolan Walsh hiding? Was it as Dredmore had

hinted, that I’d inadvertently stumbled onto something

that threatened Walsh more than the scandal of divorcing

his young wife?

And then there was Dredmore. He was a man of the

world, an important man not to be trifl ed with. Why had

he pursued me, and seduced me, and imprisoned me? I

was young, healthy, and attractive, but hardly anything

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beyond that. Rumsen was fi lled with women whose

beauty made me seem a veritable troll by comparison.

Hundreds of posh, nubile women Dredmore could take

to wife with a snap of his fi ngers—professional, talented

women he could purchase for the night or however long

he wished to use them. Lucien was not only rich and

mysterious, he was virile and handsome. Virtually any

female within the city would be eager and happy to oblige

him.My stomach growled, so I changed direction and went

to the fruit market, where the stands were just opening

for the morning’s business. Th ere I walked along until I

reached the old peach seller, who had just sliced open a

red-gold beauty to release the delicious fragrance.

Th is was where Dredmore had claimed he had

seen me the fi rst time. Where he had . . . no, the most

powerful deathmage in the country could not have looked

across a market and fallen in love with me at fi rst sight.

One required a heart for such a thing to happen. But why

would he wish me to believe he’d done so?

“Trying to tempt the browsers?” I said over the open

crates.

“Always, miss, always.” She handed me a slice. “North

country golders, sweet as honey this year, they are.”

I popped the fruit in my mouth and found it to be

precisely as she claimed, as well as sun-warmed and

remarkably juicy. “It’s scrumptious.”

She looked side to side before shoving a small paper

sack in my hands. When I reached for my reticule,

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she shook her head. “A gift, dearie.” She gave me a

meaningful look. “I’ll wager you could use a bit of

sweetness today.”

Th at put me on alert. “Why’s that?”

She leaned over the crates. “Bunch of beaters came

round earlier, asking after a gel looks a bit like you. Th ey said she lives a goldstone round the corner.” When I

glanced round she added, “No one knew this gel, ‘course,

so they went off . I heard one of them say something

daft about looking for her in some eagle’s nest.” She

straightened and said in a louder voice, “Morning’s a bit

chilly, don’t you think, miss? Best cover up until the air

warms.”

I drew my hood over my head. “I will, thank you.”

If Inspector Doyle had sent beaters looking for me,

it was either to bring me in on another phony charge

or to give me protection. I wanted to believe it was the

latter, and might have, if my eviction from the offi ce

hadn’t taken place. Dredmore might have fi led a charge

against me as well, and he had a legitimate one: I’d stolen

George. Although anyone with enough coin to aff ord one

motored about in a carri, horses remained the primary

means of transport round the city. No young blue ever

made a circuit of the parks in a carri, and even merchants

who could aff ord a fl eet of carris still kept horses as a

show of their wealth and status. Because of this, horse

thieves remained universally reviled by all the citizens of

Rumsen, and when convicted were regularly sentenced

to be whipped in public to serve as a warning to others.

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Dredmore would love to see me bound to a punishment

post and lashed until I bled
, I thought, my mood dark.
He’d
probably volunteer to ply the whip—

No, he wouldn’t.

As much as I hated him and his spectacular arrogance,

Lucien had employed his unsavory methods in an

attempt to protect me. Whatever we had been to each

other before last night, the man and I were no longer

enemies. I didn’t know what we might become, but our

interlude in the maze had changed everything.

I took my bag of peaches to a little children’s park

a few blocks north of the market. A few nannies were

pushing prams along the walks, but the benches and

sandboxes were empty. I sat down on a bench half-

hidden from the street by a large red-and-white-striped

glory bush and took out a peach.

“North country golders,” Doyle said as he sat down

beside me. “I hear they’re as sweet as honey this year.”

“Th at they are.” I took the other peach from the sack

and off ered to him.

We sat and ate the fruit in silence. Doyle left me

briefl y to purchase two mugs of spiced tea from a cart. I

warmed my hands against the sides of the hot porcelain

before taking a sip.

“I came in to fi nd a stack of complaints on my desk

this morning,” Doyle mentioned as we watched a fi erce-

looking nan bend over her pram to coo at her fussy

charge. “Funny thing, they all bore your name. Busy

night, Kit?”

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I shrugged.

He blew some steam from his mug before tasting.

“Th e commissioner would very much like to, what were

his words . . . oh, yes. ‘See that one dragged through the

streets by her ankles.’”

I turned up my toes. “Not much to them. Knots had

better be tight.”

“I also received a very interesting communication

from Lord Dredmore.” Doyle fi nished his tea with a

few swallows. “It seems that someone trespassed onto

his property last night and stole a black gelding from his

stables.”

I made my sigh heavy. “How terrible for him.”

“Th is particular gelding was trained to be ridden only

by a lady,” Doyle said. “And yet no side saddle was found

to be missing.”

“You know, I think I heard someone mention

rumor of a black horse this morning, too.” I pretended

to think. “Oh, yes. One was found at dawn standing

outside Halter’s stables. Lovely big black fellow, name of

George.” I glanced at him. “What a coincidence.”

“I’ll send a man over to collect George and pay Halter

for his troubles.” He regarded me directly. “Now that I’ve

told you how dreadful my morning has been, you will tell

me exactly what you were doing last night.”

“Before being kidnapped and held against my will at

Morehaven, or after?” I enjoyed the shock on his face.

“You really should do some investigating now and then,

Chief Inspector. I thought you Yardmen were trained

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LYNN VIEHL

for it.”

“Why would Lord Dredmore abduct you?”

“He’s a pompous, controlling ass; I’m diffi cult to scare

off , and we’re competing for the same job.” I dropped my

peach pit back into the bag.

Oh, and he believes that he’s in love with me.
I kept that thought in my head.

“Were there any witnesses to your abduction and

captivity?” Doyle persisted.

“Who were not in the employ of Lucien Dredmore?

Ah, no, sorry. He’s not that stupid.” I saw the lines round

his mouth deepen. “Just forget it, Tommy.”

“I don’t think I can do that just now.” He put his hand

over mine. “Did he hurt you, Kit?”

Beyond all hope of recovery, I was beginning to

believe. “No. Dredmore could never do anything to me

but make me laugh.”

“Th at’s not what I mean.”

Here was my opportunity for some genuine revenge.

Tom Doyle could take me to a physick, who would

examine me and fi nd the physical evidence of what

Dredmore and I had done. Since I was unmarried and

had never been charged with soliciting favors from

gentlemen, I could claim ravishment and have Dredmore

charged with assaulting me. Without witnesses it would

be diffi cult to see him convicted, but fi ling the complaint along would be enough to destroy his reputation. He’d

never again be invited to the governor’s mansion to show

off his grubby bag of tricks.

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It will end here and now
. Th e memory of Lucien’s voice in the gardens at Morehaven echoed in my mind.
All you

need say is no.

“Nothing else happened between me and Dredmore

last night that concerns the law,” I told Doyle.

“Perhaps you’ll change your mind after I tell you why

I’m here.” He fi nished his tea. “You’re wanted at the

magistrate’s.”

“Court?” I frowned. “Why, whatever for?”

He took my mug from me. “You’ll be arraigned on

charges of practicing magic in a residential area.”

“Even if I did practice magic, which I don’t, my offi ce

is in the business district.” When he said nothing, I

added, “My landlord had me evicted from the building

about an hour ago.”

“Th e address cited in the warrant is for your fl at, Kit.”

He rose and carried our mugs back to the cartlass, who

tucked them in her wash bin before handing Doyle back

fo’pence for the return of her crockery.

I went to the fountain to wash the peach juice from

my fi ngers, and was drying them with my kerchief when

Doyle joined me.

“Do you know a barrister?” he asked. When I shook

my head, he sighed. “You’ll need one. A good one.”

“Can’t aff ord so much as a bad one, Tom.”