Read Online Murder on Charing Cross Road by Joan Smith - Free Book Online Page B

clues.”
    “That won’t be easy,”Luten said. “The Honourable John Morgrave’s household will have a full complement of servants.”
    “Yes,”Corinne confirmed. “I’ve called on Samantha before. The place is not large, but it’s run in the grand manner. We’ll have to go and call on them, Luten, and see what we can discover. I’ll give Samantha a box of invitations for the ball for her to address, since she offered. I can’t believe she knows what John is up to.”
    “Be careful what you say, just in case,”Luten cautioned. “He’s not likely to tell us much but we’ll mention we’re working on the case and see how he reacts.”
    “I’ll park my rig nearby and see if he comes running out after you leave,”Coffen said. “Follow him, see where he goes. It might be a clue. I want to see what he looks like in any case, since I wouldn’t know him to see him.”
    “Don’t make it too obvious,”Luten said.
    “I won’t. I’ll have Fitz get out of the rig and be poking around at the wheel, as if it’s broken.”
    “You’re taking Fitz?”Corinne asked in alarm.
    “He can’t get lost following your rig.”After a frowning pause, he added, “And Morgrave’s. If he gets lost coming home, it won’t matter. There’ll be no special hurry.”
    “Well, shall we send for the carriage?”Luten said, rising. “I still have to put in an appearance at the House after the visit.”
    “Right, I’ll just dash home and send for my rig,”Coffen said.”
    When the two carriages arrived, they set out for the Morgrave’s flat. Coffen had ordered Fitz to draw to a stop a few doors down and wait.
    The Lutens were admitted by a toplofty butler. Luten feared the trip had been in vain when he learned Morgrave was out and might not be home before dinner. Samantha was there, however, and welcomed them into an elegant drawing room not unlike Corinne’s former home, except for the colours. Samantha’s was done in blue to flatter her blue eyes and blonde curls. She was young and dewy-eyed, very pretty and friendly.
    “Do sit down and have a glass of wine,”she said. “John may show up at any time. One never knows when he’ll be back. I think he’s becoming bored. He was going to the Horse Guards to see if there was a position for him. Harley, a family friend, works there and suggested it as John is so interested in the war, and knowledgeable about it too.”
    Luten had a hard time controlling his expression at this telling speech. He feared Harley had been unwittingly feeding Morgrave information, and now Morgrave wanted to be closer to state secrets. Old David Harley was a fool, but not disloyal, so far as anyone knew.
    “It’s good for a man to have meaningful work to do,”Luten said.
    “And ladies too,”Samantha replied. “And if I judge that box you’re carrying correctly, Lady Luten, I expect you have some work there for me.”
    Corinne passed the box over. Samantha called for wine which they accepted, and they settled in for a little social chit-chat. Corinne hated to leave without further spying. She knew exactly what Luten was thinking about Morgrave’s wanting to get into the Horse Guards and she wanted to see if she could find any corroboration.
    They were about to leave fifteen minutes later when Morgrave returned. He didn’t express either surprise or dismay to find them there but did ask, “To what do we owe this rare honour, Luten?”
    Examining Morgrave, Luten took note that he matched Hopley’s description of the man Bolton suspected of being the spy —young, tall, well built, dark-haired, quite handsome.
    “Just accompanying my wife on a little errand,”he said, pointing to the box of invitations.“I hear you are thinking of taking a position at the Horse Guards, Morgrave. Congratulations.”
    “Premature, I’m afraid. There doesn’t seem to be anything open at the moment. And what is the Berkeley Brigade up to these days, Luten?"
    “As a matter of fact, we were handed a job