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caught a glimpse of him, and he looked like death.”
    â€œSo the man was sick. Maybe he didn’t want people gaping at him. What’s your theory, Gander? I take it you suspect some sort of foul play, but what reason could there be to conceal it?”
    â€œThat’s what I don’t know. I thought you’d poke around, maybe ask a few questions. The place to begin is with the porter. I had a word with him, but he’s not opening his budget to me. I’m too well known to him, see, and he won’t risk losing his place. You try him, Chase. He’ll blow the gab with you if you treat him handsome.”
    â€œWhat’s your interest in Leach?”
    Gander grinned. “The story, what else? Deuced smoky that the editor of a major daily newspaper disappears with no real explanation and no announcement as to when he might be back. Leach is well paid for his loyal support, which, I can tell you, is needed now that Prinny has turned his back on his Whig friends. I’ve seen the Prince’s man around lately—there’s bound to be something in the wind.” He added judiciously, perhaps to show he intended plain dealing, “I don’t mind telling you I’ve another interest in this business. Have you been following the noise in the papers about the Princess of Wales?”
    â€œWho can escape it?”
    As all the world knew, the Prince Regent’s long-estranged wife, Caroline, had sent him a letter protesting her separation from her seventeen-year-old daughter Charlotte, heiress to the throne, even though Caroline had been acquitted of adultery in an earlier investigation. When the Regent twice declined to read this missive, Caroline submitted it a third time, only to be told he’d been informed of its contents and did not choose to respond. Then the letter made its way to the papers, sparking a national uproar, a debate in the House of Commons, and a meeting of the Privy Council, which ruled that the Regent’s restrictions on his detested wife’s contact with Charlotte must be upheld. Now the clamor had increased in volume as many championed the injured mother’s claim that she was the victim of “suborned traducers”—those paid to commit perjury, according to the explosive phrase used in her letter.
    Gander leaned closer. “You’ve heard of The Book , Perceval’s report of the inquiry into Her Highness’ conduct back in ’06? The ‘Delicate Investigation’ aiming to pin a by-blow on her to get the Prince of Wales his divorce? Well, the boy living with her truly was an adopted son, not a cuckoo in the royal nest. Perceval destroyed most of the copies of his defense of the Princess in a big bonfire when he got himself in office, but a few escaped the flames. The Prince tried to buy them up, but it seems he missed some. It may be I have one in my possession.” His eyebrows did a little wiggle that made Chase want to smack him.
    â€œYou bought one, eh? I suppose you seek a return on your investment. Publish it then. The time is ripe.”
    â€œI tried once before, but an injunction from the Lord Chancellor soon put paid to that. Never fear, I won’t let anyone steal a march on me, especially since the Regent himself is said to have leaked Lady Douglas’ testimony to the papers. She’s the shrew who falsely accused the Princess, you know. Maybe the radicals will get Lady D. for perjury in the end.”
    â€œWhat’s this to do with Leach?”
    Gander looked smug. “That’s what I mean to know. A big defender of the Regent is Mr. Leach, and he’s been striving mightily to refute some base insinuations leveled against His Royal Highness in letters written by a radical hack named Collatinus. Leach uses his replies to Collatinus to attack Caroline’s fitness as a mother and general unsuitability as a wife. He even implies Collatinus is one of her supporters. I want to know the