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.He did not have the highest opinion of politics, or its practitioners, since it seemed an underhanded art to him.Still, it interested him that Ruthven knew of his army past; the man had evidently been making enquiries.“Your Mr.Blegg is not with you tonight?” Quire asked.“Of course he is not.This is hardly the sort of occasion…”“No.Perhaps he has other business to be about once night has fallen?”“I’m not sure I follow your…”“Other matters to attend to,” Quire said.“Did he mention that he and I met the other night? He must have done, I suppose.We didn’t have the chance to exchange as many pleasantries as I’d have liked.”“You are a slow learner, Mr.Quire.One lesson in the costs of making baseless accusations not enough for you?”“Oh, when it comes to threats and the like, I’m the slowest of learners.But if I was after a schooling in slander, you can be sure you’re the very man I’d come to.Would you rather discuss Edward Carlyle? I’ve learned one or two things about his concerns, and his employment with you, since last we spoke.No? Perhaps I could speak with Mr.Durand, then, if you’re not feeling talkative?” Quire suggested, switching his gaze to the Frenchman, in whose eyes he saw quite plainly the alarm the very notion awoke.“Leave my guest out of this,” snarled Ruthven.Quire drew considerable satisfaction from the fury boiling up through Ruthven’s veneer of restraint.He would goad the man to the point of eruption, if he could.If that was what it took to let a little light in on the secrets Quire could smell hidden away in there.“Do keep your voice down,” Isabel Ruthven said, never losing her grip upon the elegant smile she wore like paint.“If I need advice on comportment, I will find it elsewhere, beloved,” Ruthven hissed at her.But he did take a couple of breaths to compose himself, and smooth the anger away from his features.Quire was more interested for now in Durand, who was, with the utmost discretion, edging behind and away from Ruthven.Removing himself from the fray.“You should be aware, Quire, that I will take it as the most grave personal insult if you persist in your harassment,” Ruthven said.“Well, that’s what it would be, right enough,” Quire said, watching Durand sink into the throng.He knew a man desperate to escape a trap when he saw one.“Ah, there’s the Sheriff Depute,” Ruthven said, suddenly bright and loud.“Do you know him? Shall I introduce you? He might be glad to discuss the proper conduct of police affairs with you.”That, Quire recognised very clearly as the cue for withdrawal.His sense of caution was not so entirely withered as to blind him to the dangers of sparring with those whose reach he could not match.“Not leaving already, are you?” Mrs.Ruthven said, evidently reading some preparatory shift in his posture.He was at a loss to know how she layered such simple words with so many flavours: regret, protestation, suggestion.Appeal, perhaps.“There’ll be another occasion, I’m sure,” he told her, and took one sharp step closer to Ruthven, dropping his voice to a rasping whisper.“You’ve picked the wrong man for a fight, Ruthven.I thought you should know that.If you think you can tangle me up in enough knots to keep me away, you’ve misjudged me, much to your disadvantage.”Ruthven gave him a chill smile, and his eyes carried an animosity that Quire found surprisingly steady and calm.“I promise you, Mr.Quire, that the error in selection of opponent lies entirely with you.I have a great deal more weapons in my armoury than you would imagine, and after tonight’s performance, I think I can promise you an education in the matter of disadvantage that you will not soon forget.Now go.I do not think we will meet again, and for that I am entirely glad.”XIIIThe Hounds of the Old TownQuire did not know whether or not he should regret his actions at the exhibition of the American Woodsman’s paintings.He knew what Robinson’s judgement on the matter would be, if news of the encounter between Quire and Ruthven at the Royal Institution found its way back to him, but that could not be helped.What was done was done, whether it was ill done or not.He spent the better part of two days expecting repercussions.There were none.Perhaps on this occasion that anger he had brought home from the wars, and which it had taken him so long to set reins upon, had not done his cause too much harm
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