A Body in Berkeley Square by Ashley Gardner Page B

himself.
    I took the now-bloody handkerchief from
her--a fine piece of lawn that Grenville must have given her--and
dabbed at the abrasions myself.
    "Have you given him a chance, Marianne? You
are keeping secrets from him, and you never let him give you what
he wants to give you."
    "What he wants to give me is an entirely
different life, without asking if that is the life I want. Without
so much as a by-your-leave."
    "Many a penniless actress would be pleased
by the prospect."
    "And many a penniless captain would be
pleased at his offer to let you share his house or travel with him.
And yet you decline."
    I could not deny that. I was as proud as
Marianne was. "I do have my own income, tiny as it is. But you have
even less. Perhaps you had better reconsider."
    "You mean that I should let him make me into
the woman he wants me to be."
    "I mean that you should stop antagonizing
him. Grenville helps you because he feels charitable, and yes, he
does pity you. And you punish him for it."
    She snorted. "I am extremely grateful to
you, Lacey. You have made me realize that you men will always
defend one another, no matter what. You say that he is looking to
Mrs. Bennington because I am angering him. Of course, it must be
all my fault."
    "I said nothing of the sort. You will drive
me mad. The fault lies in both of you. You both have stubborn
pride." I touched my face, feeling the bruises. "Grenville has said
nothing to me about leaving you for Mrs. Bennington. And if he does
try to cast you into the street, I will stop him."
    Marianne cocked her head and observed me
with her childlike gaze. "What can you do against him, Lacey? He is
a powerful man. When he makes a pronouncement, even royalty
listens. You may hold his interest now, but when you lose that, you
will be nothing to him."
    I knew the truth of this, but perhaps I had
more faith in Grenville than she did. "I have seen evidence of his
kind heart. He is not as callous as you would have him be."
    Her eyes were as cool as ever, but I knew
Marianne well, and I sensed the hurt in her. I could reassure her
until my breath ran out, but both she and I knew that Grenville did
what he liked for his own reasons.
    "If I discover anything, I will tell you," I
promised. "I agree that he should not keep you in the dark about
Mrs. Bennington."
    "Well, thank you for that anyway."
    "I cannot blame him if he grows exasperated
with you. You are a most exasperating woman."
    "He has power," she said. "I have none. I am
only getting back a little of my own."
    The door banged open. I leapt to my feet,
and so did Marianne, both of us expecting the return of the
Frenchman. But it was only Bartholomew, balancing a covered dish
and two tankards. He caught sight of me, and his jaw sagged.
    I sprang forward and rescued the plate. "Do
not drop my dinner, Bartholomew, for heaven's sake. I am hungry." I
put the platter safely on a table and took the tankards from
him.
    "Good Lord, sir." He looked me up and down
then glanced at Marianne. "Did she have a go at you?"
    Marianne looked affronted. "Of course not,
you lummox."
    I quickly told Bartholomew about the
Frenchman. Bartholomew, growing excited, wanted nothing more than
to dash out and scour the city for him then and there.
    I stopped him. "He did not find what he came
to find, so he will no doubt show himself again. He has a
distinctive appearance. We will find him."
    I did not say so, but I had the feeling that
Imogene Harper would know good and well who this Frenchman was. If
he'd stolen her letters to Brandon, he must have had good reason to
do so. He could be her friend or a lover--even her husband. Mrs.
Harper had left the Peninsula four years ago, after all, and had
only recently come to London. She could have done many things
during that time.
    "Do run to Bow Street," I told Bartholomew
as I uncovered the beefsteak he'd brought me. "Tell Pomeroy to
watch out for a lean Frenchman with close-cropped hair. The man may
next try to search Mrs. Harper's