“Yes, Miss Temminnick?”
“Dimity and Pillover Plumleigh-Teignmott have been kidnapped by the Westminster vampire hive.”
“Miss Temminnick, what a shocking accusation!” Lady Linette clasped her hand to her breast.
Good technique, thought Sophronia.
The potentate looked down at her out of sharp green eyes as if she were some kind of bug in his tea. “I highly doubt that. Why on earth would the hive involve itself? I have everything under control.”
“Have you any evidence?” asked Captain Niall, looking less doubtful.
“Only my own eyes. I followed Lord Ambrose’s carriage to the house itself.”
“The hive house? You can’t possibly know its location.” The potentate would not believe a word of it.
“It wasn’t difficult. I simply used the skills I have been taught. I know it’s the hive because I recognized some of the members.”
“Prove it!” demanded the potentate.
Quietly, cautious of being overheard, Sophronia described the hive house in detail, including the birches in front and the nondescript nature of the street. She did not recount her odd encounter with the fop vampire. Somehow she did not think this would help her cause.
“That proves nothing,” said the potentate, “except that this child somehow knows what the Westminster Hive looks like.”
“And how would she know that, if she hadn’t visited it?” Felix wanted to know. He believed her. But then Sophronia was beginning to suspect that he would automatically believe the worst of any vampire.
The potentate looked down his long nose at the boy. “And who, may I ask, are you?”
“Golborne, sir, Lord Mersey.”
“Picklemen’s get? I should have known they’d be mixed up in this.” The potentate turned on Sophronia. “You working for them, little girl?”
Lady Linette stepped in at that. “My lord potentate! Miss Temminnick is only at the beginning of her training. She isn’t working for anyone… yet!”
The potentate was unconvinced. Glancing over the crowd of dancers, he said, “Ah, look, there’s Ambrose. He can sort this out.”
Lord Ambrose was lurking at the edge of the crowd, looking as if he never left. The potentate summoned him over with a rude crook of the finger. The other vampire responded, a pleasant expression on his handsome face.
Of course, Lord Ambrose denied the accusation. “The Plumleigh-Teignmott children, you say? I suspect the father will have removed them, Lady Linette. I understand he is back working with the Picklemen.”
“No!” gasped Lady Linette. “He never. His wife would never countenance it!”
“Oh, yes, indeed. She’s helping.” The handsome vampire shook his head in mock regret. “Shrimpdittle has been most forthcoming. I excused myself to read this report on his interrogation.” His lip curled. “He claims the Plumleigh-Teignmotts are intending mass production of the crystalline guidance valves for sale to the British market. The Picklemen want controlling concerns.” He handed over a bit of rolled parchment paper. “I bet that upsets the government’s plans, eh, potentate?”