She wasn’t, but that was not his concern.
“Do you remember little Zoe Octavia Lexham?” he said.
His aunt cast her pale blue gaze in the direction of the great chandelier, as though that was where she kept her memory. “Zoe Octavia,” she said.
He heard the whispers start up again:Zoe Octavia.
His aunt’s vague blue gaze widened and sharpened as it returned to him. “The bolter?”
“Yes.”
“What nonsense. Lexham misplaced her—in the Holy Land or Constantinople or some such.”
“She turned up recently.”
“She usually did turn up, eventually,” said Lady Sophronia. “But it’s been an excessiveeventual, by my calculations. Is she or is she not a snake charmer?”
“To be absolutely truthful, I am very nearly certain she is not a snake charmer.”
“I suppose ‘very nearly certain’ is the best we can expect in an uncertain world. Is she an American?”
“Decidedly not.”
“Very sensible of her. Well, then. It’s out of my hands. I leave it to the Queen.” She waved her hand. “I say no more. It’s up to you. I have a great deal on my mind. You can’t expect me to explain everything to you.”
He could have stayed longer at Almack’s, but he reckoned that (1) his work here was done and (2) his aunt had treated him to as much entertainment as any reasonable man could hope for. He took his leave about the time the wordsZoe Octaviawere making their way into the refreshment room.
Four
Marchmont House
Morning of Thursday, 2 April
The Duke of Marchmont did not even look up when Lord Adderwood burst into the breakfast room. His Grace had been expecting the interruption. Last night, in fact, he’d sent word to the porter to watch for Lord Adderwood in the morning and send him in as soon as he arrived.
Adderwood waved a newspaper under his nose. “Have you seen this?”
Marchmont glanced at it. “It appears to be a newspaper.”
“It’s theDelphian.Have you read it?”
“Certainly not. I never read the papers before bedtime, as you well know.”
“I should have bet anything you’d read this one.”
“I hope you bet nothing. It pains me to see you lose money, unless it is to me.”
“But it’s all about the Harem Girl!”
“Is it, indeed?”
“What an aggravating fellow you are, to be sure,” said Adderwood. “You must know all about it. You were at Lexham House yesterday. I heard you stood on the balcony with a young woman. This”—he tapped the newspaper—“appears to be the young woman.”
“Certainly not,” said Marchmont. “That is a newspaper. We settled that a moment ago. Do you not recollect?”
Adderwood threw him an exasperated look, sat down, and opened the paper. “I came straightaway, as soon as I got it. I’ve only had time to glance—” He broke off, his eyes widening. “Why, this is shocking! Did you know of this, Marchmont?”
“Oh, Adderwood, your lamentable memory. How could I know what is there when I haven’t read it?”
