Betrayal at Lisson Grove - Anne Perry [42]
Charlotte found the tension in her body easing and she smiled. ‘I did not believe it of him either, but there is something in the past that troubles him very much.’
‘There will be a good deal,’ Vespasia said with the ghost of a smile. ‘He is a man of many sides, but the most vulnerable one is his work, because that is what he cares about.’
‘Then he wouldn’t jeopardise it, would he?’ Charlotte pointed out.
‘No. Someone finds it imperative that Victor Narraway be driven out of office, and out of credit with Her Majesty’s government. There are many possible reasons, and I have no idea which of them it is, so I have very little idea where to begin.’
‘We have to help him.’ Charlotte hated asking this of Vespasia, but the need was greater than the reluctance. ‘Not only for his sake, but for Thomas’s. In Special Branch Thomas is regarded as Mr Narraway’s man. I know this because, apart from my own sense, Thomas has told me so himself, and so has Mr Narraway. Aunt Vespasia, if Mr Narraway is gone, then whoever got rid of him may very well try to get rid of Thomas too—’
‘Of course,’ Vespasia cut across her. ‘You do not need to explain it to me, my dear. And Thomas is in France, not knowing what has happened, or that Victor can no longer give him the support from London that he needs.’
‘Have you friends—’ Charlotte began.
‘I do not know who has done this, or why,’ Vespasia answered even before the question was finished. ‘So I do not know whom I can trust.’
‘Victor . . . Mr Narraway . . .’ Charlotte felt a faint heat in her cheeks, ‘. . . said he believed it was an old case in Ireland, twenty years ago, for which someone now seeks revenge. He didn’t tell me much about it. I think it embarrassed him.’
‘No doubt.’ Vespasia allowed a bleak spark of humour into her eyes for an instant. ‘Twenty years ago? Why now? The Irish are good at holding a grudge, or a favour, but they don’t wait on payment if they don’t have to.’
‘“Revenge is a dish best served cold”?’ Charlotte suggested wryly.
‘Cold, perhaps, my dear, but this would be frozen. There is more to it than a personal vengeance, but I do not know what. By the way, what has this to do with your maid leaving? Clearly there is something you have . . . forgotten . . . to tell me.’
Charlotte found herself uncomfortable. Had Vespasia been less gentle, or less obviously afraid, she would have been angry.
‘Oh, Mr Narraway called after dark, and since the matter was of secrecy, for obvious reasons, he closed the parlour door. I’m afraid Mrs Waterman thought I was – am – a woman of dubious morals. She doesn’t feel she can remain in a household where the mistress has “goings-on”, as she put it.’
‘Then she is going to find herself considerably restricted in her choice of position,’ Vespasia said waspishly. ‘Especially if her disapproval extends to the master as well.’
‘She didn’t say.’ Charlotte bit her lip, but couldn’t conceal her smile. ‘But she would be utterly scandalised, so much so that she might have left that night, out into the street alone, with her suitcase in her hand, if she had known that I promised Mr Narraway that I would go to Ireland with him, to do whatever I can to find the truth and help him clear his name. I have to. His enemies are Thomas’s enemies, and Thomas will have no defence against them without Mr Narraway there. Then what shall we do?’
Vespasia was silent for several moments. ‘Be very careful, Charlotte,’ she said gravely. ‘I think you are unaware of how dangerous that could become.’
Charlotte clenched her hands. ‘What would you have me do? Sit here in London while Mr Narraway is unjustly ruined, and then wait for Thomas to be ruined as well? At best he will be dismissed because he was Mr Narraway’s man, and they don’t like him. At worst he may be implicated in the same embezzlement, and end up charged with theft.’ Her voice cracked a little and she realised how tired she was, and how very frightened. ‘What would you do?’
Vespasia reached across and touched her hand very gently, just fingertip to