He might have taken her in his arms, lost himself in her mouth, but Coulter returned with the treasured possession.
“Here, take it.” He thrust the watch and chain into Dante’s palm. “I’ve wanted to give you this for a long time, but—”
“I understand.” Dante curled his fingers around the cool metal. “We’ll let you know the results of our investigation. And if you think of anything else that might prove pertinent, you can find us at our office in Hart Street. Covent Garden, not Bloomsbury.”
Coulter considered Beatrice with a libertine’s interest. “So, men pay you to solve their problems, Miss Sands.”
“People pay me to solve crimes, sir.”
Dante was torn between embracing the fellow who might be his uncle and delivering a swift upper-cut to his jaw. “And I am tasked with beating those who overstep the mark.”
Coulter laughed. “Ah, an intrepid duo. I see it now.”
Beatrice straightened her shoulders. “I have one question before we leave. Do you know why Alessandro hired an enquiry agent?”
The man thought for a few seconds. “To gather evidence against the countess. To force Lady Deighton to admit her failings. And because they feared the truth might get them killed.”
Chapter 15
They sat in the carriage outside Mr Coulter’s townhouse, silent, Dante’s mood subdued as he considered the pocket watch resting in his palm. Sharp shuffled in his box seat, waiting for instruction. A few times, Mr Bower cleared his throat, a gravelly grunt to get their attention.
“Is something wrong?” She’d thought Dante would be beaming with joy upon being reunited with his father’s watch. Hearing the story, learning of his potential connection to Mr Coulter, must have taken its toll. “Dante, we knew it would be difficult, but we’ve learnt so much today.”
Without warning he reached across the carriage, took her hand and placed the timepiece in her palm. “This isn’t my father’s watch. It belonged to Henry Watson. He bought it in London during our visit. I recall my father telling him he should have had his initials engraved into the shield emblem embossed on the case.”
Tears welled. Tears for the man who couldn’t wait to return home yet met a grisly end on the roadside one winter’s night. Tears for the man seated opposite, who had every snippet of happiness snatched from his grasp.
Beatrice slipped the watch into her reticule. Later, when alone in Howland Street, she would take time to study the object, run her fingertips over the surface, hug the instrument to her chest.
“I’m glad it belonged to your father,” Dante said, though his shoulders bore the weight of his disappointment. “You have nothing of his. And I know your heart is pounding with excitement though you’re trying desperately to hide it from me.”
She’d made a pact never to lie to him. “I’m both sad and delighted.”
“I find myself equally conflicted.”
The need to cross the narrow space and comfort him took hold, but he reached into his pocket and removed what appeared to be the chitty found in Mr Babington’s study. After a brief glance at the receipt, he rapped on the roof and instructed Sharp to take them to Holywell Lane, Shoreditch.
“Shoreditch?” She could think of only one reason he would want to go there. “You mean to visit the shop where Mr Babington pawned his diamond ring?”
“Babington pawned other items, yet this was the only receipt he kept. Clearly he had every intention of returning to the pawnbrokers. I want to know why.”
“But that was four months ago. I doubt the pawnbroker agreed to such a lengthy loan term. And if he did, the interest would be colossal.”
One might question why he pawned a diamond ring in Shoreditch and not in a more affluent part of town. But then he’d probably stolen the ring from someone in Mayfair.
“You’re probably right, yet the receipt is burning a hole in my pocket.”
“Every day, we get closer to finding the fiend, closer to solving this case.” Closer to separating and going their own way in the world. “I wonder what my next assignment will be. I pray it’s something less taxing, like finding a lady’s missing pug.”
“Finding a daft dog won’t be thrilling enough for a woman who courts danger.” A muscle in his cheek twitched. “Perhaps we should ask Daventry if we can work together again. We complement each other in many ways.”
“We do.”
“And I enjoy your company.” He shifted in the seat, rubbed a hand along his powerful thigh. “I enjoy your company immensely, as I hope to prove after dinner this evening if you feel inclined to accept my invitation.”
Her pulse fluttered in her throat. “I enjoy every moment spent with you, Dante. Just make sure I don’t have to pull a pistol on Bateson to gain entrance.”
“Does that mean you’ll come?”