I absolutely did not want to examine it any closer to determine what it might be.
“Drop that! Or you are not coming with me.” I ordered, with absolutely no idea how much he understood, or cared to for that matter.
However, he did drop the object which I did hope was not some possession of someone at Belgrave Square, or something more personal such as a hand or foot which I thought unlikely at a second glance.
He sat upon the walk as I waited for the cab that Mrs. Bennett had called for me. I ignored more than one curious glance of those who passed by. I had to admit that the hound was hardly the small, fluffy sort that might be carried along in my arms or my bag.
“Is everything all right, miss?” asked a woman who looked to be someone’s housekeeper by the bag she carried with wrapped packages that might have been from the grocer.
“Yes, quite.” I replied. “He’s a companion of my… husband’s and occasionally follows along.” I thanked her as I contemplated that word that had popped in. Husband.
Hmmm. And that of course, led to the next thought— wife!
Of the different titles I’d had, that seemed the strangest, quite simply because I had never considered it before.
I was niece to my great-aunt. I was sister to Linnie. At one time I had been my parents’ daughter. I was an author. I had been described as an adventuress, whatever that was supposed to mean.
And then there was the title I had inherited from our father,LadyForsythe, which I found to be cumbersome and somewhat off-putting, but there it was. And now… wife! How very strange!
The driver arrived and I climbed inside, the hound leaping in after. He was getting quite good at that, and without the usual warning snarl at the driver which had a way of putting some ill at ease.
I gave the driver the address of the office on the Strand. There was information I wanted to add to the chalkboard.
Sir William Pettigrew was the father of the young boy who had been injured and had then sought the services of Dr. Bennett. I would send round a message and inquire if it was possible to meet.
I also wanted to meet with Munro regarding inquiries he was making among those he knew, and that would give me the opportunity to see how Lily was doing with her lessons, particularly after that somewhat unusual piano recital.
I have learned not to be surprised where my great-aunt is concerned. She had lived long enough that she had seen or experienced most things a woman might in life.
A member of the ton, she had been born to her title of Duchess, however she rarely used it. According to family archives she was a direct descendant of King William— William the Conqueror that is, almost a thousand years earlier.
There was a rather antiquated sword in the sword room that had been documented to have been used by the Conqueror. Andin consideration of that man’s exploits, some rather colorful to be certain according to history, it did perhaps explain certain traits.
My aunt had never encountered a man, high-born or low for that matter, whom she couldn’t persuade to her way of thinking. I had been told recently that I seemed to have inherited that particular quality.
I had spoken with my sister earlier. She had shared a familiar comment.
“You really must do something with her…”
The call had ended abruptly and I could only imagine who she was referring to. In the past, it had been my aunt, referring to her plans to go on safari in Africa which had been set aside due to an ankle injury.
I had my suspicions about that as my sister was in residence at the time following her divorce. However, I would not want to think that she might have gone to such extremes to waylay our aunt from her plans… which had only been temporarily delayed.
Then there was Lily. It was very possible that Linnie was referring to her and some peccadillo she had committed.
I did brace myself for what I might encounter as my coach pulled through the gates of Sussex Square.
I was met at the door by my aunt’s head butler.
“Good day, Mr. Symons.”
“Lady Forsythe,” he acknowledged. “Or should I say Madame Brodie?”
Madame?
I shuddered at that. It did sound quite ancient. And as for the other part of it? I was still adjusting to that.
“Mr. Symons, you have known me since I was in nappies, and then after Miss Lenore and I came to live here. You have certainly witnessed some of my more colorful adventures as well as a few of my transgressions.”
