“I took this off one of the people who arrived to help the servants tonight.” She handed me a lady’s bracelet set with stones that were obviously quite valuable.
“He took it off the woman in the silver gown over by that statue.”
The statue she pointed out was one of the sarcophagi. The lady was Mrs. Pomeroy, a friend of my aunt and currently in conversation with Sir James. Knowing Mrs. Pomeroy I was certain the bracelet was quite valuable.
“How did you get it?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I pinched it back.”
My new role as guardian, sponsor, whatever one wanted to call it, was proving to be most interesting.
I supposed there were some who would have said that two wrongs did not make a right. However, I was not one of them.
While I didn’t condone thievery, the fact that Lily had seen something that was wrong and chose to set it right made all the difference to me.
After all, I reasoned, considering where she came from— not unlike Brodie’s background, it would have been quite simple for her to say nothing at all, keep the bracelet, and then find an opportunity to sell it. She was, after all, quite resourceful.
She did, however, know the difference between right and wrong as I knew only too well, and I would not fault her for what she had done. Truth be known, I might very well have done the same thing.
“Come along,” I told her as we approached the dining room. “I’ll see that the bracelet is returned.
“A real goat’s head?” she exclaimed.
The evening appeared to be a success for my aunt in introducing Sir James back into mainstream London Society.
“He is quite charming, don’t you think,” she asked as she found me in a game of cards in the Game Room where I was rapidly being outplayed.
Charming, yes, I thought, and… different from the man who had traveled with our group years before. However, I supposed that I was different as well.
Brodie had connected with Munro as I had suggested. He disappeared for a time, then reappeared, perhaps a little uncomfortable at such events, then later found Lily and myself in the Sword Room. My aunt’s soiree, the goat’s head, and card games having lost their earlier appeal, Lily had persuaded me to join her there.
“Who is winning?” Brodie asked as he found us, that dark gaze moving from one to the other.
“I got the last point,” Lily smugly announced.
“That is still in question. Your mark was illegal,” I replied as I countered, parried, and then lunged with the rapier. The blunted tip caught her in the shoulder.
“My point, and match,” I called out, bracing the sword before me, and taking my first rest since accepting her challenge.
Brodie crossed the floor and handed me his handkerchief. I was quite damp and my hair had come down. Not the most appealing appearance. He took the sword from me.
“A reminder to me not to challenge either one of ye. Are ye quite finished? The guests are startin’ to leave. I thought ye might want to say good-evenin’ to yer friend.”
“Are ye goin’ to tell ‘im?” Lily asked then.
“Tell me wot?” Brodie asked with a look at me.
It appeared that she already had, more or less. I filled in the details regarding the bracelet.
“Can ye identify the man?” Brodie asked her.
She nodded. “Madame always had me keep a sharp eye out, especially with new ladies.”
Brodie exchanged a look with me.
“Come along and point the fellow out,” he told Lily, then paused before leaving.
He leaned in close, his fingers brushing my chin.
