“But what about—”
She cut him off with a laugh he’d surely peg as being brittle and unnatural had he not been caught up in his own concerns. “You can almost see where I live from where you are. No, you go, Cousin Stephen, for in less than a minute I’ll be home.”
To her annoyance, he refused to let her go on alone and within a couple of minutes, they were drawing up in front of her townhouse.
He got out with her, saw her to the front door, then turned, declaring her idea a capital one but adding he’d rather enjoy the fresh air and walk to his club.
A glance over her shoulder as Hetty was about to issue through the front door showed Stephen, head bent, deep in thought as he trod the footpath. The bright moon also revealed the jarvey upon the box, taking his time as he retied his muffler.
Hetty dashed back down the steps and rapped lightly on the carriage door to garner the jarvey’s attention before whispering, “Stay there another minute.”
The housemaid who’d answered the door was waiting at the top of the steps and Hetty quickly returned to explain that Mr. Cranbourne had left an important document in the carriage and that she would return it to him, then prevail upon Mr. Cranbourne to return to the ball with her.
“He is, after all, less than one hundred yards away,” she assured the servant, pointing.
Minutes later, Hetty was descending the steps to the basement of Lord Debenham’s townhouse, patting her mask to ensure her identity was properly concealed.
The sleepy-eyed scullery maid who’d obviously been roused from her makeshift bed near the fireplace regarded her with slack-jawed amazement as she clearly tried to peg Hetty as a streetwalker or eccentric lady of quality, while Hetty repeated in clipped tones, “Mr. Jem, your master’s valet. That’s whom I’ve come to see. Surely he’s not abed yet since he has his master to attend and Lord Debenham won’t be home for some hours, I believe.”
A handsome young man with delicate features and hair the color of corn answered the summons. He regarded Hetty quizzically from the kitchen doorway before ushering her to the servants’ hall. When Hetty told Jem she had a matter of the utmost importance to discuss, he waved away his fellow servants but mention of the letter wiped the smile from his face.
“You realize any magistrate would take a dim view of what you’ve done,” she told him as he folded his lean, athletic frame into a chair opposite her. “You stole Lady Margaret’s death note. That’s punishable by transportation at the very least.”
Jem wiped at the sheen that coated his high forehead. “Only one person knows about the letter,” he muttered. “I can’t believe—”
“It really doesn’t matter who told me since you won’t be facing any consequences except rather good ones, I’d imagine, if you cooperate.” Hetty smiled as she clasped her hands upon the refectory table. “Of course, if you pretend ignorance I shall have to have you cross-examined and you know the courts are very skilled at detecting if someone is lying. They might decide you are anyway and convict you just on Lord Debenham’s testimony.”
“He’d not dare.” Anger flashed from his pale-blue eyes. Suddenly he leaned back, smiling as if he understood everything. “Me master’s set you up to this, hasn’t he? Reckon he put the word on you when ‘is own threats had no sway wi’ me.” He shook his head decisively. “I ain’t no fool. Far as I’m concerned, there ain’t no letter so I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hetty sighed before coming to a decision. “All right, I’ll tell you the truth. I have a personal interest in Sir Aubrey and when I heard of a letter that might exonerate him I set upon discovering its whereabouts.”
Frowning, Jem raked his eyes over her. A faint sneer curled his lip. “So you’re Sir Aubrey’s fancy piece? Did ‘e set you up to this?”
“He did not and I am not his ‘fancy pi
ece’, as you term it.” Hetty strove for dignity. “I have a great tenderness for Sir Aubrey. I understand the painful association between his wife and your master. Worse, I know that it is solely due to Lord Debenham’s lies regarding the contents of this letter that Sir Aubrey’s reputation has been so sorely damaged.”
A slow grin split Jem’s handsome face and his eyes glittered. Almost collaboratively he leaned across the table. “You reckon you ‘ave a lot to gain by finding this evidence, don’t you?” He quirked an eyebrow. “Reckon also you’d be willing to pay for it too. It won’t come cheap, yer know.” Hetty’s anticipation was only slightly dented when he added, “No doubt you earn a pretty penny doing your line o’ business but this’ll cost more than even the best o’ your sort can pay.”
She knew she could afford his fee but she waited for him to negotiate.
“I’ll let you peruse it. I ain’t givin’ that letter to someone I don’t know from Adam.” He looked so determined Hetty didn’t know how to start to argue but was relieved at the concession when he added, “If it contains the information you’re after, your fine gennelmun protector Sir Aubrey can come to me direct and pay me what it’s really worth.”
A date was set for two days later, since that was Jem’s half day and the letter was hidden at a location some distance from Lord Debenham’s townhouse.
Then the young man rose, calling for the weary scullery maid, whom he instructed to “see the lady out”.
Hetty followed the girl through the dim interior, the street lighter shouting the midnight hour as she opened the door onto the street. It was still early by Araminta’s standards, which meant Hetty would be home and fast asleep by the time her sister returned.
“What an unexpected surprise.”
Emerging onto the pavement, Hetty jerked her head up to see Lord Debenham issuing from his carriage and about to mount his portico steps.
He took a step toward her, pushing back his cowl and offering her a leer. “If it isn’t Sir Aubrey’s…’special indulgence’. Come to indulge me now? I’m honored.”
Hetty lifted her skirts to flee but before she could dart out of his path, he gripped her arm and jerked her to him. His cassock was rough against her cheek and she could smell the brandy on his breath.
“Where are you going in such a hurry when I’ve only just arrived, little one?”