Kate stared into his dark eyes. He betrayed no more emotion than if he had offered to pour her another cup of coffee, which he did. “I don’t intend to murder the man.”
“No?”
She laughed as she cut a sausage. “No, Hogarth. At least not until I know exactly what we are dealing with. I will do everything I can, legally, to expose and ruin this wretch, if he is indeed just a mere wretch. If I can drive him from the country, I’ll do that. But I have no idea of his connection to Lord Oakham. It could have been mere coincidence. That is the kind of thing I need to find out before I take any action.”
Hogarth posed by the window with his hands behind his back. “I see.”
There was a knock at the door and Mrs. Tolbert, the white-haired housekeeper, came in. She seemed quite distraught. Kate straightened, expecting the news that Hibbert had appeared on the estate.
“Miss Kate.” The housekeeper recovered a bit of her posture. “I’ve just been told some alarming news by Miss Imogen’s maid.”
“What is it, Mrs. Tolbert?” Kate struggled to keep her voice steady.
“Miss Imogen is gone.”
“Gone? Gone where?” Kate rose from the chair.
“I don’t know, miss. One of her travel bags is gone, and some of her clothes are missing.”
Kate felt Hogarth moving to her shoulder as she slammed her hand onto the teak table. “Damn it!”
Mrs. Tolbert said, “One of Miss Imogen’s horses is absent from the stables. The maid is blameless, I’m sure, miss.”
Kate waved her hand. “I don’t care who helped her at the moment. Thank you, Mrs. Tolbert. Have a change of clothes laid out for me.” The housekeeper withdrew and Kate turned to Hogarth, taking some solace in his steady visage. “Hogarth, we’re going to London now. I’m sure she’s gone to Colonel Hibbert. Have the post chaise ready.”
“Yes, miss. However, given that the matter of the werewolf is still a concern, I suggest we acquire additional help. You mentioned two gentlemen from the party. Perhaps they might be able to assist you in this matter.”
Kate shook her head doubtfully. “I have no knowledge of these two. One was using some sort of disguise to appear as Sir Thomas Wolfolk. The other man was Simon Archer.”
That took Hogarth by surprise. “Simon Archer?” He repeated the name as if it held some recognition.
Kate regarded her manservant. “You know him?”
“I know of him,” he clarified. “He is a gentleman of a particular sort.”
Kate couldn’t tell whether Hogarth referred to the man’s social standing or something else. She shook her head. “This is a family matter.”
“Miss, you know that Colonel Hibbert is a man of dark purpose, and he may have dark resources. I suggest you consult with Mr. Archer on the matter.”
Kate couldn’t deny she had thought of the same thing though perhaps for another, more personal, curiosity. Simon Archer had wielded considerable power, as had his friend. These appeared to be the first true magicians she had come across, other than in journals or letters penned by her father. If Archer was a trustworthy figure, it would be useful to have him on her side. She noted the quiet assuredness on Hogarth’s face. “Very well. It’s worth the effort to contact him.”
“Yes, miss. An excellent idea.”
Kate’s lips held a peculiar smile as she went for the door.
Chapter Nine
A well-dressed woman should not have been walking unescorted on the edge of the Devil’s Acre in Westminster so late at night unless she had business. This woman did, but not the usual kind. She appeared gigantic, easily over six feet tall, with flowing blond hair. Her face was set with eyes like glaciers. She wore a cloak that rippled around her and hid her true shape, allowing imaginations to provide her with any manner of body. It did nothing to diminish her imposing stature, and her stride made her seem even grander; it was long and measured like a soldier’s. She was a Valkyrie come to life, a handsome woman, no doubt, but her size and power outshone her striking features.
She paused at a crowded corner to get her bearings. All these hovels looked alike to her. A group of ragged men huddled around a nearby fire. They stared at the statuesque woman in amazement.
“Lost, my dear?” one of them asked, eliciting some laughter from his friends.
Without looking, the woman asked, “I am looking for the Boulware Club.”
The man strolled to her side with a gap-toothed smile, emboldened by the gibes of his companions. “It’s just around the corner there. On your way to meet someone there?”
She started off, but the man scrambled in front of her. “Here now. What’s the rush?” The top of his oily head came to her chin as he backed up to keep pace. “My my, you’re quite a tall one.”
A few of his lads moved away from the fire, closing behind her. The woman’s eyes shifted slightly, but she kept walking. The lead man reached out and touched her arm.