Celeste Bradley - [The Liar's Club 02] by The Impostor Read Free Book Online

around, are there?” Dalton raised a brow. “All I seem to be able to meet are silly creatures like Mrs. Simpson.”
    Agatha, who had come close enough to reach her fingertips to Simon’s sleeve in a tiny unconscious gesture, tilted her head and frowned. “Mrs. Simpson? Clara Simpson, the widow?”
    “Widow?” Dalton considered that. “I suppose that makes sense. Why do you ask?”
    Almost absently, Agatha tucked her arm into her husband’s and moved as close to him as was proper. Then she moved a little closer. “I don’t know her well, but I always thought her a sensible woman. Kind, as well.”
    Dalton doubted any such thing, but he only smiled at Agatha’s radiant happiness. “You think well of everyone right now, I daresay.”
    Simon chuckled. “He’s right, damsel. I even heard you say a kind word about Lord Liverpool yesterday.”
    Agatha looked shocked. “I did not!”
    Dalton shook his head. “I don’t want to hear this. You know I don’t agree with the opinion you two hold of Liverpool.”
    “But only a few weeks ago, he was going to blackmail Simon into a lifetime of service!” Agatha declared hotly.
    “Not to mention ruining Agatha’s reputation in public,” Simon added.
    Dalton snorted. “And you had nothing to do with that, I suppose?”
    Simon said nothing, but Dalton could have sworn his friend’s eyes took on a faraway look of remembered delight. Damn, but the man was in love. “Never mind. No matter how you two feel about Liverpool, you can’t deny that he is the strongest Prime Minister that England has seen in a century. We need him right now, warts and all.”
    Agatha grumbled, “Well, if you want to reduce
ruthless
and
manipulative
to mere warts—”
    “Damsel,” Simon said softly.
    Agatha rolled her eyes. “Oh, very well. I concede that Liverpool is both strong and effective as Prime Minister, but—”
    “Let’s just leave it at that, shall we?” Dalton noddedbrusquely. “I’d rather discuss Sir Thorogood before the meeting.”
    Simon grinned. “Yes, let’s talk about Sir Thorogood, shall we?” He eyed Dalton’s costume. “What did you do to earn Button’s vengeance?”
    Dalton closed his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t ask.”
    James cleared his throat. “Actually, I have something for you there, Dalton.”
    He moved to a cabinet on the far wall of the “classroom” and pulled out a sheaf of political cartoons. “I’ve noticed that a good third of the caricatures feature Mr. Edward Wadsworth. Once I noticed that, I realized that many of the others depict those known to associate closely with Wadsworth.”
    Dalton nodded. “Excellent.” He studied the file for a moment. “James, I would very much like to know who wanted us sent on this fool’s mission. Do me a favor and check out all the subjects, will you? One of them is our offended party. I think it might be useful to know who.”
    James wilted just a bit.
“All
the subjects?”
    Dalton looked down at the stack. “I think we can limit our search to cartoons that appeared during the last month, don’t you? This seems like a counteraction at best. I think it must have been something quite recent.”
    Simon frowned. “Edward Wadsworth … do you know him, Dalton?”
    Dalton shook his head. “Not personally. I know of him. He’s an arms manufacturer for the military. Supposedly he has the Midas touch with his affairs, if he is as wealthy as is believed.”
    “A merchant, then.”
    “Yes, but not a middle-class one. Wadsworth keepscompany with the elite, I’ve heard.” Dalton considered the options for a moment. “I can hardly get close to him socially, now that I’ve taken on Thorogood’s identity.”
    James snorted. “Not now that Wadsworth’s been lampooned any number of times. He likely wouldn’t let Thorogood past his threshold.”
    “No, he wouldn’t.” Dalton narrowed his eyes. “But there is more than one way to get into a house.”

Chapter Four
    “Aunt Clara, please may