‘Very limited,’ he replied frankly. ‘There is no one else in town I can trust with this task, saving yourself. Or your aunt.’
They walked on in silence while Grace considered everything he had told her. She could of course decline to help him. Aunt Eliza would be only too pleased to step into the breach, but her aunt was so garrulous who knew what she might let slip?
Do not make excuses, my girl, you want to do this. Admit it, you have had enough of shopping and paying visits to Aunt Eliza’s friends. You want a little adventure before you settle down.
Grace ignored the demon who whispered such scurrilous things in her ear. It was her duty to assist a fellow creature in need. Papa would understand, he would never refuse a plea for help. Neither should she.
‘So, Miss Duncombe. Will you help me?’
‘I will, sir.’ She looked across the square. ‘I think that is my aunt’s carriage at the door now, which is excellent timing, for we have completed two full circuits of the gardens, sufficient exercise for Nelson, and we may now return to the house. Will you come in and take tea with us? Then you may tell me all I need to know.’
* * *
Grace went to Arlington Street the following afternoon, but her call proved fruitless. In her efforts to look as respectable as possible Grace took her maid with her, but even this did not help. The old lady was every bit as irascible and uncooperative as Wolf had led her to believe and after less than ten minutes Grace found herself being shown to the door. As she paused in the hall to collect her muff and umbrella from her maid, the tomb-like silence was shattered by a series of yaps and a lively little brown-and-white spaniel dashed up to Grace and began to fawn about her.
‘Lottie, Lottie, come here, younaughtydog!’
A flustered maid appeared, saying breathlessly, ‘I am ever so sorry, ma’am. She’s ready for her walk, you see, and that always makes her so lively that she can’t help herself.’
‘That is no trouble at all,’ said Grace, stooping to fondle Lottie’s ears. ‘I am sorry if my visit to your mistress has delayed their walk.’
‘Oh, no, ma’am, I always takes Lottie out.’ The maid tucked a grey curl back under her cap and bent to scoop up the little dog.
‘You are very fortunate to have the park so conveniently close,’ said Grace, smiling.
‘Oh, yes, ma’am, that we are. I takes Lottie there twice a day. Every morning, afore breakfast and then again about now, so she will sit quiet with the mistress for an hour afore dinner.’ With a bob of a curtsy the maid retreated to the nether regions of the house and Grace made her way back to Hans Place. Her aunt pounced on her almost as soon as she walked through the door.
‘Well, have you found Meesden?’
‘No. All I could discover was that Meesden left Mrs Payne’s service two years ago. More than that the lady would not say.’
‘Oh, that is annoying,’ exclaimed Aunt Eliza. ‘I was hoping we would be able to further Mr Wolfgang’s investigations. He will be so disappointed to find we have learned nothing.’
‘But all is not yet lost,’ said Grace. ‘I am not prepared to give up yet. Tomorrow I shall take Nelson walking in Green Park!’
* * *
Early the following morning Grace lifted the little pug from Aunt Eliza’s carriage when it drew up at the edge of the park. She had no idea what time Mrs Payne took breakfast and in preparation for a long vigil she had put a thick cloak over her redingote to keep out the cold and the threatened showers. Nelson was also wearing a woollen coat. Grace thought it made him look like a cushion on legs, but her aunt had insisted that May had not yet begun and Nelson, too, should be protected from the inclement weather.
They were strolling along the Queen’s Walk for the second time when Grace saw a small figure in a red flannel cloak emerge from a gate in the wall just ahead, and she had a little brown-and-white spaniel with her.
Fortune favoured Grace, for the maid was walking towards her. Despite Nelson’s new exercise regime, she knew that if her quarry had been heading away from them the pug’s short legs would never have been able to catch up. Nelson was showing little interest in his surroundings, but the spaniel was very inquisitive and as they drew closer she made prancing overtures towards the pug. Grace feigned a start of surprise and stopped squarely before the maid, blocking the path.
‘Oh, surely that is Mrs Payne’s little dog. Lottie, is it not?’
‘Why, yes, ma’am.’
The maid bobbed a polite curtsy and Grace turned and fell into step beside her, saying with a little laugh, ‘How strange that we should meet again so soon. Do you mind if I walk with you? Poor Nelson would be glad of the company, I am sure.’
‘Poor Nelson’ was doing his best to ignore the spaniel’s friendly overtures, but the maid was clearly dazzled by the pug’s sparkling collar and could not deny any request his owner might make.
Grace marvelled as she listened to herself chattering on, drawing the maid out by degrees, until she admitted that she had been in Mrs Payne’s service for nigh on twenty years.
‘Indeed? Then you must be a very loyal and trusted servant,’ said Grace. ‘Your mistress is fortunate to have you.’ She dropped her voice a little. ‘In fact, you may be able to help me. You see, the reason I called upon Mrs Payne yesterday was to learn information about her lady’s maid. Mrs Meesden.’
‘Annie Meesden? Why she’s been gone from this house these two years or more.’ The maid clapped a hand over her mouth. ‘Not that the mistress likes us to talk about these things.’
‘I quite understand,’ Grace responded smoothly. ‘However, Mrs Meesden has applied to me for a position. Mrs Payne made it quite clear to me that all such matters are dealt with by her son, but you see, my dresser has given notice very suddenly and I amdesperateto replace her. Mrs Meesden seems quite perfect for the role, but she has no references and I should so like to hear some good word of the woman, before I take her into my household.’
