The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(43)

Bristow climbed the steps and Bryce drove off. I considered ordering him to chase down the thief, but a small child could go places a coach could not.

A chilly breeze whipped down the street. I shivered and hugged myself. Pedestrians passed me. Time ticked slowly by.

And finally I saw Matt rounding the corner ahead. I ran to him and met him half way. He looked worried. The knot in my stomach tightened more.

"Matt!" I grasped him by the shoulders and searched his face. He looked exhausted but not anxious.

"I caught him," he said "but let him keep the watch."

My mouth dropped open.

"It was my regular watch, India, not my other one."

I patted his jacket at his chest and felt the reassuring lump of his magic watch, safely tucked in the inside pocket. My eyes fluttered closed and I sucked in a shaky breath.

"The only way a pickpocket could get that one is if I'm unconscious," Matt said. "That's why I keep it in a buttoned down pocket. India, are you all right?" He took my hand. "You look pale."

"I thought it was your other one," I said weakly. "And when you disappeared, I thought you might never catch him and… I think you know where my thoughts ran after that."

He tucked my hand into the crook of his arm and steered me toward the house. I was grateful for his steadying presence. "I'm sorry I didn't clarify before chasing after him. The reason I took so long is because I questioned the boy thoroughly before letting him go."

"You let him go and you let him keep your watch."

"He's a child, India. I couldn't turn him over to the constables. He needs the money that watch will bring more than I need the watch."

I sighed. "I know. But I think he was after your other one. Bristow said the boy's been here for some time."

He nodded. "He told me he was paid by a gentleman to wait for me then steal my watch. If it had been a random event, I would have dismissed it, but he blurted out about the gentleman as soon as I caught him."

"Did he describe him to you?"

"He said it was just a gentleman who looked like any other. Neither old nor young, tall nor short, fat nor thin. He had no distinguishing marks that the boy can recall, and no accent."

"So it's not Payne."

"Or Payne disguised his accent, or perhaps paid someone else to approach the boy. That's what he does, removes himself as far as possible from the scene of the crime and everyone connected to it. That's how he gets away with it, by disassociating himself, so that when his name is linked, he can call those intermediaries liars."

I tightened my grip on his arm. "It may not have been Payne."

"I can't think of anyone else who suspects my watch is important."

"Chronos knows. He doesn't want to speak to you, so perhaps he wants to remove the watch from you altogether, for reasons not yet clear to us. And then there's Abercrombie. When he ordered those thugs to kidnap you to stop you meeting Mirth at the bank, he left the watch with you, so he knows it's important."

"But not that it keeps me alive. He doesn't know it's anything other than a regular watch with sentimental value. If he didn't want it then, he wouldn't want it now. My money's still on Payne."

Matt plodded up the front steps to the house and suppressed a yawn as Bristow took his hat. We ate a quick luncheon with his aunt before he retired to his rooms for a much needed rest. Miss Glass and I sat quietly talking as we did our needlepoint. My nerves had calmed somewhat, after the shock of the theft, but at least our conversation kept my thoughts from wandering in that direction overmuch. If they had, I might feel worried all over again.

"Veronica," Miss Glass said to me after an hour sitting together, "when will Harry be back?"

I set my embroidery hoop down on the seat beside me and rose. I took her hands in mine and smiled. "Soon," I told her. "Now, let me take you to your room. You need a rest."

She touched her temple. "I do feel a little tired." Miss Glass's episodes of confusion occurred when she was either tired or overwrought. She usually seemed better after a nap.

I returned to the sitting room after sending Miss Glass's maid up to her mistress, but I was soon disturbed by the arrival of a visitor.

"Mr. Barratt! What a surprise," I said, greeting him.

"Not an unpleasant one, I hope," the journalist said.

"Not at all, but I'm afraid Mr. Glass is indisposed at the moment."

"Then I'll speak with you alone." His eyes shone with good humor. "What a happy outcome for me."

I smiled and indicated he should sit. "Bring tea, please, Bristow."

The butler left and Mr. Barratt sat on the armchair. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, Miss Steele. Shouldn't you be with Mr. Glass, attending to business matters in his office?"

I hadn't said that Matt was attending to business matters, or that he was in his office. Mr. Barratt was fishing. While I wouldn't tell him Matt was resting, I had no qualms telling him about our domestic arrangements. "I live here," I said. "I act as companion to Matt's aunt when he has no need of me."

"Indeed? So you see a great deal of him?"

"It's unavoidable."

"Even in a house this size?"