Thick As Thieves Read Online Free
was to say he even lived in Grosvenor Square?
"Yes indeed. You will want to speak to Bow Street," he replied, unfazed. "Good afternoon, Miss Denver." He turned to Hennie. "And Mrs. Henderson." Did I imagine a lurking ray of mischief in that cold gray eye?
His sister got tired of waiting and arose from the bench. She beckoned Dalton to her, waved to us, and we left.
"She is not his wife," Hennie said, smiling.
"If I had not seen her in Lady Jersey's carriage last week, I would think she was his lightskirt, and he a common thief. He must have found that ring in his pocket. It could not have jumped out and run away by itself."
"You think Mr. Dalton stole it from you?"
"Of course he did. We'll not see him at South Audley Street if I know anything. I'll be demmed if I know what to do next, Hennie. I fear we have been bested in this affair."
"David always said it is hard for a rich man to get into heaven. Something about a camel and the eye of a needle."
"The ton are no better than they should be. We shall go home and have a glass of wine to settle our nerves." We went to the carriage and were driven home.
"I think he will come," Hennie said. She is not really a simpleton, but her lack of experience sometimes makes her appear one. I snorted my disagreement.
Chapter Three
"You had best run up and tidy your hair, Hennie," I suggested that evening after dinner. "We leave for the theater in five minutes." I had ceased my oft-dropped hint that she stick a plume in her coiffure for fashion's sake. I knew what she would say. "If the Lord wanted me to wear feathers, he would have given me wings."
"Leave!" she exclaimed in dismay. "You forget Mr. Dalton is to call this evening, Eve."
I had made an especially fine toilette in his honor, (bronze crepe with gold ribbons), but it was not in my saloon I expected to see him. A new play was opening at Drury Lane. I had often seen Lady Filmore there. As Lord Harelson had removed to Brighton, I thought she might make Dalton take her.
My chestnut hair was scooped up in dainty curls in an effort to remove half a decade from my five and twenty years. Mr. Dalton looked about thirty. I have often noticed that the older a gentleman is, the younger his lady friends. It is only younger gentlemen who are impressed by "older" ladies.
I said to Hennie, "I doubt he will come. And if he does, what is to prevent him from leaving the ring with the butler? I shall ask Tumble to be on the lookout for him."
"You told him we would be here," she pointed out.
"Good gracious, he would not expect us to sit home all evening waiting for him. You may be sure a swell like Dalton is on the town himself. He would have dropped it off before going out to dinner, if he had any intention of returning it."
"I daresay you are right," she said, with a sad look. "Unfortunately, your poor view of people has frequently proven right in the past. But if he does bring the ring while we are out, we must call on him and thank him properly."
"I will be only too happy to do it."
As the words left my mouth, the front door knocker sounded. We exchanged a surprised look. Soon Dalton's baritone voice was heard asking for us. I had scarcely time to arrange my bronze skirt artfully about me before Tumble showed him in.
Dalton made his bows. I noticed his sharp eyes glancing off the prismatic sparkle of genuine diamonds at my throat, and around the room at the handsome array of old furnishings I had collected. If he was assessing my worth, I concluded he had also taken an inventory of the house from outside. It is smallish, but in an excellent neighborhood. He must realize there was money here from somewhere.
He turned his bow to Auntie. Before he said a word, Hennie spoke. "Did you find the ring?" she asked with eager vulgarity.
"I am happy to tell you I did," he replied. He withdrew it from his pocket and handed it to me.
"Well, upon my word!" I exclaimed. "I never thought to see this beauty again." My joy was doubled
"Yes indeed. You will want to speak to Bow Street," he replied, unfazed. "Good afternoon, Miss Denver." He turned to Hennie. "And Mrs. Henderson." Did I imagine a lurking ray of mischief in that cold gray eye?
His sister got tired of waiting and arose from the bench. She beckoned Dalton to her, waved to us, and we left.
"She is not his wife," Hennie said, smiling.
"If I had not seen her in Lady Jersey's carriage last week, I would think she was his lightskirt, and he a common thief. He must have found that ring in his pocket. It could not have jumped out and run away by itself."
"You think Mr. Dalton stole it from you?"
"Of course he did. We'll not see him at South Audley Street if I know anything. I'll be demmed if I know what to do next, Hennie. I fear we have been bested in this affair."
"David always said it is hard for a rich man to get into heaven. Something about a camel and the eye of a needle."
"The ton are no better than they should be. We shall go home and have a glass of wine to settle our nerves." We went to the carriage and were driven home.
"I think he will come," Hennie said. She is not really a simpleton, but her lack of experience sometimes makes her appear one. I snorted my disagreement.
Chapter Three
"You had best run up and tidy your hair, Hennie," I suggested that evening after dinner. "We leave for the theater in five minutes." I had ceased my oft-dropped hint that she stick a plume in her coiffure for fashion's sake. I knew what she would say. "If the Lord wanted me to wear feathers, he would have given me wings."
"Leave!" she exclaimed in dismay. "You forget Mr. Dalton is to call this evening, Eve."
I had made an especially fine toilette in his honor, (bronze crepe with gold ribbons), but it was not in my saloon I expected to see him. A new play was opening at Drury Lane. I had often seen Lady Filmore there. As Lord Harelson had removed to Brighton, I thought she might make Dalton take her.
My chestnut hair was scooped up in dainty curls in an effort to remove half a decade from my five and twenty years. Mr. Dalton looked about thirty. I have often noticed that the older a gentleman is, the younger his lady friends. It is only younger gentlemen who are impressed by "older" ladies.
I said to Hennie, "I doubt he will come. And if he does, what is to prevent him from leaving the ring with the butler? I shall ask Tumble to be on the lookout for him."
"You told him we would be here," she pointed out.
"Good gracious, he would not expect us to sit home all evening waiting for him. You may be sure a swell like Dalton is on the town himself. He would have dropped it off before going out to dinner, if he had any intention of returning it."
"I daresay you are right," she said, with a sad look. "Unfortunately, your poor view of people has frequently proven right in the past. But if he does bring the ring while we are out, we must call on him and thank him properly."
"I will be only too happy to do it."
As the words left my mouth, the front door knocker sounded. We exchanged a surprised look. Soon Dalton's baritone voice was heard asking for us. I had scarcely time to arrange my bronze skirt artfully about me before Tumble showed him in.
Dalton made his bows. I noticed his sharp eyes glancing off the prismatic sparkle of genuine diamonds at my throat, and around the room at the handsome array of old furnishings I had collected. If he was assessing my worth, I concluded he had also taken an inventory of the house from outside. It is smallish, but in an excellent neighborhood. He must realize there was money here from somewhere.
He turned his bow to Auntie. Before he said a word, Hennie spoke. "Did you find the ring?" she asked with eager vulgarity.
"I am happy to tell you I did," he replied. He withdrew it from his pocket and handed it to me.
"Well, upon my word!" I exclaimed. "I never thought to see this beauty again." My joy was doubled
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