Dreaming Spies by King Laurie R

Author:King, Laurie R. [King, Laurie R.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780345531803
Publisher: Bantam Books
Published: 2015-02-17T08:00:00+00:00

Sleek black too-large car

Slips down the ancient post road.

Time to speak of death.

The party would not be Sato-san’s affair. It was to be hosted by Lord and Lady Darley, on behalf of the friend’s porcelain-ware company that the earl had agreed to represent, with a guest list that included the highest-ranking financiers and aristocrats in the country—and the Prince Regent. It was the sort of thing that Prince Hirohito would find difficult to attend once the golden bars of the Emperor’s Palace rose up around him, but as Prince Regent, he still had a degree of freedom, to attend the theatre, travel for a soak at his favourite hot springs along the Kisokaido, or stand with a drink in his hand while Westerners vied for his attention.

There would be few Japanese there. Even many of the servants would be British, since the event was intended to be a showcase of the best England had to offer, down to the gloved hands on the silver trays. It would, Sato-san declared, be little problem for two English people to obtain invitations, particularly when they had shared a recent voyage with the host. Western visitors were thin on the ground, these days.

“And you believe Lord Darley intends to exchange his stolen object at this soirée?” Holmes asked.

“His Highness has been … instructed to bring money.” Sato-san’s genial features turned stony at the thought of a foreigner issuing instructions to Japan’s Prince Regent. “Bearer bond,’ ” he spat.

“For how much?”

“Twenty thousand pound sterling.”

The number dropped into the room and sat there for a while. On the one hand, it was a considerable sum for a picture book, even one with its unique provenance. On the other, if one accepted that the future of the Emperor—if not the Empire—rested on it …

“One does wonder if Darley knows just what he has,” Holmes mused.

“I only care that the English lord has the book.”

“And I suppose there is no plan to have him arrested afterwards?”

Sato-san left it to his daughter to reply. “There can be no question of scandal touching His Highness,” Haruki-san said.

“Particularly,” I ventured, “since questions would be asked regarding the book itself.”

“Is shameful enough that His Highness will have contact with this man.”

Incredulity slowly dawned. I looked from daughter to father. “You do not intend for Darley to walk away from this!”

“His Highness would find the memory … unpleasant,” Sato-san replied.

My eyes sought out Holmes. He looked almost as troubled as I felt. It was one thing to detest a blackmailer, but to condone cold-blooded murder …

“We will find an alternative,” he said in the end, his voice tight.

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