Read Online The Piccadilly Plot by Susanna Gregory - Free Book Online

satisfaction. ‘That is exactly what I said.’
    ‘Then you are both wrong,’ said Hyde, scowling. ‘The threat is genuine.’
    ‘It is not,’ argued Chaloner. ‘This letter is a transparent and laughable effort to implicate the Queen in something of which
     she is innocent. I would have thought the clumsy references to her Catholicism would have made that apparent.’
    ‘That is a valid point,’ agreed Frances. ‘And her English is still poor …’
    ‘It has improved,’ said Hyde stiffly. ‘She is not fluent, but she could certainly comprehend what is written here. And she
     has a motive for harming you, father: she is hurt that you do not visit her as often as you once did.’
    ‘Because I have no choice,’ objected the Earl defensively. ‘I chose her as a bride for the King, but it was a terrible mistake,
     because she is barren. If I do not distance myself, my enemies will use her to destroy me. Surely she understands that?’
    Poor Katherine, thought Chaloner. Now even those who had been friends were abandoning her.
    ‘And she wants revenge,’ Hyde finished. ‘She knows how important Clarendon House is to you, so she means to strike at you
     through Pratt.’
    ‘No,’ said Chaloner with considerable force. The Earl’s eyes widened at the tone of his voice, and Hyde bristled, but Chaloner
     did not care. ‘She would never do such things.’
    ‘The evidence is there,’ snarled Hyde, pointing at the letter. ‘Thank God I intercepted it.’
    ‘Do you really think a co-conspirator would send such a thing?’ demanded Chaloner, feeling his dislike of Hyde mount. Surely
     the man owed his mistress some shred of loyalty? ‘Even the most inept of assassins would know not to leave written evidence
     of his plans.’
    ‘He doubtless assumed the Queen would destroy it after digesting its contents,’ snapped Hyde. ‘It was only luck that allowed
     me to find it before she could do either.’
    ‘Do you not see what is happening?’ Chaloner was becoming exasperated. ‘Someone left it for you to find, with the specific
     intention of harming her. Only instead of throwing it away, like any rational man, you have played directly into this lunatic’s
     hands by taking it seriously.’
    Hyde glowered. ‘If that were the case, there would have been other messages of a similar nature. And this is the only one.’
    ‘The only one you have found,’ corrected Chaloner. ‘Or perhaps this is the first, and more will follow.’
    ‘No!’ barked Hyde. ‘The explanation is obvious: she should have burned it, but she is a novice in such matters, and she was
     careless. She left it lying on a desk, where I happened across it.’
    ‘How very convenient,’ said Chaloner acidly. ‘The instigator of this nasty piece of poison must be delighted that you are
     making his task so easy.’
    ‘Watch yourself, Chaloner,’ breathed Brodrick, shocked. ‘Or you will be in trouble.’
    ‘He
is
in trouble,’ snarled Hyde. He turned to his father. ‘I want him dismissed. He has made no headway with catching the villain
     who steals our bricks, and now he does not believe the threat against Pratt. I will explore both matters, and you can save
     yourself the cost of employing him.’
    ‘You cannot, Henry,’ said Frances reasonably. ‘You do not have the necessary expertise. Besides, you do not believe the theft
     of our bricks amounts to anything – you tell us to ignore it. How will you investigate something you do not consider to be
     serious?’
    ‘Because I know about architecture,’ replied Hyde loftily. ‘I have always been interested in the subject, and Christopher
     Wren told me only last week that he considers me talented. I know far more about building supplies than Chaloner ever will.’
    ‘But not about theft and murder,’ argued Frances quietly. ‘And those are the issues here.’
    Hyde scowled, and it was clear he resented his mother’s interference. Chaloner appreciated it, though, and suspected