Bedford Square by Anne Perry

Author:Anne Perry
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Police, London (England), Political, Police Procedural, Fiction, Romance, Women Sleuths, Thomas (Fictitious character), Mystery fiction, Historical fiction, Traditional British, Women detectives, Detective and mystery stories, Police - England - London, Pitt, Historical, English, Women detectives - England - London, England, Mystery & Detective, Police spouses, General, Psychological, Fantasy, Charlotte (Fictitious character)
ISBN: 9780449005828
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Published: 2000-04-04T06:36:20.584330+00:00

7

AS SOON AS PITT had left to go and see Sir Guy Stanley, Charlotte picked up the newspaper and read the article again. She did not know if Stanley had been threatened by the blackmailer or not, or what he might have been asked for, and really it was irrelevant. Whatever the truth of the matter was, the other victims would feel the same horror and pity for him, and fear for themselves. Whether it was a fortuitous accident or a deliberate warning to them, the result would be exactly the same, a tightening of the pressure, perhaps this time almost beyond bearing.

She explained her intentions very briefly to Gracie, then went upstairs and changed into the same yellow morning dress she had worn on the first occasion, because it was the one in which she felt most confident, and then set out to walk to Bedford Square.

Her sense of outrage and anxiety carried her all the way to the doorstep of Balantyne’s house, and when the door was opened she explained with the greatest simplicity that she had come to call upon the General, if he was in and would receive her.

However, she was crossing the hall when she encountered Lady Augusta, dressed magnificently in browns and golds. Augusta came down the stairs just as Charlotte reached the foot with its elaborately carved newel.

“Good morning, Mrs. Pitt,” she said icily, her eyes wide, her brows arched. “Over what hitherto unknown disaster have you come to commiserate with us today? Has some catastrophe occurred of which my husband has not yet informed me?”

Charlotte was too angry to be awed by Augusta, or anyone else, and she had been lately in Vespasia’s presence. Something of the older woman’s supreme confidence had rubbed off. She stopped and regarded Augusta with equal chill.

“Good morning, Lady Augusta. So kind of you to be interested. But then as I recall, you were always a person of warmth and most generous judgment of others.” She ignored the flush of anger on Augusta’s face. “The answer to your question rather depends upon whether you are just descending for the first time today, or if you have already been down, perhaps for breakfast?” Again she overrode Augusta’s sharply indrawn breath and obvious irritation. “I am afraid the news is most distressing. There is a highly scurrilous article about Sir Guy Stanley. And of course the usual miserable disclosures about the Tranby Croft affair, although I did not read that.”

“Then how do you know they are miserable?” Augusta snapped.

Charlotte widened her eyes very slightly, as if a mere flicker of surprise had touched her.

“I regard it as miserable that an unfortunate matter of gentlemen’s behavior while playing cards should have passed into public dispute and comment,” she replied. “Was I mistaken in imagining that you would also?”

Augusta’s face was tight. “No, of course you weren’t!” she said through her teeth.

“I’m so glad,” Charlotte murmured, wishing profoundly that Balantyne would appear and rescue the situation.

Augusta was not easily bested. She resumed the attack.

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