2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Plan

W ithout conversation, the three men entered Fred’s coach. Fred knocked for the coach to return to his townhouse. “I need you to come with me. I’m hoping the three of us may be able to decide how to proceed.” He took a deep breath, head down with a slight shake, he looked back at his fellow horsemen. “The bar wench, the target of our deprecating humor, and the woman we, or at least Henry and I, have been privy to her carnal talents – “ He took another breath. “She has been murdered. I’m unsure, but it certainly looked like multiple stab wounds.”

“Holy shite, Fred. That is why you were back there so long?” Henry fell back onto the squab.

“Yes. She spoke to me before she died. With her dying breath, she asked me to find her daughter. She said her daughter was in danger. She wanted me to take her necklace with this pendant.” He pulled it out of his fob pocket. “I need to, at least, attempt to fulfill her dying wish.”

The three sat quiet; attempting to absorb the tragedy of the woman’s death and the mystery surrounding her dying request. “You know we are with you. Once we get to your townhouse, we can sit down and attempt to decipher what mystery revolves around her locket.” John’s stoicism, in the moment, was very much appreciated. Fred was still shocked over the tragic sight and dying request of his favorite bar wench.

Max, the coachman, stopped to allow the three out before taking the carriage to the stables.

Mr. Winston – always at the ready, stood with the door open. “Good evening, your lordship. Good evening Lord Addams, Lord Herbert.” Daniel, the footman, took their coats.

“Daniel, bring the scotch and glasses into the study, thank you.” John and Henry followed Fred into the study. “Shall we sit around the table? I want us to all get a better look to scrutinize this necklace and locket.” He placed a lantern on the table, pulled the necklace out of his fob pocket, opened the clasp, and laid it on the table. Daniel interrupted their initial inspection with the delivery of the scotch decanter and glasses on a salver.

“Would that be all, my lord?”

“Yes, Daniel.” Daniel made a slight bow and started out the door. “Daniel, I think we could use a platter of bread, cheese, and whatever is left over in the kitchen.”

“Right away, my lord.”

“I have purchased enough jewelry to safely say this is an expensive chain. Do you both agree?” Henry looked to John and Fred for comment.

“I agree. This is not a cheap chain. I can take it to my jeweler to confirm our opinion.” Fred volunteered. He felt it his responsibility. He solely committed to the pitiful woman.

Daniel entered. “My lord. The food you requested, plates, and serviettes.”

“Wonderful, Daniel.”

“Now, where were we?” Fred requested. His mind was still in a fog.

“I suppose we should open the locket. I’m curious to see what is inside. It must be of some import for her to plead with you to take it.” Fred handed John the locket. “These types of lockets usually snap, if I recall correctly.” John inspected the edge of the locket. “At the two o’clock of the locket, there should be a lip, right there,” he found the lip, “then gently, with a fingernail, pop it open.” He opened the locket and laid it on the table. “Fred, I leave it for you to inspect.”

Fred picked it up. “There is an impressive ink portrait. This young lady is beautiful.”

“What age do you believe Glenda to have been?” John looked to Henry and Fred for an answer. He had never experienced her ‘talents’.

“Hellfire. I never really spent much time looking at her face. The top of her head is what I saw the most. But, I would put her in her mid-to-late thirties?” Henry’s reply sounded more like a question. He looked to Fred for corroboration.

“Yes, I would agree,” Fred confirmed. Thinking about Glenda having serviced him at her age caused him to cringe. You never cringed when she took care of your ‘preferences’. The thought only dredged up more self-loathing. “The young girl in this portrait, what would you guess her age to be?” Fred looked to the two for their opinions.

“She looks to be a young lady. No more than six and ten years of age.” John estimated.

“I agree.” Henry acquiesced.

“This has to be the daughter she pleaded for you to find. She is pretty.” John turned over the back. “There is something written on the back. It is so small. Fred, do you have a quizzing glass in here?”

Fred stood and walked over to his desk. “Right here.” He handed it to John.

“Give me a minute, the writing is worn.” He bent over and studied the writing. “It appears to say, 'S L B’, that is all I can see.” John’s voice sounded unsure.

“Let me try.” Fred held out his hand. “We had better handle this delicately. Will you hand me the quizzing glass?” John slid it over. “She is exceedingly pretty. God, I pray she is not in a dire situation forcing her to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Such would be a real tragedy.” He turned it over.

“It looks like the letters are as you said, John. Now, we need to find out the significance of S L B. This is a puzzle.” Fred continued to stare at the portrait of a lovely young lady.

“So how should we proceed? These initials give us next to nothing. She may have purchased this at some kind of used jewelry store, or from a customer, or…there are any number of possibilities.” Fred‘s brow gathered in concentration. "I would seriously doubt such a possibility as she was desperate for me to take the pendant. It must be her daughter, would be both agree?"

No sooner had his question been posed than Mr. Winston entered the library. “Excuse me, my lord. There is a Mr. Frank Stewart here to see you. Shall I tell him you are in?”

“Yes, send him in.” Fred threw his hands up with a shrug and looked to John and Henry. “It certainly did not take him very long. I wonder if Sir Fielding sent him?”

“We are going to find out in a second.” John chortled.

Frank followed Mr. Winston into the library. “Another glass and plate, my lord?” Mr. Winston asked.

“Yes, thank you.” Fred stood – half grin, half smirk. “Damn, it didn’t take Fielding long to contact you. Does he have a personal runner for you exclusively?” Fred led Frank back to the table.

“With the business you four horsemen have been giving me as of late, you would think so. Find me a chair, a glass, and fill me in.” Fred picked up another corner chair and placed it around the table.

Daniel came in with more food, another bottle of scotch, an extra plate, and a glass. “Anything else I can do for you, my lord?”

“No, Daniel. I will ring you if we need anything.”

“Wow. He is a big fellow. Is he as bad as he is big?” Frank had never had the pleasure to see Daniel. He made an impressive sight. Handsome young man. Tall. Blonde hair. Solid muscle.

“Would you care to test him?”

“I think not.” He sat down and made himself comfortable. Fred handed him a glass, and Frank helped himself to a glass of scotch. “Now, gentlemen, would you kindly fill me in on the incident at the Temple of Venus.” Frank directed his question to Fredrick.

After the men shared the information they had collected, which consisted of very little, they had to come up with a plan to seek out this, 'S L B‘. “I’m determined to fulfill this woman’s dying wish. I have made it my priority. If it leads to the murderer, so be it, however, I’m going to search for her daughter. Glenda feared for her. Look at the girl’s portrait.” He tapped the locket with his finger for emphasis. She’s lovely. If Glenda, with her dying breath, said her daughter was in danger, then I believe her. We need to determine how to proceed with what little information we have.” Fred made a fist and smacked the table.

Frank thought; massaging his temple. “One thing I could do is go through all the information Bow Street has to see if there is a person with those initials. This could be the bar wench’s daughter’s name. Although I have to say, it would be a long shot. Hell, the three letters may not even be a person.”

“An excellent point. It could have some personal meaning. ‘Sarah loves Ben’ or ‘Sam loathes Beth,’ we could go on forever.” John pointed out. Too disappointing to even ponder.

“I thought of something if we want to follow the initial idea – The spring ball is this weekend. Should be the last big bash of the season. I would imagine anyone who is anyone will be there with their debutante daughters, the ones still on the marriage mart. We should go, circulate, and see if anyone knows someone with the initials, ‘S L B‘. What are your thoughts, gentlemen?” Henry eyed the three. He kept up on the debutante balls.

“It is better than what we have now. You never know what may be uncovered. I have to say, I would be quite surprised if you found anyone who either had those initials or knew of someone with those initials. Still, it is certainly worth a try.” Frank agreed. Due to his lack of standing in the ton , Frank would never be in a ballroom – unless a crime had been committed. “When shall we reconvene?”

“I think the day after the ball would be apropos unless someone uncovers something of import prior.” Fred silently reiterated his promise to fulfill Glenda’s plea.

“'Day after the ball? Sounds agreeable.” Frank rubbed his brow. “I need to speak with Magistrate Fielding, to get access to all previous records.” Frank ran his fingers over his forehead again. A habit he had when trying to focus “I will make sure Fielding and his runners use the utmost discretion. I understand Martha’s concern. I do think you should return to Venus, to speak with her again. Perhaps she has remembered or uncovered information she did not know when John Fielding interviewed her.” Frank wrote down information to take back to No. 4 Bow Street. “I will be working with you as far as finding the murderer, so you will have me at no cost.”

“I don’t know if you need the information regarding the necklace or not. But if so, you can inform Fielding I will hold on to the necklace and take it to my jeweler. See if he can at least give me an estimate on how old it is; it's worth.” Fred had the best jeweler in Town. Rundell and Bridge were the jewelers’ to the ton. Fred had gone to them when it was, Rundell Jeweler and Goldsmith. He knew Philip Rundell well. He would try to seek him out when he had time.

“Gentlemen, I believe we have a temporary plan. Henry? Fred? Tomorrow night? The Venus?” John attempted to organize his thoughts on the various aspects of their plan.

“I’m always up for a visit to Venus. ” Henry waggled his brows.

“Oh, cease, Henry. You are a lecher.” John chastised him.

“Now, we should finish these bottles, eat the scrumptious platter of food, and attempt to lighten the mood.” Fred snapped his fingers as if to magically make it so.