“Drink this, Madame,” said Rodrigo. “I mean, sir. I find this all frightfully confusing,” he said in a low voice to Stephano.
“Here are the keys to the room next door,” Henry said, handing the keys to Rodrigo. “Take Alcazar there and keep an eye on him, will you?”
Rodrigo escorted the quivering journeyman and the wine bottle into the adjoining apartment. Henry looked up and down the hall, then shut the door.
“Obviously the killer mistook the woman for Alcazar,” said Stephano. “But why would Dubois want to kill Alcazar? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Remember that this Dubois is an agent for Sir Henry Wallace. Perhaps Dubois was acting on orders. After the attempt on his life, Wallace considered Alcazar a danger, a liability,” Henry suggested. “Wallace ordered Dubois to kill him so that he wouldn’t talk.”
“Maybe…” Stephano did not appear convinced. “But if what I hear about Alcazar is true, the value of his discovery is beyond estimation. My mother has told me Wallace is not the type of man who is easily scared.”
“Far be it for me to argue with the opinion of the countess,” said Henry with a bow and a smile.
Dag, meanwhile, had been examining one of the bodies. “I know this man, Captain. He’s the Duke-a knifeman working for one of the bosses, a gent known as the Guvnor. Could be this killing had nothing to do with Wallace or Alcazar, sir. Could be a fight between rival bosses.”
An excellent idea. Henry wished he’d thought of it.
“I believe you are right, sir,” Henry said in admiring tones. “It is quite possible this man was involved in a gang. I knew nothing about him or the woman. I hired them on recommendation.”
“There’s an easy way to find out,” said Stephano. “If Dubois and Wallace’s other agents are still keeping an eye on this place, then Wallace wasn’t the killer. If they’re not there, it means they figure the job is over.”
Sir Henry agreed that this made sense. He locked the door to the room containing the bodies. Stephano sent Dag and Doctor Ellington to join Rodrigo keeping watch on Alcazar. Henry accompanied Stephano to the main entryway. Peering out the window, Henry scanned the street. He saw the two “Sisters” strolling slowly along the avenue. The nuns would stop every so often, studying the addresses on the houses, as though searching for a particular location.
“There,” said Henry, pointing. “In the alley. Those two men. The pudgy man in the hat and cloak, that’s Dubois. I don’t know the name of the other man, but I do know him to be another of Wallace’s agents.”
“You’re right,” said Stephano, watching out another window, keeping behind the curtain. “I recognize Dubois. He’s the man I saw in the cafe.”
“He’s probably come to find out from his agent if Alcazar is still in the building,” said Henry.
“So it wasn’t Dubois who killed your agents,” said Stephano.
“A gangland shooting, as your shrewd lieutenant surmised,” said Henry.
“You smuggle Alcazar out by going over the rooftops, the way we came in,” Stephano suggested. “We’ll keep on eye on Dubois.”
“You’ve met Alcazar, Captain,” said Henry dryly. “Picture that quivering mass of jelly leaping gaps and running across rooftops.”
“I see what you mean,” said Stephano. “Look there. Dubois is leaving.”
“His agent assured him Alcazar and I are still inside,” said Henry. “He’ll be going to make arrangements for our capture. You should follow him.”
“Miri and Gythe know what to do,” said Stephano complacently.
Miri and Gythe, in their guises as nuns, strolled along down the street after Dubois, keeping some distance behind him. He vanished around a corner and the Sisters disappeared after him.
“Excellent,” said Henry. “As we planned, you and your friends will dispose of the agent who is lurking across the street. You will enlist the aid of the Constabulary and take them to arrest Dubois. I will wait here for an hour, just to make certain we are in the clear, then I will take Alcazar to the ship I have waiting.”
“I’ve made a small change in that plan,” said Stephano. “I’m leaving Dag here with you and Alcazar. He’ll escort you to the ship.”
Henry frowned. “That wasn’t part of our arrangement-”
“Finding two of your agents dead wasn’t part of the arrangement either,” said Stephano grimly. “The killer might return. Dag comes in handy during a fight.”
Henry was silent, thinking this over.
“Very well, Captain,” he said at last. “As you say, your man might be of use to me.”
He and Stephano found Rodrigo and Alcazar sitting at the table, sharing the wine, deep in discussion about magic. Alcazar appeared to have recovered from his fright. He seemed relaxed in Rodrigo’s company, talking volubly.
Stephano told Dag about the change in plans. Dag agreed. He and the Doctor mounted guard near the door.
“I believe I will stay here with Dag,” said Rodrigo unexpectedly. “Monsieur Alcazar and I have a lot in common.”
Stephano was startled. “What about your tailor?”
“I can see him later,” Rodrigo said with a wave of his hand.
Henry eyed Rodrigo closely, wondering what was going on, not liking it. Everything Henry had heard about this man indicated Rodrigo de Villeneuve lived for wine, women, and song. He was certainly not a threat and, being Stephano’s best friend, might prove an asset.
“Your friend appears to be having a calming effect on Alcazar,” said Henry. “Perhaps he should remain.”
“I think the wine is having the calming effect on both of them,” said Stephano. “But Rigo can stay if he wants.”
Rodrigo poured out two more glasses of wine, one for himself and one for Alcazar.
“I suppose the cat is staying, too?” Henry said caustically.
Doctor Ellington had jumped down off Dag’s shoulder and was roaming about the room in search of food. Not finding anything, he took great interest in a mousehole in the wall. He settled himself in front of the hole and stared at it fixedly.
“See there, Captain,” said Dag, pointing. “Tell Miri. The Doctor goes after mice.”
“He just never catches them,” said Stephano. “Keep an eye on Rigo, will you?”
Dag nodded and settled himself in a chair by the door, his musket across his lap. Stephano departed, heading for the rooftop again. Rodrigo and Alcazar were deep in a technical discussion about magic. The Doctor was gazing hungrily at the mousehole.
“I’ll go take a look to see if there’s anyone watching the rear of the building,” Henry said to Dag, who silently nodded.
Henry walked into the bedroom. He went to the back window and, in the shadow of the curtain, drew out the visiting card, which was the type ladies leave when they make their daily calls on friends. The card was of expensive stock, elegantly engraved with a bit of knot work. A few words had been written on the back.
So sorry to have missed you, Henry. Another time, perhaps.
The note was signed: Eiddwen.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
For the love of all that is holy, just give me a straight-up, stand-up sword fight! I hate court intrigue and all the closet-hiding, eavesdropping, secret-liaisoning, lying, and manipulating, who’s-watching-who-watching-who bastards that bow and scrape and simper as they slip arsenic into your claret. You can’t tell your friends from your enemies from one day to the next.
STEPHANO EXITED THE BOARDING HOUSE by the tradesmen’s entrance in the back of the building. Coming around the front, he saw without seeming to see the agent Sir Henry had pointed out. The agent was loitering in the shadows in an abandoned mews, leaning up against a wall. Stephano casually crossed the street. He had no reason to think he’d given the agent any cause for suspicion and he wasn’t worried about losing him. But when Stephano reached the mews and glanced inside, the agent was no longer there.