The Unquiet - J. D. Robb [61]
The sound of footsteps made Lydia straighten. Delphie was up and about her business. The last thing Lydia wanted was for the maid to have hysterics over the attempted robbery.
Lydia flung herself on the cot and turned to face the wall, feigning sleep. When she was first alone she had often fallen asleep here, fully dressed, until she realized that no matter when she climbed the stairs and went to her own bed, Alexei would not be there.
Delphie came into the back room humming, unlocked the door, and slipped out to collect the breakfast rolls from Mr. Florencio. She didn’t even notice that Lydia was in the room.
Taking advantage of her absence, Lydia hurried up the stairs and into her bedchamber. Even though Delphie had been in to start the fire, the curtains were still drawn around her bed. Lydia climbed into the big empty bed and for the first time in more than a year thought about sharing it with someone besides Alexei.
The moment before she slipped into the world of dreams she heard the word wish whisper through the room, beneath the curtains, and settle on the pillow beside her. This time the word brought with it an air of completion, of satisfaction, of farewell. Lydia smiled and touched the coin as she fell asleep.
SEVEN
“I tell you, Griff, I would have bet fifty quid that my arm was broken. God, it was all I could do to stay conscious.” Chase was flexing his fist and shaking his arm as the two of them headed from Griffin’s house toward the street where Nesbitt lived and worked.
“I’m no expert on bones, Chase, but I could ask my mother’s physician for an explanation.”
“I spoke to Lord Mayhew at the club this morning. He’s as good a man of science as any physician. He said that I had to be mistaken about the break. I was in pain from the blow and merely thought I had broken my arm.”
“That makes as much sense as any other explanation.”
“It makes me sound like a girl. I’ve been boxing for years and can take a hit as well as any man.” There was no point in insisting, but the puzzle of it plagued him. “Never mind, Griff. Tell me what Nesbitt has been up to while I caught up on my sleep.”
“He was home until noon and then went to his shop, where he took a strap to his apprentice, and then left for the coffeehouse next door. He growled at everyone who approached him and was sitting in the corner when the boys came along to take up watch.”
“Good, very good. It sounds like he took my threat as seriously as I meant it.” Chase knocked on the roof, and the carriage slowed to a stop. “We walk from here.”
“Chase,” Griffin began as he hefted himself up and out of the carriage, “exactly why are we going there now? I thought you were satisfied with my report.”
Twirling his walking stick with his only-bruised arm, Chase explained, “Very much so, Griff. No insult intended, but I want Nesbitt to see that I suffered no injury. I want him to see that you are one of the resources I warned him about last night. I want him to think that every stranger he sees is one of my resources.” He paused and Griffin nodded, laughing at the game.
“And I want to relieve him of his apprentice. The boy has learned all he can from Nesbitt.”
“I say, Chase, that’s a noble move, but he may not give him up easily. From my observations, I think the boy’s the only reason he stays in business.”
“I will offer him another apprentice. Ronald, I think.”
“Yes, Ronald shows some talent there.” Griffin thought a minute, then laughed with pleasure. “Nesbitt will not dare abuse him, since he knows Ronald is one of your, ahem, resources.”
“Exactly, and near enough his size to give Nesbitt pause before beating him.”
All in all, it went even better than Chase had hoped. Nesbitt was willing to hand over his apprentice and accept a new one, especially when Chase told him there would be no fee to change hands, that he’d made arrangements with the guild himself.
The only