A Little Bit Sinful(68)

Clarissa shook her head. “I cannot say. It would not be the thing. Rodale’s is nothing if not discreet.”

Justin smiled.

Ella twisted her mouth and hit her hands upon her lap. “Oh you two and your secrets. No fun at all.”

Justin chuckled. “To answer your question, Lady Ella, no, I never expected to have two ladies as my accomplices.” The carriage rolled to a stop and he assisted both women down from the rig. “I would appreciate the two of you allowing me to do the talking.”

Clarissa nodded. They climbed the steps to Manchester House. It was an attractive hotel, converted from a rather large corner townhome. The lobby greeted them with light blues and yellows, fabrics and wallpaper that was probably a few years past its prime, but still in good condition.

He motioned to the two of them to sit in some of the cushioned chairs in the middle while he went to speak to the man standing behind the counter. It was not an overly large lobby so Justin felt certain everyone in the room would be able to hear his request, but nothing could be made of that.

“Yes, how may I help you, my lord?” the man asked.

“Simply a mister. I should like to speak with you about records of past guests.”

The man retrieved a book from beneath the counter and set it in front of Justin. “This contains the last year.”

“No, this would have been from a long while ago. 1847 or 1848,” he said.

The man shifted his weight. “Yes, well, that would be when my cousin owned this property.” He returned the book to under the counter.

“Do you still have the records, Sir?” Justin asked.

The man waved his hand, shaking his head. “No, no, that would be far too much trouble and I am quite busy,” he said.

Clarissa looked around the empty lobby. She stepped forward. “Yes, well, since you are so busy, might we look for you? You could simply point us in the right direction.”

The man stood there, not saying anything for several breaths. “No, you see, I meant that it would be too difficult because I do not have those records. I believe all of her records went with her when she gave this hotel to me.” His eyes looked behind Justin and then down at the counter. “I don’t believe I can help you.”

“You do not have such records here in a storage room?” Justin asked. Justin had agreements with a handful of nice hotels in the city. They would send their patrons to his gaming hell and he would always recommend their establishments for visiting guests. He knew how hotels were run, knew that most worth their salt kept records of their guests because they wanted repeat customers.

“No, I do not.”

Justin had every record ever documented at Rodale’s. Granted they’d been open less than ten years, still, one never knew if that information would be needed in the future. There was something in the man’s mannerisms that bothered Justin. He’d wager the man was hiding something.

“Thank you for your time,” he said, then he turned on his heel and retrieved the women.

Clarissa walked passed him back up to the desk. “Pardon me, Sir,” she said. “Are you telling me that you did not keep any of the records of previous guests?”

His lips pinched. “No, that is what I was telling your, friend,” he said deliberately, “and now what I am telling you.”

“Well, that simply makes no sense at all.”

“I believe I am the hotelier, not you, madam,” he said. “Now good day to all of you.”

The three of them did not speak until they were once again encased in the carriage.

“He was obviously lying,” Clarissa said boldly.

“I believe so too,” Justin said.

“One way to find out,” Ella said.

“And that is?” Justin asked.

“Lady Manchester, his cousin, it was her hotel. If she has the records, she would certainly allow you look at them,” Ella said, then she frowned. “I’m afraid she suffers from dementia though, so you’ll have to hope to catch her on a good day.”

“Perhaps today will be that good day,” Justin said. He knocked on the carriage ceiling and they stopped. He stepped out, gave the driver the address Ella rattled off for Lady Manchester’s and then they were off again.

“I have met Lady Manchester before,” Ella said. “So I suppose I shall be the one to introduce the two of you. I do hope she finds that good enough.”

“It will have to be. We need to speak with her,” Clarissa said.