The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(19)

His brow furrowed in thought. "You need to learn more about it."

"Thank you, Mr. Barratt," Matt said tightly. "We know what we have to do next."

"We do?" I asked, rising.

Matt thanked Barratt who in turn took my hand and bowed over it. "You're most welcome," Barratt said to me, even though I hadn't been the one to address him.

He escorted us back out to the outer office. Matt opened the door but paused. He looked as if he were warring with himself over something, then finally gave in. "If you hear of any watch or doctor magicians, contact us at sixteen Park Street, Mayfair," he said in a low voice. "I'll pay you for your troubles, of course."

Barratt blinked. "You don't have to pay me. I'll be glad to help. But why doctors, Mr. Glass? Watchmakers I understand. Miss Steele wishes to learn more about her magic. But a doctor?"

"Goodbye, Mr. Barratt," Matt said, opening the door wider for me.

We climbed into the coach and Matt ordered Bryce to return home.

"Well," I said, waving at Barratt through the window as we drove off. "That was very enlightening. I'm so glad we spoke to him. Thank you for suggesting it."

His features relaxed for the first time since meeting Barratt. He almost smiled. "I'm glad you're happy, India. It makes up for enduring his presence."

"Enduring? Whatever do you mean? I thought he was very pleasant."

"Of course you would. He was flirting with you."

"He was not!"

He arched his brows.

I couldn't tell whether Barratt's flirtations bothered him or not. Was it too much to ask that he be a little jealous of another man showing interest in me? "Is that why you were so fierce with Mr. Barratt?" I asked. "Because he was flirtatious?"

Matt simply looked out the window and my heart dipped. "He's a suspect in Hale's murder."

"Nonsense," I blurted out.

He slowly turned to face me, his jaw once again rigid. "We can't rule him out, India."

"Why not? What reason would he have to kill Hale?"

"I haven't yet thought of a motive. He did speak with Hale recently, and wrote about him. As I said, let's not rule him out yet."

I shook my head. "He is no murderer. He was very nice to us."

"He was nice to you, India. He was merely polite to me. I think he'd prefer to talk to you without me present."

I opened and closed my mouth without saying anything. The words wouldn't come out.

"Don't forget he left out important facts from his article about Hale," he went on. "I don't believe it was all his editor's fault."

"If you don't like him, why did you give him your address?" I said. "Clearly you don't want him to come calling."

He swallowed and looked down at his hands. "If he meets a watch magician in the course of his work then I do want him to come calling. I want him to tell you where to find another like you. I know you're lonely."

I bit back my snippy retort. He seemed quite forlorn all of a sudden. "I'm not lonely, Matt. Not since I met you and your friends. And the only timepiece magician I wish to meet is Chronos, so he can fix your watch."

His gaze met mine and he offered up a weak smile. "Then perhaps Barratt can send him our way, if he meets him."

"I doubt Mr. Barratt will meet him," I said with a sigh. "Chronos is not keen on revealing himself. He would stay far away from journalists."

Matt closed his eyes and tipped his head back. He rested for the remainder of the journey home.



Matt wouldn't be still that afternoon as we waited for Duke, Willie and Cyclops to return from the hospital. He paced the length of the sitting room until his aunt ordered him to leave.

"Go for a short walk to calm down before our guests arrive," she said.

That made Matt stop in his tracks. "Guests? Not my cousins again."

"You don't wish to see Hope Glass?" I asked, trying to tease him and raise a smile. It fell flat and he merely narrowed his gaze at me.

"Not at the moment," he hedged. "Why?"

I lifted a shoulder and returned to reading the letter from my friend Catherine Mason. She wished to call upon me, and I couldn't be happier. Calling on her had become difficult ever since her parents had become worried about their daughter associating with someone the Watchmaker's Guild disliked. I didn't want to make their situation any more awkward for them than it already was.

"Mrs. Haviland and her daughter, Oriel," Miss Glass said.

Matt groaned. "Again? Aunt, I told you why I cannot marry anyone, and if I could, Oriel Haviland would not be my choice."

She peered over her reading spectacles at him. "Oriel Haviland is coming because I specifically wanted her mother's presence. She and Lady Abbington are friends, and since I hardly know the countess, I thought it prudent to invite a mutual acquaintance."

"Ah, yes, the eligible widow," Matt said flatly. "The one you think is more suitable for me than Oriel."

"She does have a mind of her own, and she is very comely."

"Even so, my health hasn't changed. I won't marry anyone while I'm ill."

"You'll find a cure soon." She returned to her own correspondence, open on her lap. "Didn't you visit the hospital yesterday and speak to that clever doctor, the one who performed a miracle?"