The Poisoner's Game

Chapter 25

M.

Uncle Matthew arrived like a peacock, strutting around the townhouse and squawking loudly. It would have been worse if Aunt Emily hadn't told him of Lady Ildwoors visit to soothe his anger at the prospect of one Lord Alexander Rocque III courting me. Fake courting me, I had to remind myself. I am sure she did it to protect herself. In any case, it made me grateful, for the many times I had seen the tick in Uncle Matthew's jaw and the clenching of his fist. His dark gaze followed my every move.

The energy of the townhouse, as ordinary as ever, prowled with an evil insistence along the familiar papered-walls, slinking beneath cherry wood floors, and wafting from the kitchen. It was the constant feeling of waking in the middle of the night to see a dark shape in the room looming, only to have the shape turn into a chair with the light. Everything that was once normal to me, or should have been normal, held a sinister intent. Had I always been tempting fate?

Everyone bided their time—my family, the Poisoner, and even Alexander.

I hadn't received another threatening note, which strengthened my first thoughts that it was Rose. She believed she had won so there would be no point in another letter. I hadn't seen Alexander for several days, and the family didn't know I was still seeing him.

Locked in my room for talking back to Uncle Matthew, I decided to organize the contents of my reticule. I dumped it out onto my bed, and I immediately noticed a piece of folded paper. The usual contents of my reticule would have been a small rose perfume bottle, which used to be my mother's, a tin of mints, a kerchief, and my coin purse if it didn't fit in my skirt pockets. I opened the paper, and it read:

M.

I have information about R.S. that you need to know. Meet me at the row home 1334 next to the Trinity Café at your convenience.

Sincerely,

An Old Friend

The handwriting was not familiar, and I could not think of any old friends I had in London who wouldn't reveal their identity. Less likely was an old friend who could tell me anything about my father, Richard Savoy. Alexander's fourth day was arriving, meaning he would be back in town. I returned all the items to my reticule, including the note. I needed to go to Alexander's residence and exchange information. I could not wait a day more with all that I'd discovered, at least that's what I told myself.

#

Down Piccadilly along Green Park, women carried baskets ladened with fruit, merchants pushed carts filled with goods, and coffee-stall keepers peddled their products, as they made the daily journey from Fulham to Covent Garden. I stopped for a moment acquiring a cup of coffee and a two thin for a penny before plodding along once more, the early morning sun poking through the grey sky.

A short thirty-minute trek later, I arrived at Alexander's bachelor residence. Constables patrolled the street, stopping periodically to bang on the lower windows, awakening servants and waiting for the "All right!" before passing along. I wrapped my cloak tightly around myself and pulled up the hood, so no one would recognize me. Not that many would. A lady should never knock on the door of a bachelor's residence. In any case, Rose did say I wasn't a lady.

A hastily dressed butler opened the door. He looked me once over, before saying, "No solicitations, especially of your kind."

He moved to shut the door. I put out my arm to stop him. "My name is Lady Margaret Savoy. Lord Alexander Rocque will see me."

The butler's eyes widened, but he nodded opening the door. "I am only letting you in because my lord told me of your name. If you have pulled the cap over me..."