The man was obviously uncomfortable, either from being in their presence or with what he was about to say.
“Is there something you wanted to say about my guests, Mr. Albright?”
“Well, ma’am. I wasn’t spying on you or anything, but when I was closing up the shed for the night, I saw a few people going up the steps. One of them was the bloke what I bought my opium from.”
CHAPTER 16
William sat forward in his chair. “Do you know his name?”
“Nah. He never said.”
“Did he come alone, or with someone?” Amy asked.
The man didn’t hesitate. “He arrived in a carriage with an older woman.”
There were two couples who had arrived together. Lord Temple with his daughter, Lady Abigail, and Mr. Miles and his mother. However, Lord Temple was quite corpulent and had silver hair. Nothing like the man Mr. Albright had described earlier, and Lady Abigail could hardly be referred to as an “older woman.” Amy took in a deep breath and looked over at William. “Mr. Miles?”
William studied her for a moment, then glanced up at Mr. Albright. “Are you certain, Mr. Albright? This is a very serious matter.”
“I am absolutely certain. When he stepped out of his carriage, he walked under the streetlamp and even turned in my direction when he helped the old lady out of the carriage. He was the bloke what sold me the opium.”
Amy lowered her sherry glass to the table. “This is quite a surprise.”
“Indeed.” William shook his head and downed the rest of his brandy. “Who would have thought that someone in our own circle was doing such a thing.”
Realizing that Mr. Albright was still standing there, Amy smiled up at him. “Thank you very much for that information, Mr. Albright. It could be very beneficial to our investigation.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am. Anything I can do to help clear your name. I know you would never off a man, and I am grateful for you allowing me my job back.”
“Thank you again, Mr. Albright.”
He backed out of the room as if leaving the Queen’s presence.
“Well, then.” William stood and picked up both of their glasses and returned them to the sideboard. “It is time to leave for the theater.”
Amy rose and smoothed her skirts. “I am still in a bit of shock.”
They walked to the front entrance, where Mr. Stevens assisted Amy into her soft
woolen black cape.
William shrugged into his coat and placed his hat on his head. They left the house, neither of them speaking. However, once the carriage was rolling away from the house, William said, “We now have a name to add to our list of suspects.”
“Yes, it would seem so. As we discussed before we knew his name, I’m still not sure how his position as the link between the shipping company and the purchaser of the drug would fit with Mr. St. Vincent’s murder.”
“If it does at all.” William spoke softly, glancing out the window as if in thought.
“What do you mean? Mr. Albright identified Mr. Miles and was quite certain about it.”
He turned to look at her in the pale illumination from the lantern on the carriage wall, the dim light casting his features into shadows. “Are you aware of any connection between Mr. St. Vincent and Mr. Miles? Were they friends?”
“Mr. St. Vincent never mentioned him. He attended one—or perhaps two—book cub meetings with me, but I don’t remember if he and Mr. Miles were especially friendly.”
William nodded. “Just because Mr. Albright identified Mr. Miles as the man who sold him the opium doesn’t prove a link between the two. There could be other sources of opium—I am sorry to say—from whom Mr. Miles could have obtained the drug.”
Amy pondered that for a few minutes.
William blew out a deep breath. “However, if Mr. Miles was getting his drugs from your fiancé—”