The Apothecary's Poison (Glass and Steele #3)(54)

Miss Glass and I left in the brougham mid-morning and returned before luncheon. Bristow met us at the door and took our hats and coats as Bryce drove off to the mews. A man I hadn't seen approach climbed the steps and touched the brim of his hat in greeting. He was broad shouldered but not tall, with short stubby fingers. He wore no gloves and his gray tie had been done up in a rather slap-dash fashion. The rest of his clothing was good quality, and clean, but simple.

"Good morning," he said to Bristow in a cockney accent. "Are you Mr. Glass?"

Bristow sniffed. "Mr. Glass does not open his own door. I am the butler." I'd never heard him put on airs before, and I almost burst out laughing.

But the look on the stranger's face stopped me. The veins on his temples and neck bulged and I had the feeling he was holding himself back from either shouting or attacking Bristow.

"Is Mr. Glass in?" the man snapped.

"He is not," Bristow said. "May I leave him a message?"

"Or can I help you?" I asked. "I'm his assistant."

"Miss Steele?" the fellow said. How did he know my name? "In that case, you can." He jerked his head at Bristow. "Haven't you got some butlering to do?"

Bristow's nostrils flared.

"Bristow is perfectly all right where he is," I cut in before the butler could attempt to force the fellow out. I suspected he would not win that contest. The stranger looked rather solid.

He glanced up the staircase behind me and toward the sitting room door where Miss Glass had retreated. Was he looking for other residents? Others who may try to toss him out?

I did not have a good feeling about this. "Who are you and what do you want?" I demanded.

"It doesn't matter who I am or who I work for. I ain't asking, Miss Steele, I'm telling you. Stop your investigation."

All the air sucked out of my body, leaving me feeling weak and at sea. "Pardon?" I whispered.

"You heard me. Tell Mr. Glass to stop investigating Hale's death. It ain't nothing to do with you."

Bristow edged between the man and me. "Get out or I'll summon the constables."

The man touched the brim of his hat. "Be sure and tell Mr. Glass, ma'am. My employer is serious on this matter. Deadly serious."

My heart thudded even as my blood chilled. We'd been warned off the investigation into Daniel Gibbons's murder too. That time, it had been Abercrombie's doing. Had he sent this man? The similarities were too close to ignore.

"Who employs you?" I pressed. "Who wants us to stop? And why?"

He turned and headed down the steps, his gait unhurried. He had not come in a conveyance so walked up the street. In a moment of madness, I removed my hat.

"A coat, Bristow. And a parasol. Hurry!"

"You're going to follow him? Is that wise?"

"Perhaps not, but it is necessary." I shoved my hat into his chest. "Go!"

He rushed into the cloak room and came back with my blue coat, a parasol and the footman. "Take Peter," Bristow said. He helped me into my coat and handed me the parasol. "Do as Miss Steele says, and see that no harm comes to her," he ordered Peter.

I ran out, not waiting to see if the footman followed. The stranger disappeared around the corner into Aldford Street. I ran after him, Peter alongside me, and breathed a sigh of relief when I spotted the stranger crossing Park Lane. He glanced over his shoulder, but I ducked behind the parasol.

"Act naturally," I told Peter.

The Hyde Park walking path was not too busy and the man was easy to spot with his stocky stature. He glanced around again and must have been satisfied that he had not been followed because he didn't check again.

His slow, steady pace took him out of the park at Hyde Park Corner and into Grosvenor Crescent, Belgravia. Like Mayfair, Belgravia was an area of extraordinary wealth. Impressive mansions graced the curved streets overlooking a lush garden square. I'd been here quite recently with Matt. In fact, the closer we drew to Belgrave Square, the more certain I became that the man was heading toward the exact same house. When he knocked on the front door and was let in by a butler I recognized, I knew we had the connection we needed.

The house belonged to Lord Coyle.

The notion thrilled and chilled me in equal measure. Lord Coyle kept a private collection of magical objects. He'd purchased a magical globe from the Mapmaker's Guild in a clandestine exchange with the globe's creator. He was no stranger to magic.

But how was he connected to Dr. Hale? And why did he not want us to investigate Hale's murder?

"Come, Peter," I said. "Let's return home."

As I said it, the door opened again. I gasped as a different man emerged from the house.

It was Oscar Barratt.





Chapter 10





Matt returned alone at lunch time. I waited until after his rest before telling him about the stranger's warning. As expected, he was livid, but he restrained himself well enough and only thumped his desk once.

"That's not all," I said. "I followed him to—"

"You followed him!" he exploded. "Are you mad? He could have attacked you."

"I had both Peter and my watch with me, and it was broad daylight."