He blinked, aware that she must have been speaking to him.
“Your theories, Arundel.”
And he’d just been thinking that he wouldn’t trust her. He’d have to trust her somewhat now if he gave her this information. Grudgingly, Hew admitted she had earned some of his trust. “Earlier you mentioned the bridge sabotage might have something to do with the train tracks cutting through a farmer’s land. You weren’t far off. My suspect—and remember I can’t prove this, at least not yet—is a local landowner named Pennywhistle. Pennywhistle was the previous owner of the land where the tracks had been laid.”
“He sold the land to the railroads and then regretted the sale. Is that what you think?”
As usual, she had grasped the salient point immediately. “That’s my suspicion, yes. I found out Pennywhistle had hired surveyors to map the land adjacent to the land now owned by the railroads. They were searching for deposits of copper and iron ore.”
“And I assume copper and iron are valuable.”
“Depending on the size of the deposit, they could be worth a fortune.”
“So this Pennywhistle probably wonders if the deposits extend onto the land he sold the railroad. Did he try to buy the land back?”
That was Hew’s question as well. “The railroad hasn’t provided me with that information yet. But that’s my assumption, yes. I also know the railroad. That track is built, and they’ve gone to the expense to build a bridge. They won’t sell the land back.”
Belle sat back and looked out the window of the hackney. “If he sabotages the bridge, the railroad men will only repair it. How does that serve Pennywhistle?”
Hew gave her a level look. She was so pretty, sitting across from him with her honeyed hair coming out of its confines and her brown eyes large with interest. Hew looked away. He could not entertain these feelings for her. He was not the sort of man to seduce a young woman—and she was young and inexperienced, no matter what she claimed—and then walk away. Hew doubted Belle was the sort of woman he could walk away from once he’d had a real taste of her. The kiss they’d shared the night before had only made him want more. But he had been married once and that was more than enough. Let other men take up the mantle of husband and father. Hew was a devoted bachelor.
“There is always a purpose to sabotage,” Hew said. “That’s the first thing I learned in the Royal Saboteurs. Know your endgame. Sometimes that’s easy—sabotaging an attempt on the life of the queen or violence against British citizens saves lives. In this case, I was not the saboteur, but investigating the act—and, of course, hoping to sabotage future efforts. But if Pennywhistle did sabotage the bridge—and someone did as the engineers assured me the damage that resulted in the collapse was deliberate and man-made—then the most likely reason was to give him time.”
“Time to search for the mineral deposits? It could take weeks or months for the railroad to repair the bridge.”
“Exactly. But I think he found the deposits and needed time to excavate them. He could assemble a group of men on the land to remove as much of the deposits as possible while the train was out of commission.”
“And no one would notice men digging up the railroad’s land?”
“Bribery,” Hew said. “A few hundred pounds paid to railroad officials is a small price compared to the riches Pennywhistle would gain. I had submitted these theories to my director—Baron Keating. He will determine the next steps. Usually the local officials are notified and take action.”
“But if Pennywhistle is a prominent man in the area then he might have them in his pocket.”
“Astute observation.”
She shrugged. “It’s not so different than some of the leaders of those criminal gangs who try and extort payment from shopkeepers. They don’t usually venture into Fenchurch Street, but I’ve known tea merchants in other parts of the city who have had to pay.”
“And here I thought all you did was sell tea and dust shelves.”
She smiled. “That is all I do. I live a quiet life.”
Until you came along was implied.
“Do you think Baron Keating will send you back to catch Pennywhistle trespassing and digging for minerals? Pennywhistle must think so or he wouldn’t have sent men to kill you.”
“If he wanted to deflect suspicion, he’s certainly gone about it the wrong way. I can’t rule out the possibility that the men after me aren’t Pennywhistle’s, but it seems rather convenient timing. Ah, there is Mivart’s Hotel.”
She didn’t look out the window but instead leaned forward and grasped the hand he’d laid on his knee. Hew raised his brows. “These men are killers. They’ve already killed three people on the train, and if they’d had their way, you would be dead too. Now they’re using my father to get to you. If you meet them tomorrow night, they’ll kill you.”
“They will certainly try.” He grinned at her. “I won’t make it easy for them.”
The hackney slowed and the doorman from Mivart’s stepped forward to open the door. Belle put her hand on it to keep it closed. “I can’t allow you to risk your life. Again.”
Hew put his hand over hers. “Belle, I can’t allow an innocent man like your father to be harmed. It’s against the vow I took to protect Queen and Country. I can handle myself.”
She snorted. “You are still recovering from an injury that almost took your life.”
“It’s a good thing I have another day to build up my strength then.” He reached for her hand on the door, removing it so the doorman could open it.
