She nodded, then looked around. “I’m done,” she proclaimed to the room, her chair scraping across the stone floor as she pushed her chair away from the table and skipped out of the room.
“You have made a conquest,” Mrs. Vance observed.
“She’s really a sweet child. While she hasn’t been physically abused, she has none the less been abused. I feel sorry for her.”
“As do we all,” said Julia from across the table.
“Do either of you gentleman know the child’s last name?” Cecila asked.
Mr. Quetal and Mr. Hobart shook their heads. Beyond them, Cecilia saw Matron enter the dining hall and walk toward their table.
“Ladies, Dr. Worcham says as how he will see you in the library after dinner.”
“Thank you, Matron,” Mrs. Vance said.
“Matron,” Cecilia said before the woman turned to leave. “What is Miss Liddy’s last name? She reminds me of someone, and it is teasing my mind.”
“Wingate, my lady.”
An explosion of surprised and shocked thoughts bashed against each other in Cecilia’s mind.
“Wingate?”
Matron looked at her, a curious look on her face.
“You look as if you know that name,” Julia observed.
“I do,” Cecilia said. “…It is the family name of the Duke of Ellinbourne.”
“I wonder where she might fit in his family,” Julia mused.
“Hmm, yes, how far the branches might extend to get to Miss Liddy,” Cecilia said.
“Wasn’t there a painter by that name as well?” Mr. Hobart asked.
“Yes. Clarence Wingate. He was an uncle of the current duke. In fact, the current duke is as much of an accomplished artist as his uncle was. He had a painting in the Spring Royal Academy of Art show that just ended,” Cecilia said.
“Do you think she could be closely enough related to the duke for him to take an interest in the child?” Julia asked.
Cecilia shrugged, then smiled. “I don’t know the duke well, nonetheless, Ellinbourne will be on the receiving end of a severe set-down from me if he doesn’t,” she said.
“You would do that to a duke?” squeaked Mr. Quetal.
“Immediately. A duke might have a title, but he is not a god and has a responsibility to show others the proper way to go on.”
Mr. Hobart laughed. “I find that a naïve notion.”
Cecilia smiled. “It depends on how one does it and in whatcompany,” she said with emphasis, cagily thinking of her grandfather, the Duke of Cheney. She rose from her chair. “Ladies, shall we go speak to Dr. Worcham now?”
Mrs. Vance and Julia followed her down the corridor to the library,
They foundDr. Worcham sitting in an armchair near the fireplace, reading.
“Good evening, Dr. Worcham,” Cecilia said.
Dr. Worcham looked up, removing his reading glasses as he did so. “I understand from Matron Mildred you wished to speak with me.” He placed his book on a table next to him.
“Yes,” Cecilia said. She sat in the chair opposite him. Mrs. Vance and Julia sat on the settee that completed the inviting social congregation area in front of the fire. “Have you ever heard of a substance known asMad Honey?” she asked.
