Murder on Charing Cross Road by Joan Smith

Author:Joan Smith [Smith, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Mystery
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 2015-02-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

There was no nonsense about hiding things from Corinne when the Brigade met in Luten’s study the next morning. Luten looked around at his group and said, “Well, what went wrong? Black’s tip was accurate. They were meeting last night, but for what purpose? Was it just for the purpose of laying us by the heels? Their being there so early looks like it. They were ready and waiting for us. I’ve been thinking it over, and it seems to me they arranged for you to overhear their planning at Long Acre, Black.”

“Aye, they knew I’d head to Bessy’s place, where the Frenchies are known to hang out,” Black admitted. “I took the precaution of dressing in rags and walking about, stopping a few places to ask for Lefty, a lad who used to live there a dozen years ago. I left the hackney a half mile from Bessy’s and walked so I’d not stand out. I daresay they spotted me the minute I got there and were waiting at Bessy’s for me to walk in.”

“I’m not blaming you, Black. Your plan was a good one and well executed, but since they did recognize you, we must assume they’ve identified you. They must have someone here on the Square watching us. They’ve seen you coming and going here with the others. They outwitted us this time, but by God they’ll not do it again.”

“At least they didn’t kill us,” Prance said. “They easily could have. They had us at their mercy.”

“They didn’t want to risk murdering a bunch of nobs,” Black said, slipping into his mother tongue. “The town would sit up and take notice if the likes of Lord Luten and you others were all done away with at once.”

“Yes, they were just showing us who’s in charge. Morgrave must have enjoyed riding off on Smoker,” Luten said through gritted teeth. “I’ll get him back. Smoker, I mean.”

“Might be a clue,” Coffen said. “I mean to say, pretty hard to hide a horse. Especially a prime bit of blood like Smoker. Morgrave wouldn’t dare ride him, not in public. He’s easily recognized with them four white socks and that blaze shaped like a crooked star on his nose.”

“I’d know him a mile away, and he’d know me,” Luten said. “Morgrave isn’t stupid enough to ride him in public or stable him at whatever mews he’s using. He just took him to spite me. What he’ll likely do is sell him, and he won’t waste much time to do it either. I wager he’s up for sale by now. He’d obviously have one of his gang handle the sale, and do it away from London.”

“What he’d do is dye two or three of the white stockings and alter the blaze so he’d not be recognized,” Black said. “That’s one of their tricks.”

All eyes turned to the authority on crooked dealings. “Would you know where they might try to sell a stolen horse they’d disguised?” Luten asked.

“I know a couple

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