A Seditious Affair(85)

My dear Richard,

“I was angry with my friend;

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.”

Always your friend,

Dominic





The footman coughed meaningfully. Silas put the book down, with care, and followed him through to the drawing room.

Skelton, the man from the Home Office, was there, along with the constable George Ruthven. Ruthven glanced at Silas, and his eyes widened with a touch of uncertainty. Fine clothes making the man again.

Lord Richard stood by the fire, arms folded.

“Mason,” he said. Nothing in his voice but aristocracy. “I believe these gentlemen are here on this matter of your arrest. Carry on, Mr. Skelton.”

“Bail should not have been permitted, my lord,” Skelton said. “It seems that Mr. Norreys was somewhat overbearing. The custody officer will be disciplined. I want Mason back in the cells. This is a charge of high treason and conspiracy to murder.”

“So I understand,” Lord Richard said. “On what grounds?”

“May I ask your interest, my lord?” Skelton said. “Beyond his association with your cousin, Mr. Harry Vane. Because it seems odd to me that your lordship is sheltering a felon—”

“I don’t think I’m doing that.” Lord Richard’s tone was a gentle warning. “Mason is…” He waved a hand at Silas in invitation to speak.

“Taken a post as his lordship’s bookman,” Silas said. A barefaced, open lie, and he couldn’t quite believe Lord Richard wouldn’t simply deny it. “Getting the book holdings in order.”

“My late cousin Paul was a bibliomaniac,” Lord Richard added. “There is a great deal to be done.”

Skelton was gaping. “My lord, do you know who this man is? Do you know his record?”

“He is the man who kept my cousin Harry alive when our family did not,” Lord Richard said. “Harry informed me that Mason also wished to make a clean break with his past. As he is a bookseller of some expertise, and I needed my library dealt with, the solution seemed obvious.”

“Very philanthropic of you, my lord.”

“I don’t believe I require your approval,” Lord Richard said softly. “And I ask you again, Mr. Skelton, on what grounds do you accuse Mason of involvement in yesterday’s events?”

“I have a witness,” Skelton said. He was very careful to keep his voice neutral, but there was a gleam of satisfaction in his eye. “Mason was seen in Cato Street last night along with the rest of them.”

“What does that mean?” Lord Richard asked. Skelton looked blank. “Along with the rest of them. I understand from the newspapers that there was some arsenal kept in a hayloft and the conspirators were caught red-handed there. Are you saying that Mason was in there with them?”

“We have a witness, my lord.”

“So you said. Where, precisely, on Cato Street did he see Mason? In the hayloft, or not?” Skelton’s eyelids flickered. Lord Richard’s lips thinned a little. “You appear to be thinking about this, Mr. Skelton, and I am not sure why, since I have only asked you to repeat the testimony of your witness.”

“In the stable,” Constable Ruthven said. “Not a hayloft, begging your lordship’s pardon. Edwards said he saw Mason in the stable, with the rest of them. And, very sorry to say, your lordship, but I saw him running off myself.”

“At what time?” Lord Richard asked, unmoved.

“It was on the half hour, your lordship. The clock had just struck. Half past eight.”

“Good,” Lord Richard said. “Mason?”

“Your witness is a liar,” Silas said. “I was on Cato Street, but I wasn’t near the stable, or hayloft, or whatever it was. Never set foot in such a place in my life. I saw you down the street, George Ruthven, and I saw George Edwards stood by you, and if he’s your witness—”

“Thank you,” Lord Richard said. “There you are, Mr. Skelton.”

“I’m sorry, my lord, but I can’t just accept that,” Skelton said with a little incredulity. “The man is a known seditionist.”

“And your witness is a damned liar,” Silas said.

“Tell me this.” Skelton swung to Silas. “Why were you on Cato Street at all? Why else but to play a part in a conspiracy to high treason and murder?”

“He was there on my orders,” Lord Richard said, calm as if he’d spent his life lying to the law, and Skelton’s mouth dropped open.

“You—your orders?”

“Not to go to Cato Street,” Lord Richard said. “I sent him to my cousin, Mrs. Rawling, of Montague Place. Her father was the great book collector I mentioned. Mason informs me he took a detour to Cato Street to investigate the commotion going on there. A piece of idle curiosity, which has been ill rewarded,” he added severely.