A Seditious Affair (29 page)

“I think so,” Lord Richard said. “Mr. Skelton, you have heard that Mason left here rather after eight. I fail to see how he can have smuggled himself into a stable on Cato Street, in order to commit treason or anything else, before half past the hour. Especially since the newspapers suggest the street was occupied by a body of officers bent on doing their duty.” He gave Ruthven a nod. “Your witness is mistaken. Isn’t he?”

Skelton looked between the gentlemen, face darkening. “Perhaps he misspoke. But—”

“But you know that Mason was here on Wednesday until past eight o’clock, and you have an explanation for his presence on Cato Street at the wrong time.” Lord Richard sounded a little impatient now. “I think it is clear that you have made a mistake.”

Skelton considered it. Then he said, “No.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“No, your lordship, I don’t think I have made a mistake. He is a seditionist of bad character, admitted as associating with the Spencean Philanthropists until the day before yesterday, and closely linked to Mr. Harry Vane.” He glanced between Ash and Lord Richard. “My lords, I have to warn you that this alibi you offer would be well tested in court, and your reasons for giving testimony for Mason might come into question.”

“Excuse me,” Ash said. “Are you doubting my word, sir? What do you mean, my reasons?”

“I simply suggest you should make certain of what you say, Lord Gabriel. After all, we have a witness who places this man at the scene of the crime, and your noble brother will not be pleased to learn you are undermining our work against radicals. Although, of course, I am aware that you don’t get on with Lord Maltravers, my lord, whereas you are a great friend of Mr. Harry Vane.”

Ash’s mouth dropped open. Norreys caught him by the arm as he moved, and said, “I don’t like your implication, sir. Richard, I trust you intend to make this fellow answer for his insolence.”

“There’s another answer needed first,” Skelton said, voice hard. That was how he worked, coming in with attack after attack, keeping you off balance, making it hard to juggle the lies. “Mason knew of a conspiracy to murder the British cabinet, his majesty’s lawful government. He knew, yet he didn’t report it.” He swung round, pointing a finger in Silas’s face.
“Why not?”

“He did,” said Lord Richard. His face was tight. “To me.”

“And what did you do with that information, my lord?”

“There’s a question,” said Dominic.

Silas jumped, along with everyone else. He hadn’t heard the door open, but there Dominic was, closing the door behind him. He glanced around the room, dark eyes skimming over Silas as though he were nothing.

“Good evening, Dominic,” Lord Richard said. “Your colleague is choosing to imply that Ash and I are liars.”

“About?”

“We’ve assured him that Mason was here yesterday evening, rather than committing treason on Cato Street. Apparently he thinks that we are both happy to perjure ourselves for the sake of a radical democrat.”

“And are you?”

Lord Richard’s brows rose. “I beg your pardon?”

“You think Lords Richard and Gabriel are lying to you, Mr. Skelton,” Dominic said, ignoring that. His voice was pleasant and calm. It brought up the hairs on Silas’s arms.

“I believe their lordships must be mistaken, Mr. Frey,” Skelton said. “We know Mason’s movements. We have an excellent witness.”

“Indeed you do. I’ve been looking into the matter today. I have not left the office till just now in fact, so much have I learned. And I am, frankly, appalled.”

“It is a shocking business,” Skelton agreed. There was something avid in his voice. He scented success, Silas thought, through the coldness that was gripping him at Dominic’s remote expression.

“A plot against the British Government. An officer of the law dead because of it. One can feel nothing but disgust at the idea that anyone involved in this shameful business should be protected.” Dominic glanced around the room. Lord Richard, Ash, and Norreys were very still, watching him. He did not look at Silas. “Any man who aimed to commit murder, or was party to the officer Smithers’s death, or who attempts to shield the criminals involved from justice, ought to be punished with the utmost severity.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Mr. Frey.” Skelton’s smile widened.

“Good,” said Dominic. “Where’s the warrant for George Edwards?”

“I—I beg your pardon?”

“George Edwards.” Dominic took a pace forward. “George Edwards, who attended the meetings of the Spenceans, who informed them of the cabinet dinner and proposed the plot. Why is his name not chief on the list of those still wanted for these crimes?” Another step, closer to Skelton. “George Edwards is your witness placing Mason in Cato Street. He led Ruthven here to Thistlewood’s hiding place this morning and is to receive a reward of a thousand pounds for it. George Edwards was in the whole plot up to his neck until the moment it came off, at which point—and most conveniently—he switched sides. Where’s George Edwards, Mr. Skelton?”

“The man has turned king’s evidence,” Skelton said. “You know how these things work, sir.”

“I thought I did,” Dominic said. “Do you recall a conversation we had in October?”

“October?” Skelton repeated. “We don’t all have your memory, sir.”

“You let me know that there would be a raid on Theobald’s Bookshop. You told me you had an informant among the Spencean Philanthropists who had identified Mason as a seditionist writer. You told me his name.” His voice was calm, but his nostrils were flared, little white marks down both sides.

“Oh, that bastard,” Silas said. “The
fuckster.
”

“There was no cabinet dinner yesterday,” Dominic went on, over him.

“It was called off—” Skelton began.

“It was not planned. I asked. There was no intention for it ever to be held. There was only one notice of it, Mr. Skelton, placed in one single newspaper, and who brought that to the attention of these sordid, futile revolutionaries? Who made this happen?”

“The conspirators murdered an officer!” Skelton snarled.

“Who paid for their weapons to do it?” Dominic flashed back.

“If this is the case . . .” Lord Richard was reddening. “If this is the case, I have never heard anything so disgraceful in my life. What the
devil
is going on in the Home Office to permit this?”

“Sidmouth,” Silas said. “And not the first—”

“Mason,” Dominic said, and Silas couldn’t tell if it was a rebuke or a connection, but he bit his tongue and shut his mouth.

“Mr. Frey.” Skelton looked white about the lips. “You must not speak so. These men had the intention of assassinating the British cabinet, and one of them fired point-blank on an officer. There is no question as to their guilt.”

“Except for Edwards. He walks free to testify against the men he led by the nose.”

“He will not,” Lord Richard said. “I shall instruct Absalom Lockwood. If your damned agent provocateur sets foot in a courtroom, sir, he will be cross-examined by the best barristers in the country, and we shall see what a British jury makes of this filthy business.”

“Enough,” Dominic said. “No, Richard, be quiet. Mr. Skelton, your case against Mason hangs on Edwards’s word. Lord Gabriel Ashleigh and Lord Richard Vane are ready to swear him a liar. I suggest you take a moment to consider what that will do to the rest of your prosecutions.”

“You are very keen to protect him, sir.” There was sweat shining on Skelton’s forehead. “Is that for Mr. Harry Vane’s sake?”

“Quite the opposite, in fact,” Dominic said. “When I discovered that Mason had been arrested wearing my coat—”

“How was that?” Norreys asked.

“Mason has one of my shorter castoffs,” Lord Richard put in. “It seems it was mistaken for Dominic’s by the new footman.”

Norreys gave a theatrical sigh. “I have mentioned, dear Dominic, that you need to visit your tailor more often.”

Dominic did not look in the mood for byplay. “As I was saying, Mr. Skelton. I was concerned, when I learned of what had happened, to hear that Harry’s old friend should have repaid Richard’s kindness so poorly. I looked into the business to see what wrong had been done to Richard and Harry’s trust. And that was when I remembered that you had put the names of Silas Mason and George Edwards together. A slippery fish, you called Mason, and one you intended to catch with Edwards’s help. Tell me, did he decide to give false witness that Mason was in the stable for his own reasons, or was it your idea? A little addition to the truth to bring your quarry down at last?”

Skelton’s mouth opened and closed, eyes darting. Ash said, thoughtfully, “I’m not sure I follow all this, but it sounds as though
someone
needs horsewhipping.”

“You have no idea,” Dominic said. “Go back to your masters, Mr. Skelton, and inform them that if your prosecutions in this case are not carried out fairly, they will not succeed. I shall take the stand myself if I see perjury in the king’s name.”

“You have a duty,
sir,
” Skelton said through his teeth.

“My duty is to my country and my conscience, and I’ll do it as I see fit. Now get out of Richard’s house. You contaminate it.”

Skelton hesitated, then turned on his heel. Constable Ruthven, who had been doing his best to achieve invisibility, hurried after him. Norreys, at Lord Richard’s nod, followed them into the hall.

Silas stared at Dominic, who was looking at the floor.

Norreys returned, shutting the door, and said, “What a range of experience you give us, Dominic. Is Harry safe?”

“How much of that was true?” demanded Lord Richard.

“What
is
going on?” added Ash plaintively.

“Thank you, everyone,” Dominic said. “It is quite true, Richard, and if the radicals had not killed an officer, the poor swine would have had a very good case for entrapment. As it is, I expect they will swing, but we shall have to see. Ash . . . Julius will explain later.”

“Thank you so much,” Norreys said.

“Julius, the only way they can bring in Harry is via Silas, and I very much hope you three have put paid to that. I’m grateful to you all.”

“Be grateful to Cyprian,” Norreys said. “He is the puppet master and we but his marionettes.”

“I won’t lie on oath,” Lord Richard said. “If it comes to trial—”

“I don’t mind,” Ash offered cheerfully.

“I trust it won’t be necessary.” Dominic sounded very weary. “I don’t think Skelton will risk it. He, or Edwards, overreached when they tried to bring Silas into it.”

“Or Maltravers even,” said Lord Richard. “Might this have been an attempt to blacken Harry’s name, Dominic?”

“I don’t know yet. I have to go back. There is a great deal to be done and people to whom I must speak about this. Where is Harry?”

“Some prizefight at the other end of London with Freddy and Higham,” Norreys said. “Cyprian arrived to get him out of the way at an ungodly hour. I do hope you pay that man what he’s worth, Richard.”

“I couldn’t afford to,” Lord Richard said. “Talking of employment . . .”

They were all looking at Silas then. He blinked.

“Continue the, uh, the situation as arranged for now.” Dominic sounded stifled. “We’ll discuss it. Could you, perhaps, go down to Arrandene for a while, or at least be out of London? Thank you. Thank you all.” He turned on his heel.

“What—Wait.” Silas blurted it out, unable to restrain himself. “Dom?”

“Don’t,” Dominic said harshly. “I can’t—I can’t do this and my duty. Excuse me.” He hurried out, not looking around.

Silas stared at the door. He couldn’t think of anything else to do. He couldn’t think at all.

Lord Richard rang the bell, and they waited in silence, a rogue and a pack of gentlemen who lied like rogues, until Cyprian appeared, read Lord Richard’s wordless gesture, and escorted Silas through to the servants’ quarters and upstairs.

He found himself in a neat little attic room before he’d begun to understand what was going on.

“Here you are,” Cyprian said. “Should be comfortable enough. Hungry? Well, you will be soon. I’ll send something up. Then get some sleep; I imagine we’ll be heading for Arrandene tomorrow. Welcome to Lord Richard’s service. The rules of the house are respect and discretion—”

“Wait. Stop.” Silas waved a hand. “This was all a lie you made up, remember? And it worked, very nice, so why don’t we just say I resign?”

“Because that would give the impression that you are not a reformed character,” Cyprian said crisply. “It might raise questions, and we don’t want questions. You, my friend, work for Lord Richard like a respectable man, and you will do so for as long as is necessary to maintain the fiction, understand? As I was saying: You treat all fellow staff with decency, and you do not speak a word of Lord Richard’s business, no matter how trivial. Infringing either of those rules is a matter for instant dismissal. Otherwise, you will find the pay and the conditions excellent. This is the most sought-after house in London for service.”

“I’m not in bloody service!”

Cyprian cocked his head. “Tell me something, Mr. Mason. I hear you believe you’re as good a man as any lord?”

“Aye,” Silas said. “And so is any man, or woman, birth be damned.”

“Well, two lords just lied through their teeth to save you from the hangman and Mr. Frey and Mr. Harry from disgrace. If you’re as good a man as Lord Gabriel, let alone Lord Richard, you’ll play your part as they did. Don’t spoil all that’s been done today for the sake of pride.” Silas gritted his teeth. Cyprian sat on the bed, uninvited. “If I may say so, you don’t seem very cheerful for a man who isn’t going to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.”

Silas sat as well. He wanted to put his head in his hands or to hit someone. He wanted Dominic.

He wasn’t going to have him.

Dominic had always said,
I won’t protect you against the consequences of what you have done.
That had been the fragile foundation on which they’d built the bridge between them, that they would neither of them give up their principles for the other. But Dominic’s principles lay in ruins now, and it was Silas’s fault.

The disgust and anger in Dominic’s voice:
I can’t do this and my duty.