The Sudbury School Murders by Ashley Gardner Page B

rotten
thing to do."
    He heaved a long sigh. "Ah, well, Captain,
God sends us trials, does he not? But one day, one day, I shall buy
an entire library of everything I want. And then I shall sit back
in a room filled with so many, many texts, and read to my heart's
content." He smiled a little, enjoying his dream.
    I noted Sutcliff watching us from his place
at the head of his table. When he caught my eye, he nodded, lifting
his glass. Then he turned away to snarl at a younger boy down the
table, who had not finished his stew. A Rutledge in the making, I
reflected.
    When the meal finished and we all left the
hall, I caught up to Sutcliff and touched his shoulder. "Mr.
Sutcliff," I said. "Could you spare some time to speak to me and
Mr. Grenville?"
     
     
    * * * * *

Chapter Eight
     
    Sutcliff agreed to meet with Grenville and
myself for a glass of claret that afternoon. His tone when he
delivered his answer told me that he never would have accepted had
Grenville not been involved. Gabriel Lacey might be a gentleman,
his look said, but Gabriel Lacey could barely afford the clothes on
his back.
    My own father would have thrashed him soundly
just for that look. Lucky for Sutcliff that my father was dead.
    At three o'clock, Sutcliff reported to
Grenville's rooms, and Grenville, now rested and bathed and dressed
again in a fine suit, received him.
    While Didius Ramsay was a usual sort of boy
trying to fit in with his fellows, Sutcliff was a few years older
than the rest, and definitely Rutledge's man. He regarded everyone
about him with a sneer and considered himself higher than all
except Rutledge. Sutcliff's father, I had learned from gossip, one
of the wealthiest men in London, had risen from assistant clerk at
a warehouse to become the owner of a fleet of merchant ships and
several warehouses. Goods from all over the world--and the money
those goods made--had passed through his hands. Sutcliff stood to
inherit all that money, and he made certain with every gesture and
turn of phrase, that we all knew it.
    I wondered, however, how much money he truly
had at present. His father likely gave him an allowance, but even
wealthy fathers could be stingy as a way to teach their sons to
respect money. Sutcliff's clothes were not shabby, but nor were
they the equal of Grenville's, or even small Ramsay's. Perhaps his
papa held the purse strings tighter than Sutcliff liked.
    Sutcliff seated himself on a Turkish sofa in
Grenville's rather grand rooms and accepted the glass of claret
that Matthias, Bartholomew's brother, whom Grenville had brought
with him, served us.
    When Matthias had emptied the bottle,
Grenville told him he was finished with his duties and suggested he
find Bartholomew and take him to visit the pub in Sudbury. Matthias
thanked him, said a cheerful good afternoon to me, and
departed.
    Sutcliff gave Grenville a look of mild
disdain when he'd gone. "They get above themselves, you know, if
you allow it."
    Grenville nodded as though Sutcliff had said
something wise. "Indeed, my servants ever take advantage of me." He
studied the fine color of his claret before taking a sip. "Now
then, Mr. Sutcliff, what do you think of Sudbury School? It has a
fine reputation."
    Sutcliff arched a brow. "What do I think of
it? You hardly plan to send your sons here, do you?"
    "I am interested."
    Grenville was holding himself in check. I'd
seen him turn the full force of his cold and satirical persona to
others, observed peers of the realm wilt before him, seen powerful
gentlemen fear to come under his stare. Grenville needed only to
imply that a gentleman purchased his gloves ready-made or did not
pay his servants or had bad table manners, and that gentleman would
be forever marked. Sutcliff was unaware of his danger.
    "It's a tedious place, if you must know,"
Sutcliff said. He gulped his claret, and then helped himself to
more. "But at the end of this term, I will be finished, thank
God."
    "I agree, being buried in the country is