Pippa and the Prince of Secrets by Grace Callaway
18
“Concentrate, Pippa,” Mrs. Peabody instructed. “You should have anticipated my strike.”
Panting, Pippa rose from the mats. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Peabody.”
They were in the training room, housed in the building behind Charlie’s courtyard. Pippa was a bundle of nerves, for Cull had scheduled a meeting with her mentor later today. Before parting last night, they had deliberated over the best way to broach the idea of combining forces with Charlie. Pippa had warned him that it wouldn’t be easy.
Cull had said, “Leave it to me, sunshine. I will convince Lady Fayne.”
In retrospect, she ought to have at least asked about his plan. Spent and lazy after their lovemaking, she had merely agreed with a dreamy nod. Her blissful state hadn’t worn off by the time he dropped her off at her doorstep, giving her one last toe-curling kiss. She’d fallen into the deepest, most restful sleep she’d had in ages.
Now, however, Pippa was beginning to worry. What would she do if Charlie refused a partnership with the mudlarks? Her loyalty lay with the Angels…but she also believed in Cull—
“You’re distracted,” Mrs. Peabody said, frowning.
The housekeeper was a petite half-Chinese, half-English lady with golden eyes and dark hair worn in a bun. She’d suggested that Pippa work off the excess energy with a few rounds in the sparring ring. An expert combatant, the housekeeper had trained the Angels in a unique fighting style that emphasized speed, accuracy, and creative maneuvers.
Pippa inhaled and refocused. “Ready for another round when you are.”
Mrs. Peabody curled her fingers in a come-hither motion, and Pippa faced her teacher. Their tunics and trousers fluttered as they circled one another, arms raised. Mrs. Peabody’s steady gaze revealed nothing. The longer the circling continued, the more Pippa felt the impulse to attack. Her muscles tensed; her eye twitched. Giving in, she went on the offensive.
She attacked with a series of rapid kicks and punches. Mrs. Peabody effortlessly parried each one. Pippa kept on going, determined to find the weak spot in her opponent’s defense. Perspiration misted her brow as she landed blows, none of them enough to take the other down. Her limbs began to tire from her aggressive onslaught.
Finally, she saw her opening: Mrs. Peabody’s right side was unguarded. Pippa feinted, then went in with a left hook…and found her arm caught in the other’s grip. A trap. Mrs. Peabody spun around and flipped Pippa over her shoulder. Pippa’s back smacked against the mat, the breath whooshing from her lungs.
When the stars cleared, she saw Mrs. Peabody’s face hovering over her.
“Act first and think later is a losing strategy,” Mrs. Peabody chided. “Patience is your friend. Let your foe wear herself out. Let her win the battle while you win the war.”
Pippa took her teacher’s hand and was pulled smoothly to her feet.
“Thank you for the lesson, Mrs. Peabody,” she said with a bow.
The other Angels burst into the training room.
“Mr. Cullen has arrived,” Livy announced.
“He’s early!” Pippa clapped her hands to her cheeks. “And I look a fright.”
“Don’t worry. He just went into the study with Charlie,” Fiona said. “We’ll help you freshen up.”
Within a quarter hour, Pippa and her friends rushed into the main house. Hawker informed them that Cull and Charlie were still in the study.
“Lady Fayne said to wait in the drawing room.” Hawker pinned them with a one-eyed look. “And she said specifically not to eavesdrop.”
Sighing, Pippa and the others went to the drawing room, where refreshments awaited on the coffee table.
“I’m sure everything will be fine,” Livy said as she poured out the tea.
Fiona used silver tongs to select sliced fruits from a tray. “Or it will be a disaster.”
“You’re not helping matters,” Glory said under her breath.
“I’m merely being honest.” Fi arched her auburn brows. “Remember when Livy wanted to tell Hadleigh she was an Angel? Charlie does not like outsiders knowing about our society—especially male outsiders.”
Worry gnawed at Pippa. Fiona was right. Charlie did not trust men in general, and she’d voiced her concern about Cull in particular.
“That was a different scenario,” Livy said reassuringly. “Hadleigh didn’t know about the Angels, and given his overprotective nature, was unlikely to support my participation. Mr. Cullen, on the other hand, is fully aware of what we do. And he doesn’t have a problem with Pippa being an Angel, does he?”
A cool droplet trickled down Pippa’s spine. Her inner voice whispered that she didn’t need Cull’s permission, or any man’s, to do as she wished. She’d promised herself that she wouldn’t go down the same path as she had with Longmere. She wouldn’t give up her independence—herself—for anyone again.
She pulled her shoulders back. “Cull canbe overprotective as well. But I’ve been clear that I am my own woman and don’t have to answer to him or anyone.”
She had made her conditions clear. That she wouldn’t countenance any restriction of her freedom during their affair. And Cull had agreed to her terms.
Head angled, Glory asked, “How serious are things between you and Mr. Cullen?”
Pippa chewed on her lip. It was one thing to discuss what went on between a man and woman with Livy, but Glory and Fiona were both unmarried debutantes. Pippa felt protective of their youth and innocence.
“You are having an affair with him, are you not?” Fiona inquired.
Pippa’s cheeks burned. “Fiona Garrity, what do you know of such things?”
“Rather more than people give me credit for,” the redhead replied. “Being a debutante does not make me dim-witted. One cannot do the work we do and remain blind to the realities of life. It has been obvious from the start that Mr. Cullen has taken a special interest in you. Now it seems that you return it. Trust me, it would take far more than an affair to scandalize anyone in this room.”
Fi had a point. The Angels’ cases had taken them to London’s darkest corners, exposing them to every kind of sin and vice. Charlie’s philosophy was that empowerment came from education, not ignorance. To take charge of their destinies, women needed to know the facts. Pippa acknowledged with a twinge that innocence hadn’t done her any favors.
“We only wish for you to be happy,” Glory said earnestly.
As the cat was out of the bag, Pippa saw no reason to dissemble.
“Cull and I are enjoying each other’s company for now.” She succeeded in saying the words without blushing. “I’m still in mourning, after all, and not ready for anything permanent.”
“Wise choice,” Fiona concurred. “It’s always good to shop around a bit.”
“So says the perpetual browser,” Livy teased.
“Are you ever going to settle on a suitor, Fi?” Glory’s hazel eyes had a playful light. “Heaven knows you have your pick.”
Fiona gave her ivory skirts a complacent flick. “I do not believe in settling. When the right gentleman comes along, I will know. I have excellent instincts when it comes to men.”
Pippa wished she had Fi’s confidence. She hated that her marriage had made her doubt her instincts when it came to relationships. She’d believed Longmere was her one true love…and now she had to confront the truth that he wasn’t. At least the dagger of guilt didn’t twist as strongly as before.
Maybe it was because Cull had opened her eyes to things that had been missing in her marriage. Not just physical pleasure. She enjoyed spending time in Cull’s company, their banter and getting to know one another. For all his rough edges, he was a complex man. When he’d taken off his mask last night, he’d revealed another layer, and his vulnerability had touched her.
He never hid his admiration for her. His unconditional respect. With Cull, she felt worthy and special. It was the opposite of what she’d felt with her husband: the desperate fear that she wasn’t good enough, that she needed to be more, something other than who she was.
The insight allowed her to say quietly, “There is no need to rush into anything, Fi. Discover who you are first. Then find the man who values you exactly as you are.”
“Hear, hear.” Fi raised her teacup in a toast.
They all leaned in to clink their cups together. A moment later, the door opened, and Charlie and Cull entered. His mask and threadbare blue frock coat did not detract from his brawny appeal. His gaze searched her out, and her heart thudded at the proprietary flare in his rich chocolate eyes.
“Mr. Cullen and I have agreed to a partnership for our present case,” Charlie announced.
Pippa exhaled a thankful breath.
Cull raised his brows at her. As if to say, Did you doubt me?
When he took the chair next to hers, Pippa said in an undertone, “How did you convince her?”
“I’ll tell you later,” he murmured. “Tonight?”
Although her first impulse was eager agreement, she paused.
This is an affair. Don’t get too attached. Put your independence first.
“I have plans,” she said cautiously.
Edwin had expected her to be at his disposal. She had made herself available to him, rearranging her schedule at his whim. Back then, she’d thought of it as doing her duty as a good wife but thinking of it now made resentment flare. Would Cull also expect her to jump at his bidding?
“Tomorrow, then?” Cull seemed unperturbed.
With burgeoning relief, she nodded because she did want to see him.
He rewarded her with his crooked smile.
“Mr. Cullen and I have discussed a plan for tracking down Lady Hastings’s killer,” Charlie said. “As it turns out, all roads lead to Rome; his reconnaissance and ours have led to the same conclusions. While Lady Hastings feared her husband, the codicil to her father’s will suggests that Viscount Hastings had no motive to kill her…in fact, he had four hundred thousand reasons to keep her alive.”
“Did Lady Hastings know about the codicil?” Pippa asked with a frown. “She never mentioned it.”
Cull responded. “According to Turner’s solicitor Fanshawe, Turner specifically instructed that the codicil was to be kept a secret from his daughter. He remained angry at her for choosing Hastings, whom he believed to be a fortune hunter, but he also believed that one should lie in the bed of one’s own making, so to speak. Although he knew Julianna was unhappy, he wanted grandchildren and used the codicil as a means of leverage with Hastings. Fanshawe claims the only people who knew about the codicil’s existence were Hastings and the two beneficiaries, Howard Morton and Louis Wood.”
“It makes sense that Hastings would keep the codicil a secret from his wife,” Charlie said in a hard tone. “Since she was already suspicious of him, knowing that he was bedding her to get his hands on the rest of her fortune would have increased her resistance.”
“Does this mean we cross Hastings off our suspect list?” Glory furrowed her brow. “Let us not forget that Lady Hastings was afraid of him.”
“I agree that Hastings cannot be summarily discounted as a suspect.” Charlie took a meditative sip of tea. “But we must focus on the two new suspects as well.”
“The wheels are in motion,” Cull said. “I’ve started compiling the basics on Morton and Wood, including their financials, relationships, any gossip circulating about them, etcetera. Morton is taking more time as he lives in Hertfordshire. The dossiers should be ready within a few days and will help us decide where to focus our energies.”
“When I spoke with Wood at Lady Hastings’s funeral, he presented himself as a loyal retainer to the Turners,” Pippa said. “He made no mention of the codicil. In fact, he pointed me toward Hastings as the killer…but now I wonder if that was a ruse. I hope my conversation with him didn’t tip him off to our investigation.”
“Your plan was logical, given the facts at the time. From here on in, we’ll have eyes on Wood. The good news is the legal rigamarole required to disburse Turner’s funds apparently takes time. Neither Wood nor Morton will be going anywhere until they have their money,” Cull said. “And, as of this morning, I have another lead. A possible murder weapon.”
Pippa’s eyes rounded. “You found the weapon used to kill Lady Hastings?”
Cull casually removed an object bundled in green baize from a pocket of his frock coat. He set it upon the coffee table, parting the fabric to reveal a pistol. The piece was compact and elegant, designed to fit in a gentleman’s pocket. The blued steel of the twin barrels flowed like water into the smooth walnut handle. Stylish double gold bands encircled the wooden grip.
“I’ve been on the lookout for firearms recovered in the Thames,” Cull said. “This one was caught in a trawling net this morning. Not far from where Lady Hastings’s body was found.”
“May I?” With thudding excitement, Pippa gestured to the gun.
Cull nodded, and she picked up the weapon with care, feeling the balanced weight and examining the precise percussion mechanism. The gunmaker’s mark was engraved in elegant letters on the lock plate: J PURDEY No 314 ½ OXFORD STREET LONDON.
“Obviously, we don’t know if this was the weapon that was used to kill Julianna Hastings,” Charlie said. “But Mr. Cullen makes a good case for it.”
“Given the growing crowd and the arrival of the police, I could only do a precursory inspection of Lady Hastings’s body. She had two wounds that I saw,” Cull said. “One in the shoulder, one through the heart. The size and state of the wounds were similar, most likely made by a double-barreled weapon and at close range. Lady Hastings’s hands were also free of any damage, her nails clean and unbroken. She didn’t attempt to defend herself, which suggests the attack took her by surprise. Either she didn’t see her killer coming…or she saw the killer but didn’t expect him or her to attack.”
Now Pippa understood why her mentor was amenable to a joint effort. The Prince of Larks’s information was extraordinary. Cull had won over Charlie with his skill and expertise.
Livy pursed her lips. “You mean to say Lady Hastings knew her murderer?”
“It is a possibility,” Cull replied.
“The papers are claiming that her death is the result of criminal behavior among the lower classes,” Glory said, wrinkling her nose. “Then again, they tend to blame the less fortunate for a variety of social ills.”
“The papers profit from selling fear to the masses,” Cull said. “This pistol is far too expensive to belong to a common thug. Its state indicates that it hasn’t been in the river long—less than a week, I’d say. Which coincides with the time of the murder.”
Pippa glanced at the ormolu clock on the mantel; it was nearing four o’clock. “I could go to Purdey’s to see if anyone can identify the pistol’s owner. If I leave soon, I’ll get there before the shop closes.”
“If you don’t mind the company, I will escort you,” Cull said.
Pippa beamed at him. “I would like that.”
“Be discreet,” Charlie advised. “In the meantime, we still have the mysterious Thor to track down and Hastings to monitor.”
“I’ll put larks on Hastings.” Cull lifted his brows. “Who is Thor?”
Pippa shared what she and Livy had learned from Mrs. Loverly about the silver-eyed fellow, and the other Angels volunteered to start canvassing for him. In the meantime, Charlie would comb the drawing rooms for gossip related to the case.
Charlie set down her cup with a satisfied click. “It seems we have a plan.”
