Read Online The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Meljean Brook
Ads: Link
sleeves and bare arms. From Mina’s first day of training the superintendent had impressed upon her the importance of an inspector—particularly a woman—maintaining a proper appearance, one that inspired confidence and conveyed authority. What Mina’s clothing couldn’t suggest now, her manner would have to.
When she entered, a single gas lamp lit the small office, casting a warm glow on the maps of London pinned to the walls. A tall woman with narrow, pale features, Superintendent Hale sat behind her desk, sorting through a stack of wiregram messages. Despite the late hour, Hale looked as if she’d never left for the evening: her graying auburn hair scraped back into a bun, her jacket smartly buckled.
Mina wasn’t surprised that Douglas Sheffield sat slumped in the chair facing Hale; she’d heard that he had recently returned from Manhattan City. With his clothing rumpled and his waistcoat buttoned crookedly, he appeared as if he’d rolled from bed and dressed hurriedly in order to accompany her. Even a police superintendent wouldn’t travel through London alone at night, and the industrialist took care to look after his interests. Mina didn’t know which interest he rated more important, the widow Hale or the airships that had made his family a fortune in Manhattan City, but his dedication to both was unquestionable.
He half rose when Mina came in, then sat heavily again, coughing a greeting into his handkerchief.
Hale looked Mina over, pausing briefly on the yellow skirts. “I see that you understood the urgency of the matter.”
“Yes, sir. We traveled from Devonshire House directly to the island.”
Hale gestured to the wiregram machine occupying the surface of a long table against the wall. “I’ve already received grams from the commissioner and the mayor. I expect to find more from the king’s council in the morning. Give me something to tell them that won’t have them coming here in person—or having me summoned.”
And they wouldn’t want to hear about the dead man. Neither did Sheffield. His eyes were bright with curiosity, and although Mina would have preferred to deliver her report solely to Hale, the superintendent had made it clear more than a year and a half ago that Mina could speak freely in front of him. Mina supposed that Hale had been fortunate to find a man whom she could trust to share her bed—but Sheffield’s trade concerns figuratively put him in more beds than just hers.
Mina had only pointed that out once, however. She valued her job too much to bring it up again.
“The Iron Duke is unharmed,” Mina said. “I don’t believe he’s under imminent threat.”
“I’ll leave out ‘imminent’ when I send my grams, or risk being bombarded with questions of what threat is delayed.” With a wry twist of her lips, Hale leaned back in her chair. “You’ve brought the body here? Who is it?”
“I haven’t yet been able to identify him, sir.”
“Then tell me what you do know.”
Pitifully little, which became all the more apparent as Mina reported her findings, including her suspicions about the airship and the need to consult with the Blacksmith.
Hale grimaced over the expense, but approved the visit. She watched Mina closely as she asked, “And what is your feeling regarding Anglesey’s involvement?”
Mina considered her response. Suggesting that the Iron Duke murdered a man had to be handled delicately. Fortunately, she could say in all honesty, “At this time, the only connection I’ve found between the duke and the corpse is the body’s location. I’ve seen nothing to suggest his personal involvement in the man’s death.”
“Is he involved ?” Sheffield broke in with a disbelieving laugh. “Of course he is. Perhaps Anglesey didn’t kill the man, but that blaggard will have been involved at some point. Most likely, he’d sent this man to tangle with one of his enemies, or to put pressure on another merchant, and this was the result.”
Mina
When she entered, a single gas lamp lit the small office, casting a warm glow on the maps of London pinned to the walls. A tall woman with narrow, pale features, Superintendent Hale sat behind her desk, sorting through a stack of wiregram messages. Despite the late hour, Hale looked as if she’d never left for the evening: her graying auburn hair scraped back into a bun, her jacket smartly buckled.
Mina wasn’t surprised that Douglas Sheffield sat slumped in the chair facing Hale; she’d heard that he had recently returned from Manhattan City. With his clothing rumpled and his waistcoat buttoned crookedly, he appeared as if he’d rolled from bed and dressed hurriedly in order to accompany her. Even a police superintendent wouldn’t travel through London alone at night, and the industrialist took care to look after his interests. Mina didn’t know which interest he rated more important, the widow Hale or the airships that had made his family a fortune in Manhattan City, but his dedication to both was unquestionable.
He half rose when Mina came in, then sat heavily again, coughing a greeting into his handkerchief.
Hale looked Mina over, pausing briefly on the yellow skirts. “I see that you understood the urgency of the matter.”
“Yes, sir. We traveled from Devonshire House directly to the island.”
Hale gestured to the wiregram machine occupying the surface of a long table against the wall. “I’ve already received grams from the commissioner and the mayor. I expect to find more from the king’s council in the morning. Give me something to tell them that won’t have them coming here in person—or having me summoned.”
And they wouldn’t want to hear about the dead man. Neither did Sheffield. His eyes were bright with curiosity, and although Mina would have preferred to deliver her report solely to Hale, the superintendent had made it clear more than a year and a half ago that Mina could speak freely in front of him. Mina supposed that Hale had been fortunate to find a man whom she could trust to share her bed—but Sheffield’s trade concerns figuratively put him in more beds than just hers.
Mina had only pointed that out once, however. She valued her job too much to bring it up again.
“The Iron Duke is unharmed,” Mina said. “I don’t believe he’s under imminent threat.”
“I’ll leave out ‘imminent’ when I send my grams, or risk being bombarded with questions of what threat is delayed.” With a wry twist of her lips, Hale leaned back in her chair. “You’ve brought the body here? Who is it?”
“I haven’t yet been able to identify him, sir.”
“Then tell me what you do know.”
Pitifully little, which became all the more apparent as Mina reported her findings, including her suspicions about the airship and the need to consult with the Blacksmith.
Hale grimaced over the expense, but approved the visit. She watched Mina closely as she asked, “And what is your feeling regarding Anglesey’s involvement?”
Mina considered her response. Suggesting that the Iron Duke murdered a man had to be handled delicately. Fortunately, she could say in all honesty, “At this time, the only connection I’ve found between the duke and the corpse is the body’s location. I’ve seen nothing to suggest his personal involvement in the man’s death.”
“Is he involved ?” Sheffield broke in with a disbelieving laugh. “Of course he is. Perhaps Anglesey didn’t kill the man, but that blaggard will have been involved at some point. Most likely, he’d sent this man to tangle with one of his enemies, or to put pressure on another merchant, and this was the result.”
Mina
Similar Books
