‘I understand. There is nothing more infuriating than worrying about someone and then discovering there was no need for it,’ she said earnestly. ‘I should have realised you would be anxious, but I have had quite an adventure and have either made a friend – or been in the power of one of the players in our mystery. I have no idea which.’
‘Good grief.’ Perry waved a hand towards the decanters. ‘Ratafia?’
‘Madeira, please. I need something strengthening before I tell my tale.’
They all sat and Laura embarked on an explanation of where she had been and what she had seen while Perry muttered, ‘Good God!’ at regular intervals, Flynn leaned forward, elbows on knees, listening intently, Jared steepled his fingers and closed his eyes and Theo wrestled with his feelings.
Chapter Seventeen
‘I suppose I was reckless to trust her,’ Laura said when she had finished by explaining that Charlotte had dropped her at the end of the drive.
‘I think not.’ Jared opened his eyes. ‘Instinct is often a good guide. I do not mean that the soi disant Mrs Hogget is not involved in whatever is going on, but I do not think she will betray your hiding place.’
‘So what do we have?’ Theo felt faintly stunned by Laura’s generous forgiveness and had an unpleasant suspicion that he was looking less than intelligent as a result, although a glance in the over-mantle mirror reassured himself that Jared’s jibe about stunned cod was unfair. He sat up straighter and made himself analyse the facts.
‘Mrs Hogget – it makes it simpler if we call her that – has very strange reasons for going to Blakeney quay: a fishmonger’s bill that surely would be dealt with by the housekeeper, and which she professed to have paid in an anonymous-looking warehouse also frequented by the landlord of the Mermaid, and a call at the ships’ chandlers’ for decidedly unladylike purposes.’
‘The landlord’s name is Harris and I suppose he has many reasons for going into warehouses,’ Perry remarked. ‘But I agree, it is strange that Mrs Hogget was in the same one.’
‘Then Squire Jenner looking shifty. Is there a house of ill-repute at the harbour, Perry?’
‘Not that I’ve ever heard of.’ He shot Laura a quick look. ‘Not that I’d know, of course.’
‘As a magistrate you might have had to deal with disturbances there,’ Jared said, straight-faced.
‘Then we have the Finchs receiving large packages by sea.’ Theo shrugged. ‘Could be perfectly innocent. Saves money for heavy loads from London.’
‘And Jenner might have been negotiating something of t
he same kind with the sea captain,’ Flynn suggested.
‘So I am imagining the whole thing? It is just coincidence that so many people who were at that dinner party which seems to have begun this were also in Blakeney?’ Laura asked.
‘Describe exactly which warehouse Mrs Hogget entered and Harris left,’ said Perry. When Laura did her best he nodded. ‘Thought so. Whatever Mrs Hogget was doing, she was not paying for fish. That’s one of a row of three and they are all used for storing goods in transit in or out.’
‘In fact,’ Theo said, ‘The only person definitely acting oddly was Mrs Hogget. Jenner might have been looking shifty, but that could be accounted for. Your new friend lied about her fishmonger’s account and she was taking notes.’
‘That struck me too,’ Jared remarked. ‘It sounds as though she was carrying out surveillance.’
‘But she made no attempt to hide what she was doing,’ Laura objected.
‘Best way not to draw attention,’ Theo said. ‘Look at Jenner – if he hadn’t been looking so guilty you would hardly have noticed him. A woman jotting notes on her shopping list – what could be more harmless?’
‘You think that she is a spy? A French agent? But…’ Laura’s protest died away.
‘An agent. But theirs or ours?’ Jared got up and began to pace. ‘Hogget leaves here – about eighteen months ago, I think you said, Perry? He establishes his sick wife in safe and secure circumstances – I do not see why we need dismiss Laura’s instinct to trust that account. Then he returns here with another woman, to a place where he was known before, where people are most likely to be suspicious of this new marriage. And sure enough, his new wife is ostracised, his social life is curtailed. It must be miserable for the lady – and yet he stays when they would surely be much more comfortable well away from here where he is unknown.’
‘And if Charlotte and he are madly in love and defying convention then why is he content to leave her at home and why does she go about so much without him? Yet I cannot believe that she is his mistress. I do not know why – instinct again, I suppose,’ Laura mused. ‘She is very business-like and determined in her manner. Yes, I can see what you mean, Lord Ravenlaw.’
‘Will you not call me Jared?’
‘Thank you, I will, if you call me Laura. How do we find out if the Hoggets are our agents or not?’
‘Write to Cal and get him to make enquiries at the Home Office,’ Theo suggested.
‘I will,’ Jared began as Mrs Bishop came in to announce that dinner was served and the front door knocker sounded.
‘Now who is that?’ she demanded irritably. ‘Just when the food’s hot and on the table.’