Page 77 of A Game of Scandal

“Oh.” Mother sniffed, clearly pleased to finally have someone to smooth her ruffled feathers. “Well, I have been busy, of course. If you couldn’t be here charming the sons, then at least I could be paving the way with the mothers.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

I tried to smile, though after all that had transpired in Cambridge, the thought of suitors and marriage and balls seemed even more ludicrous.

I hadn’t seen Laing since I’d arrived back in town, though the evidence of him was everywhere – not only in the flowers that continued to arrive at the house but in the figures I had seen lurking in the street below. I also got the occasional glimpse of Milton when Mother and I were out continuing the endless preparations for the ball. I was sure Laing too meant to attend, he’d told me so himself.

The thought was enough to make me shudder. I had a horrible feeling that Laing’s plans were about to be revealed – and I was certain I would not be the only victim.

“Right, Felicity,” I said now, aloud, clutching at the bed sheets. “You cannot simply lie here. It is time to come up with a plan.”

“You already came up with one,” a dry voice came from the doorway. “And it wasn’t even completely terrible.”

“Sylla!” I shot out of bed as Sylla Banaji stepped out of the darkness. “How did you…” I felt a moment’s panic. “You can’t be here! Laing’s men—”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Sylla smirked, careful to stay out of view of the window. “Those fools downstairs have no idea we’re here.”

“We?” I breathed.

“Put your robe on,” Sylla said. “There’s much to discuss.”

Bundling myself into my silk robe, I followed Sylla down the stairs, through darkened hallways and down the servants’ staircase to the kitchen.

There, sitting at a scrubbed table, drinking steaming cups of tea, I found Mrs Finch, Maud, Winnie and—

“Izzy!” I exclaimed, throwing myself into her arms. “How are any of you here? Laing—”

“Has people watching all of us,” Mrs Finch said calmly.

“And sent me on a wild goose chase.” Izzy squeezed me in a tight hug before releasing me. “We know.”

“Thanks to you,” Maud put in.

“Mari got my note,” I breathed, slumping into a seat at the table. “And she understood.”

Maud immediately set about pouring me a cup of tea and I cradled it in my hands, letting the warmth seep through my whole body. They were here. My friends were here. Everything would be all right now.

“You did extremely well, Felicity,” Mrs Finch said, and I wanted to have the words inked into my skin.

“Mari knew all the flower references, of course.” Izzy dropped into the chair beside me. “Begonia for beware, rhododendron for danger, violet for watchfulness.” She ticked the flowers off on her fingers. “The peach blossom gave us a moment’s pause, but when Mari said it could mean I am your captive, we took that to mean you had fallen into Laing’s hands.”

“It was Win who worked out the bit about the butterfly,” Maud said.

“Aricia agestis,” Winnie piped up with a pleased grin. “The Latin name for the brown argus. Very clever of you, Felicity.”

“Argus was called the hundred-eyed, sent by Hera to keep watch over Io to stop Zeus from approaching her,” Sylla said, as though reciting from a book where she had looked it up. “Once we realized Laing had us under surveillance, it was easy enough to slip past his men.” She sniffed. “For a master criminal, I’d say he needs to employ better henchmen. The ones stationed outside my house were practically asleep.”

“Mari wrote to you?” I asked.

“She telegrammed at once with a copy of your message,” Mrs Finch said. “And by then I already had my suspicions that Izzy had been sent on a fruitless mission. Once I had word you were back in London, the pieces slid into place. Laing was at the bottom of it all. I called Izzy back, and Mari and Oliver travelled down, in case we require their assistance. Now, tell us everything that transpired in Cambridge.”

I did so, giving as much detail as possible, while also concealing the identity of Ash’s family. He had told me that few people knew the truth about who he was; I’d have wagered good money that one of those people was Mrs Finch, but I intended to keep my promise to him. His secrets were mine now, just as mine belonged to him, and I would share nothing without his say-so.

“So Laing said he was in Cambridge on some other business?” Sylla asked.

“Yes.” I nodded. I thought for a moment. “And there was one other thing, but it could be nothing.”

Maud grinned. “So many of our best clues start that way.”

“There was a man in the street. He was drunk but he seemed to recognize Laing. Only he called him by a different name.” I screwed up my face, trying to remember. “Reeves,” I said finally. “He called him Reeves. It could have been a case of mistaken identity. Laing didn’t seem bothered by it.”