A Poor Choice of Enemies by Lucy Dunmore

Author:Lucy Dunmore [Dunmore, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781896238166
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

31

Tuesday morning and I was back in Chelsea. I’d dropped my brother off at his digs at eight, then went for a swim at Chelsea Baths. The rhythmic movement of the strokes as I did the twenty- five lengths gave me time to think.

Guy and Nigel were happy with their work of the previous night. They had paid all the back wages owed and put a few extra pounds in, but what they couldn’t do was replace the jobs that were no longer there.

It had been a sharp reminder lesson to them both.

Neither had ever really wanted for money, any more than I had, but we were all from the privileged classes and had no dependents. The villagers who ‘did for’ the nobs like us were in a very different situation, and any and all work would be considered, for there were young families to feed. Guy had suddenly been brought face to face with the reality of what needed to be done, and he had talked and talked all the way into town. He, we, needed a project that would provide work and stability for those people. He had talked with Pa, Maman and Angelique late into the previous night.

“Does this mean you’ll be changing your mind about making your fortune in the bank?” I asked.

“If we can get the right project, I can do both,” he said. “The bank will finance the right project, I’m sure.”

“Just make sure it is the right project,” I told him as I dropped him off. “And watch out for Mr. Ferdy Dugdale.”

Leggy had his door open as the black metal lift rattled to a halt. I followed him into the flat. His sitting room was piled high with files, ledgers and boxes.

“There’s tea in the pot, Alice, help yourself and find a place to sit, this is all the paperwork from Nutfield Lodge. We’re in for a long day.”

“Did you empty the secret drawer?” I asked, pouring myself half a cup of very black tea and topping it up from the hot water jug.

“In the bureau or the one behind the bookcase?”

Ah, so I couldn’t teach my grandma to suck eggs.

I settled in at the dining table and dipped randomly into the box in front of me.

A card index on a spiral, one of several, with a bakelite semi- circular cover, marked E-K. I opened it and flicked through the cards, expecting to find business contacts and useful firms – tailors, office suppliers, the odd restaurant – such as Mr. Lowther had on his desk.

The first card was just such a one: Eastmann Photographers, of Charing Cross Road, with the contact name Willie. Then came Easy Printers, Victoria, Herman, and Eccleston Wines in a Mews off Eccleston Square, and Bumble. Nothing odd about that lot, and I saw someone (hopefully not me!) having to contact all these people. It could be a job for life!

I flicked over the next card and gasped.

Leggy heard me. “What have you found, Alice?”

“Edward and Wallis, Duke and Duchess of Windsor,” I said.

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