‘Maybe they won’t be able to do that,’ Edward answered, and in a low, rapid voice began to tell Will about the lunch, and everything that had been said. And ultimately agreed upon.
Once Ned had finished speaking, Will sat back against the seat, looking thoughtful for a few moments, and then he shook his head. ‘Certainly this Amos Finnister chap has handed you a number of lethal weapons…such as the possibility to blackmail, circulate bad propaganda, those kind of things, but stealing the records might not be quite so easy.’
‘Neville assured me that if anyone can do it, it’s Finnister. Or rather, some of the men he employs. I get the impression they’re professional thieves.’
‘Well I certainly trust Neville’s judgement. By the way, have you told him I would like to work at Deravenels, once you’ve taken over?’
Edward began to laugh. ‘Another confident soul, I see, not even questioning the outcome. And yes, I have told him, and he was delighted. He even wondered aloud if you would consider working for him at the moment, until you could join me, and I said I would ask you.’
‘Neville wants me to work for him? Good God! But look here, Ned, what would I do?’ Will Hasling’s expression was one of total puzzlement.
‘Chiefly, you would be…my boon companion,’ Edward explained. ‘Except you wouldn’t be able to accompany me to work, to Deravenels. However, he does want you to be with me at all other times. He’s got a bee in his bonnet about my safety, even though Amos Finnister assured him they wouldn’t dare make a move against me, physically that is, at the moment. Finnister says that the fire in Carrara and those terrible deaths have brought attention to the Grants. There’s a lot of gossip going around about the tragedy, and about the Grants, too. Look, Will, Neville feels I shouldn’t be wandering around town alone, and he thinks you’re the best person to be at my side.
‘But he doesn’t have to employ me to do that, Ned! Surely he understands about our friendship.’
‘Of course he does. I suppose he wanted to put you on his payroll because he thinks you have to earn a living—’
‘That’s no longer necessary, because of the money my aunt has left me. It’s not a great fortune, Ned, but it’s enough to keep me quite comfortably, and my father still gives me a small allowance.’
Edward nodded, and said swiftly, ‘I hope you’re not offended by his offer of money.’
‘Don’t be silly, and the answer by the way is yes. I will certainly be your boon companion—that’s not work, it’s total pleasure.’
Both young men laughed, and then Will’s face changed, became solemn when he said in a serious voice, ‘Rest assured that I will protect you. With my life. And always. Because like Neville, I believe the Grants will eventually try to get you in some way. And I don’t want my best friend dead…I want him alive.’
Edward nodded, gave Will a somewhat wry smile. ‘And your friend wants to stay alive, I can assure you of that.’ There was a moment’s pause before Ned continued, ‘I’m certainly glad my mother decided to come to London, I’ve worried about them, especially the children. I’ll be much happier having them at Charles Street with me. Even though it is perfectly safe at Ravenscar. It’s well protected by its location, and the locals are devoted to us. Still, I have been concerned about them being there without me.’
‘That I understand, Ned, and you never know in life.’ Will sighed. ‘You just never know what might happen.’ He looked out of the window for a second, and then bringing his steady gaze back to Edward, he asked, ‘Do you think your mother was afraid there? Is that why she’s coming back to town today? Do you think she considered herself vulnerable at Ravenscar?’
‘No, I don’t, in all honesty. I know she’s always felt safe there, but from what she said on the telephone, last night, she became lonely in Yorkshire without my father. Also, she had previously engaged John Pennington to tutor the boys, and Perdita Willis to act as Meg’s governess for the next few months. For those reasons she wanted to return to London. Mind you, Will, she did say they have all missed me.’
‘She’s done the right thing, coming back, and I feel better myself, having you all in one place,’ Will confided, and then exclaimed, ‘Well, here we are, Ned, King’s Cross station!’
A moment later the two men were alighting from the hansom cab. Swinton, the butler, was getting out of a second hansom just behind them, and he came to join Edward and Will.
‘I shall go and round up some porters, sir,’ Swinton announced. ‘Mrs Deravenel told me there would be a quantity of luggage.’
Edward nodded. ‘Mr Hasling and I will go to the usual barrier and wait there, Swinton.’
‘Right-o, sir.’
Striding out, Edward and Will hurried through the railway station to the platform where the morning train from York would be pulling in within the space of the next few minutes or so.
It was a cold Sunday afternoon, and the two men were heavily bundled up in thick winter overcoats and woollen scarves. The two of them, tall, handsome and well dressed, stood out in the crowd, and it occurred to Will that Edward Deravenel would always stand out anywhere, because of his height and looks and that head of burnished red-gold hair. How to make him invisible? he asked himself. He had no answer. Yet he did know one thing, and it had troubled him for some time.
He was well aware that as soon as the battle between the cousins began in earnest, Ned would be a moving target. How strange to think of murder…they lived in a civilized country, in a civilized age…and yet he knew that dark powers were at work. Even Cecily Deravenel had said that to Edward.
Of all the Deravenels, Edward was the most vulnerable because he could grab the seat of power and take over the company, whereas his two brothers were far too young, just little boys. He is the true threat to the Grants, Will thought, and on the back of his neck his hackles rose.
God help us all when it starts, Will thought, and his mind began to race as he wondered again how he would be able to keep Ned safe. There was no obvious way at this moment, except to surround him with a phalanx of bodyguards. Which Ned wouldn’t tolerate. But Neville would, and Neville would pay.
Will’s thoughts were interrupted by Edward, who leaned closer to him. ‘I went to Belsize Park last night, hoping to see Lily,’ he confided. ‘The housekeeper told me she had gone to the country for the weekend. Is she with Vicky in Kent, Will?’
‘Yes, she is. They were planning to return tomorrow.’
‘I hope she’s not angry with me, I didn’t get a chance to see her last week, I was so preoccupied with Deravenels.’
‘Did you leave her a note yesterday?’
‘I did.’
‘Then she’ll be fine, Ned.’ Will looked at his friend, and told him in a lowered voice, ‘She really loves you.’
‘And I love her.’
‘It can’t go anywhere, though. Now can it?’
‘Nowhere at all, Will. But I do want to continue seeing her, for the moment. She’s a great comfort to me.’
‘We all need a little comfort at times,’ Will agreed.
At this moment train whistles began to blow and the York train came chugging along, rumbling towards the barrier at Platform Five where the two men were standing.
Edward noticed Swinton, followed by the two porters with luggage wagons, heading down the platform, and within minutes, through the billowing clouds of steam and smoke, he spotted his mother. She was elegantly dressed in black, surrounded by his siblings. He saw her greet Swinton, and watched her as she indicated the suitcases and trunks being unloaded and placed on the platform.
A moment later, his two brothers