“But surely there is someone in his household who would be aware that the bracelet has gone missing,” Emeline said.
Tredlow shrugged. “As far as I know, his only relation is his niece. A Mrs. Rushton, I believe. She came to live with Banks a few months ago after she learned that he was on his deathbed. Probably didn’t expect him to hang on this long.”
Excitement brushed across Lavinia’s nerves. Tobias had told her that an impatient heir made a lovely suspect.
“This Mrs. Rushton is in line to inherit Banks’s fortune?”
“So I’m told.”
“Is she a collector?” Lavinia asked, trying not to give away her growing anticipation.
Tredlow grunted. “If the lady had a serious interest in antiquities, I would have seen her in my shop by now. As I have not made her acquaintance, I think it’s safe to say that she is no collector and would have no notion at all of the value of an item such as the Blue Medusa.” His brows rose in speculation. “I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that she is still unaware of the fact that the bracelet has been stolen.”
“Yet the rumors are out in the underworld,” Emeline observed.
Tredlow dismissed that with a shrug. “Probably initiated by the thief in his efforts to attract a potential purchaser for the relic.”
“Do you happen to know Banks’s address?” Lavinia asked quickly.
“His lordship has got a crumbling old mansion in Edgemere Square, I believe.”
“Thank you, Mr. Tredlow.” She retied her bonnet strings. “You’ve been very helpful.” She swung around and made for the door. “Come, Emeline, we must be off.”
Tredlow scurried after them and politely opened the door. He swept a deep bow and then fixed Lavinia with a darkling gaze. “When should I expect my fee, Mrs. Lake?”
“Don’t worry.” Lavinia lifted one gloved hand in airy farewell. “You shall receive it just as soon as my client pays me for my services.”
“Now, see here-”
Lavinia went smartly through the opening, forestalling further conversation. Emeline gave Tredlow a sweet smile and followed. The door closed behind them.
Out on the street in front of the shop, Emeline looked at Lavinia. “I saw a certain shrewd gleam in your eyes when Tredlow mentioned Banks’s niece, Mrs. Rushton. I am coming to recognize that expression. What were you thinking?”
“It occurred to me that, as Banks’s heir, Mrs. Rushton may be involved in this affair in one of two ways. Either she had some part in the theft-”
“That seems unlikely, if you ask me. After all, she was set to inherit the bracelet, together with the rest of Banks’s fortune.”
“Or she is every bit as much a victim as Banks himself. As you just pointed out, she was due to inherit. His loss is her loss.”
“Which means?”
“That she may well be a potential client for Lake and March.”
Emeline looked at her with gratifying admiration. “Aunt Lavinia, that is positively brilliant. You may well have uncovered a second client in this affair.”
“Indeed.” Lavinia tried to remain modest. It was not an easy matter. Two clients would mean double the fees.
“Mr. March will be very pleased,” Emeline said.
“It will be interesting to see if he is properly appreciative of my initiative.” Lavinia frowned. “Lately he has begun to take a distinctly proprietary air toward my business.”
“Proprietary?”
“Yes.” Lavinia paused in the street to wait for a farmer’s wagon to move past. “One might even call him dictatorial. He is forever telling me what I should and should not do. He even had the nerve to tell me that I had no business placing an advertisement in the newspapers.”
“Oh, dear.”
“As if it was any of his concern how I choose to advertise my business.”
“I’m sure he means well.”
“Rubbish. He means to discourage me from pursuing a career as an investigator. If you ask me, he does not like the fact that, when we are not working together as partners on a case, I am, in effect, his competition.”
“Come now, Aunt Lavinia, it is natural that he feels a duty to advise you in matters pertaining to your business. After all, he has had a great deal more experience than you have had.”
“He is doing his best to keep my experience quite limited.”
“Why do you say that?”
“As an example, he refuses to introduce me to his connections in the criminal underworld. Just this morning, I suggested that he introduce me to that tavern owner he calls Smiling Jack. He refused.”
“I see what you mean,” Emeline said. “I suppose Mr. March feels that it would be inappropriate for you to consult with the owner of a tavern.”
“In my experience, Mr. March has never been overly concerned with the niceties of propriety,” Lavinia declared. “I do not believe for one moment that he is attempting to protect me from unsuitable connections. It is far more likely that he wishes to keep Smiling Jack to himself.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes, I do. As proof of that conclusion, I must tell you that he also made excuses not to introduce me to Lord Crackenburne.”
“Hmm.”
“Some nonsense about Crackenburne never leaving his club.”
“Well, that does seem a bit strange.”
“In addition to offering opinions regardless of whether or not I have requested them and refusing to introduce me to some of his acquaintances, you will also note that Mr. March has taken to appearing quite regularly at breakfast.”
Emeline nodded. “We do seem to see a lot of him in the mornings.”
“It is exceedingly expensive to feed a man of his size and appetite on a regular basis.”
“Mr. March does enjoy his food, does he not?”
“It is not his food, Emeline,” Lavinia said with grave precision. “It is our food.”
“I think I understand what is going on here,” Emeline said gently. “You feel that Mr. March is crowding you.”
“On the contrary. Mr. March is not content to merely crowd one. His ambition is to trample one into the dust and leave one lying flattened on the roadway.”
“Lavinia, I hardly think-”
“All in all, it is imperative that I show him that I am perfectly capable of handling my own business affairs without his constant supervision, and that I can come up with clues and suspects without his assistance. Which brings us back to Mrs. Rushton.”
Emeline looked intrigued. “What do you mean?”
“Edgemere Square is not far from here. We shall pay a call on her on our way home.”
“Excellent. I shall look forward to watching your interrogation techniques.”
“Speaking of techniques,” Lavinia said.
“Yes?”
“I must tell you that I was impressed with the manner in which you employed that extremely syrupy smile and that blatant flattery to Mr. Tredlow. Your approach rendered him quite cooperative. Very efficient work.”
“Thank you.” Emeline was pleased. “My particular method of conducting inquiries may be somewhat different from your own, but I feel it has possibilities.”
“Indeed, especially when one is interrogating gentlemen. Is it a difficult technique to master?”
“It comes quite naturally to me.”
Tobias stretched out his legs, steepled his fingers, and regarded Crackenburne. The club was quiet at this hour. The only sounds were the snapping of the flames in the fireplace, the clink of coffee cups on saucers, and the crackle of newspapers.
“Another case?” Crackenburne asked without looking up from his newspaper.
“Mrs. Lake and I are conducting an inquiry on behalf of an old friend of hers, Dr. Howard Hudson.”
“Ah, yes, the mesmerist whose wife was found strangled.”
“I never fail to be astonished by your remarkable ability to keep up with the latest gossip.” Tobias turned his attention to the flames. “Apparently Mrs. Hudson was murdered by her lover for an ancient bracelet that she evidently stole.”