Eloise Bridgerton

Eloise Bridgerton - Chapter 29

 Red and Theo had sat in silence all the way from Mayfair. Theo had stared out the window, tight lipped while Red cast glances at him through the journey.

Theo opened the door the minute the carriage came to a halt and took in his surroundings. They were standing in a rougher part of the city, a part where Theo himself had rarely set foot in despite working in the print shop. 

A row of shops stood in front of the carriage, cheap wood and in varying states of shabbiness with dirty glass windows.

"Come, my Lord. We must make haste. It's not wise to dwell on these streets for long", said Red joining him. Theo nodded and followed him into the shop.

Red looked around the shop room with concern.

"How can I help you?" asked a raspy voice from behind the counter. A man dressed in a coat and striped vest came into focus.

Theo looked at Red who quickly spoke up "Are you the proprietor of this concern? Mr....."

"Harrison", replied the man. "What do you want? Come to pay up or ask for more time?" He grinned and Theo looked at him with a frown while Red wrinkled his nose.

"Certainly not, Mr. Harrison. We have a few questions to ask you", said Red.

"Ask away", said Harrison spreading his arms out on the counter. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Ye-es", said Red. "Have you recently received any payments from a man called Finch?"

"Finch?", repeated Harrison thinking for a moment. "Ah...yes Finch. I know him well. Comes in here quite often. It's quite amusing. He normally comes in asking for more time. The past few times have been different though. He has come in with money. Nothing else to be done though considering how much money he owes."

Harrison laughed unkindly at the end of the sentence.

Red spoke again and said "Do you know where the money came from?"

Harrison gave a mirthless laugh again and said "I have no concern where the money comes from. The only thing I care about is getting my money. But in this case....I suspect he was skimming money from his employer."

Red and Theo exchanged glances but didn't say anything to each other. 

Instead Red turned to Harrison and asked "Why do you think he was skimming money from his employer?"

Harrison shrugged and said "He wasn't winning money I know that for sure. When I asked him where the money came from, he looked at me in a shifty way and refused to reply. When I told him I wouldn't be handing back the money he snapped at me and said 'Everything is fine. There are too many changes taking place for them to notice.' I didn't ask any further questions after that. It didn't matter to me. Mind you I did ask Finch if the gentleman he was speaking to was the one handing in the money."

"What gentleman?", asked Red quickly.

Harrison frowned as though trying to remember.

"Posh type man. Thin, slightly old. Bird like nose", said Harrison. "He has come in here a few times."

"A gentleman came in here and you don't remember his name?", asked Red incredulously.

"You will be surprised how many so-called gentlemen of Mayfair owe money here", said Harrison with a smirk. "But this man, strange name."

Theo and Red waited with bated breath.

"Ah! Twombley!", said Harrison, slapping his hand on the counter. "Lord Twombley I believe I heard Finch call him."