The Secret in East End [Agents of the Crown #1]

Chapter 7

In a glamorous waiting room decked out in golden threaded carpet, pale ivory wall paper and wrought plaster ceiling, Lacey looked entirely out of place. With her askew bonnet, the raggled hems of her dress. The two men in the sitting room with her however, barely noticed the way she worried her fingers. In fact, Fabian had barely sat down since they had entered the room. "Is that all you can tell us, Miss Turner?"

With her dark black locks tumbling out from the loose pins, Lacey nodded, worry evident on her face. It was quite a world away from the sultry looks she had been throwing them, when they delivered Elle to her barely a week ago. Did he make the right choice? Fabian was beginning to believe he should've trusted his instincts and kept her by his side.

He had been surprised by the burst of fear he felt the moment Lacey had announced Elle's disappearance. Half of Fabian had wanted to fly to London immediately upon that, but he knew his mother and sister would balk at him leaving. Plus, from what Lionel told him, the Season was now in full swing. If their information that the blood diamond would be arriving in the Newcastle port and then take a week to arrive at Fenwick's country seat, the more logical part of Fabian told him to stay put.

But it was a week's wait. Could he wait a week?

"We have no choice." Lionel reminded him again, from where he sat with arms perched on his knees. "Going to town now is madness, as carriages fill the roads again. You'll spend half the time searching being caught in traffic snarls. When we left the moment Miss Turner came to look for me, it took me an hour longer just to get out of the city."

Fabian scowled, as much as he hated to admit it, but Lionel was right. As much as he itched to go and do something, they were left with nothing else to do. Sitting heavily on the settee, he ran his hands through the dark locks of his, just as his mother strolled in. It was obvious the Dowager Duchess was taken aback, especially when she saw a female who essentially still looked like a strumpet (even if she wasn't a very well groomed one in her current state), seated in her sitting room.

"Fabian?"

"Mother!" He jumped up, scurrying over to help her to her seat. "This is... Lacey Turner, and Lionel, of course. They are... here on a visit, to help me with certain things, the stuff that Father has going on in town."

"Oh?" his mother paused, concern and doubt etched in her face. Fabian cursed again for his mother's discerning and sharp nature. "Don't we have Mr. Barrowell?" she frowned. Fabian cleared his throat, mind racing to find a solution. "We do! But... They help me with my stuff. I have certain ventures I started with too."

"Taking after your father's shoes?" The answer seemed to mollify the duchess, a smile that she graced her son with after giving a polite and gentle nod to the two in the room. "Please, do enjoy your stay in the Mansion. Should I have rooms prepared?"

"That would be great, Mother." Fabian pressed a quick peck on his mother's cheeks. "Where is Charlotte?"

"She's out with her friends, before the Carrington's head to Town for the Season. Lottie's a little sad she can't join them. You can't fault her for being so excited for her Season. She barely came out for a month before your father...." Her slow trail off made Fabian's heart catch, especially the mournful look that came over the Lady Grace's face.

"I know, Mama. Do get some rest before the dinner bell, would you? I'll get a maid to get you."

By the time he turned back to the other two, Lacey wore a bemused expression on her face. "She was right, ye aren't like the rest o' the dandies I meet in the 'ouse."

"Dandies?" Fabian growled out. Lionel laughed, wagging a warning finger at Lacey's curious look. "His Grace doesn't like to be called a dandy." Lacey raised her brow. Fabian however, had caught on to her usage of words, attention caught. "What did she say about me?"