Chapter 5
Alistair slouched lower in the armchair and raised his newspaper higher as Sir Nigel walked past him at White’s the afternoon after the Addington’s ball. As soon as Nigel was out the door, Alistair shoved the paper aside, retrieved his journal and pencil, and recorded the names of the men with whom Nigel had exchanged more than banal pleasantries.
He’d never before tried to conceal his observations, if one didn’t count deceiving the teachers at school when he was supposed to be studying something other than astronomy. Subterfuge lent an air of excitement to an otherwise tedious activity.
An extra coin slipped to the waiter who brought Alistair’s wine confirmed that all of the men with Nigel were his usual cronies. Also as usual, the waiter quietly added, Nigel had graciously a
