Her Majesty's Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities #2)(56)

The vicar blushed and stumbled through an apology. "I see now that you're just an innocent couple. Forgive me, sir, ma'am, but we've had trouble here only this morning and I thought you were he, returning to break the lock again." He nodded at the mortuary behind us.

"Trouble?" Lincoln asked. "Someone has burgled your mortuary?"

"How peculiar," I said. "Who would do such a thing?"

"The lock was broken mere hours ago. I've just replaced it."

"Did you see the burglar?" Lincoln asked.

At the vicar's odd look, I added, "My brother has an interest in law enforcement."

"You're a policeman?"

"Of sorts," Lincoln said. "Tell me what the man looked like and I'll see that the police are informed."

"That's good of you. I reported it to the police, but they said they were too busy to come immediately. I only caught a glimpse, but the man was middle aged, average height. He wore spectacles. I'm sorry, that's all I noticed."

Lincoln touched the brim of his hat and the vicar did the same. "God will see that the police catch him," the vicar said. "He must be reprimanded for his behavior. This is a house of God, not a place for childish games."

Lincoln and I walked swiftly out of the church grounds before the vicar noticed that his new lock had been miraculously unlocked without a key. At least Lincoln hadn't broken it, as Jasper had.

We found Seth waiting with the carriage nearby and climbed in. It was growing late and there was little we could do with the new information. Lincoln said he could find out where Jasper lived, but it would take some time. The easiest way was to see if the captain was indeed an army man. If so, military records would list his last known address.

Unfortunately, the general had gone out, and Gus returned to Lichfield without a response. He, Seth and Cook met us in the kitchen where Cook sat at the table, cradling his bandaged thumb, while Gus sliced up vegetables.

"The general's butler told me he would deliver your message as soon as he returns, sir," Gus said without looking up from the carrots.

"I'll send another message, this time with the name of Captain Jasper," Lincoln said. "It will narrow his search."

"I'll deliver it," Seth said. "I'm going out that way later."

Gus snorted. "To see your bit o' skirt again? Ain't she bored with you yet?"

"They don't get bored with me. And she's not a bit of skirt. As it happens, she enjoys dressing in men's clothing."

Gus whooped and even Cook's hound face lifted. "Seth," Lincoln warned, most likely for my benefit.

"Does she prefer gentleman's clothes or a workman's outfit?" I asked with a wink for Seth.

He chuckled. "Depends on her mood."

"How is your thumb?" I asked Cook as Lincoln headed out.

"Still bloody hurts," he muttered, holding it to his chest.

"Stop your whinin'," Gus growled. "It's still attached, ain't it? Most cooks I know are missing a finger or two. Goes with the territory."

Cook scowled at him. I patted his shoulder. "I'm sure it throbs terribly," I said gently. "You just rest for a while and we'll take care of everything in here."

Gus shot me a withering glare. "What do you think I been doing while you were out having adventures?"

"I threw up in the bushes outside the St. George of the East mortuary. I don't call that an adventure."

He pulled a face and returned to his chopping, only to be told by Cook that he wasn't doing it right. I thought it best to leave them to their bickering.

I retrieved my apron from its hook and set to work in the scullery, then cleaned bedrooms and the bathroom. I paused only for a light lunch and to inspect Lincoln's collar when the laundress delivered it mid-afternoon. I took it upstairs along with the pressed shirt and mended jacket and knocked on his door.

He was writing at his desk but set his pen aside when I entered and flipped the lid of the silver inkwell closed. "Thank you, Charlie, I can take them from here," he said, rising.

"I'll lay them on the bed. You'll be the most dashing man there tonight." It wasn't easy to keep the sigh out of my voice, but I managed it.

"Every gentleman will be dressed as finely. I'll blend in."

I rejoined him in the sitting room. "That's not what I meant."

He sat on the edge of his desk, his hands gripping the desktop on either side of him. He didn't say anything further, so I took that as my dismissal.

"Is there anything I can get you?" I asked.

"No."

"Will we continue with our training this afternoon, or do you require time to prepare for the ball?"

"I think I can manage after training concludes." The dryness of his tone made me smile.

"Your hair might take longer than you think," I teased.

"Should I cut it?"

"No!"

Both his brows rose.

"I…think it suits you at that length." It more than suited him. It set him apart from the other gentleman, marked him as a little wild and uncontrollable, which he certainly was. While I ordinarily preferred a man with short hair, I couldn't imagine Lincoln's any other way. "Do you have a black ribbon to tie it? That leather strip won't do."