The Hidden Man: A Phineas Starblower Adventure (Phineas Starblower Adventures) Read Online Free PDF Page B

wondering, if you’d not be wanting it, could I have it? I’ve not seen anything so fancy in me life! All black and gold it is.”
    Jerard rescued the card from Daisy’s dirty hand before the girl could drool on it. “Let’s have a look at it before I say yes or no.” He replied kindly. Jerard looked at the card, and raised an elegant eyebrow. The girl was right it was a nice card; printed on the finest linen in crisp black ink, the firm’s name picked out in gold. Jerard felt the color drain from his face as he read the name of the solicitor’s firm over and over again: Lovelace, Binder & Morcombe.
    John Morcombe was his father’s oldest and dearest friend, not to mention the family’s solicitor. Jerard rubbed his hand over his face several times and tried to recall exactly what the little raven had said. It was something about benefiting me greatly, and yet the man seemed to know the sordid details about his dishonorable dismissal from Her Majesty’s Service. Oh dear god! This was probably a summons from his father. He had carefully avoided seeing the old man since he left the Service. Mostly because he was embarrassed and ashamed of the black mark he had brought on his family’s name. This must be serious if his father sent the solicitors to find him. What if something had happened to his father? Or his mother?
    “Sir?” Daisy inquired softly as she tentatively held out her hand for the card.
    “Damn, damn and thrice damn!” Jerard exploded. He jumped to his feet and shoved the card into Daisy’s hand. “I have to go, I will return to settle my bill. I’ve got to find out what that man had to say and I’ve got to apologize! On my honor or what is now left of it I hope I can fix this!” Jerard shoved his way to the door, leaving a confused Daisy gaping at his back.
    The street outside was empty and the rain seemed to have abated for the moment. Jerard took off at a run down the street. He knew he could find a hansom three blocks over, he only hoped he could arrive at the offices of Lovelace, Binder and Morcombe in time to repair this disaster. You idiot, he berated himself, it is not enough you embarrass yourself, now you’ve gone and blackened your family’s name again! Oh god, please let my family be well, I can deal with anything but that.
4:30 pm
Starblower Residence
London, England
    By the time Gopal had the carriage brought around it had finally stopped raining. Tash noted that Gopal had changed his jacket and she wondered for the first time if she should have changed as well. Fortunately the serviceable dove gray wool did not wrinkle much, even after an entire morning of sitting and the matching hat was already to hand. She did stop for a peek in the hall mirror to be sure the ribbons were tied straight and to tuck up a stray lock of dark auburn hair. Tash had never been much for fashion and was used to relying heavily on her friends Millie and Constance to keep her wardrobe in line. Despite the distress her friend must be under at the moment Tash could picture her dear friends admonishing her for leaving the house in the afternoon in a “morning” dress. Millie! Dear god! I am coming and we will fix this! Tash mentally straightened her resolve much like she straightened her hat ribbons.
    “Gopal, we are going to Lovelace’s office first and then we shall proceed to the hangar on the Isle of Dogs and tell the crew to make ready. We depart for Scotland tomorrow morning. If Lovelace does not have a captain for us I will have to rely on Beardmore & Co, they have never let us down before. I feel certain that they will have someone we can at least borrow.”
    Gopal held the door for Tash and nodded in acknowledgement. He handed her into the carriage and paused to inform the driver of their destination before joining her inside the luxuriously appointed cab.
    Tash waited for the vehicle to begin moving before she spoke. “So, I know you heard all that Lord Mansfield had to say. What are your