Free Murder on Charing Cross Road by Joan Smith Page A

said, eager for another chance to get into the place and search for clues.
    Luten was already standing when she returned. They took their leave and went to the carriage, glancing down the street to see Coffen was still at his carriage. Coffen saw them and spoke to Fitz.
    “That was quick thinking, spilling your wine,”Luten complimented, as they drove off. “Any luck in the bed chamber?”
    “He’s a spy, Luten,”she announced. “There was a code book in the desk.”
    “Good God! So it’s true. I was suspicious about his trying for a position at the Horse Guards. Thank goodness he didn’t get it. Imagine the damage he could have done — a spy working for the French coding and decoding war messages.”
    “A disaster! Will you report to Hopley?”
    “I’m in charge of this particular case. Considering the way things are run at the Horse Guards, it might be better to keep it under our hats. I’ll wait until we catch him red-handed. Now that we know where to concentrate our efforts it won’t take long. We’ll have to keep a sharp eye on him to see he doesn’t do any harm in the meanwhile. Would you mind dropping me off at the House before you go home?”
    “Of course. I wonder if Coffen will have any luck following Morgrave.”
    “If there’s anything to learn, Coffen’s the man to do it. We’ll have this case solved in no time.”
    Corinne just looked at him. Their cases never seemed to get solved that quickly or easily. “Optimist!”she said.
     

Chapter Ten
     
    Since Luten would not be home for hours, Corinne paid a call on
Reggie. He had enjoyed his few hours of pampering in bed and was eager to show off the eye patch Villier had devised for him. With that swollen and discoloured nose there was no hope of looking elegant, so he had gone for a
rougher, tougher look. Examining himself in the mirror before going
belowstairs, he thought the black velvet patch looked quite dashing. He tried it first on one eye, then on the other and settled on the left eye. He allowed a lock of hair, no longer screwed into a curl, to hang loose over his forehead, adding another touch of diablerie.
    Leaning on a hefty blackthorn walking stick, he limped into the salon to greet her. The blackthorn stick was chosen for its size and rough texture. All this manliness was a completely new style for him. Lady Luten blinked in astonishment but was too aware of his thin skin to laugh.
    “Oh Reg, don’t you look —different,”she said. “How are you feeling today?”
    “Fine, fine. Kind of you to inquire,”Baron Wolfried replied brusquely. Prance had found a new role to act, a manly hero named Baron Wolfried. The Prussians were now England’s allies so there was nothing unpatriotic in the Germanic-sounding name, and he liked the touch of the wild in the Wolf part of it.
    “A man can’t let a mere sprained leg and a few bruises hold him back from doing his duty. I’m ready to join the Brigade in its latest battle. What is new with our case?”As he sat down he allowed a slight groan to show he was really in great pain.
    “Your clue was a great help,”she said. “It is indeed John Morgrave who is the spy and murderer.”
    “Really! I find that hard to believe.”
    “Well it’s true. Luten and I called on the Morgraves. Samantha let it slip before John arrived that he is very interested in the war. He’s getting the information from David Harley, at the Horse Guards. He even applied for a position at the Horse Guards himself, but he was turned down. But the clincher is, I found a decoding book hidden in his desk!”
    “How on earth did you get into his desk? Did you break into his flat in broad daylight? Give me all the details.”She described their visit and he listened, peppering her with questions.
    “Pity about your skirt,”he said when she had finished, before remembering that such details were as nothing to a man of action like Baron Wolfried. “So what does Luten plan to do next?”
    “He had to go to