Not for the first time, Voss was thankful his Asthenia wasn’t something common, like tea leaves or silver. Amman Gilreath, poor bastard, had had an Asthenia of pine needles, which had led to an early end for him, thanks to Chas Woodmore.
The thought of Woodmore brought to mind the issue of Moldavi. This reminder steered Voss’s attention back to where it should have been, instead of on things he couldn’t change.
His family’s original deal with the devil had been made in the fifteenth century, the result of Vlad Tepes’s—known as Count Dracula—desire to rule Romania with an iron fist.
Over the centuries, Lucifer had offered immortality to others in the family line: Voss, Dimitri, Eddersley, Giordan Cale. All the members of the Draculia, even Moldavi, had been approachedby Lucifer in their dreams and given the chance to join in Vlad the Impaler’s original covenant.
And centuries later, random members of the broad family tree were still paying the price of the unholy covenant.
“I should liketo engage your services, Miss Woodmore.”
Angelica turned to the pretty young woman, who’d spoken to her through the leaves of a large potted lemon tree settled in the corner of the Lundhames’ ballroom. A bit out of breath from the quadrille she’d just finished with the very energetic Mr. Clayton Beemish, Angelica smiled and edged closer to the large plant, allowing its branches to flutter in front of her—the better to keep the conversation unnoticed.
Fortunately, Mr. Beemish had taken himself off to fetch a cup of lemonade for her. It would be a while before he returned, she was certain, and as long as none of the other young men noticed she was unattended, she would have a few moments to talk to this new acquaintance.
That was, except for Lord Harrington. She hadn’t seen the handsome young man yet—and as he always made a point of finding her if he was in attendance, she presumed he either wasn’t coming or hadn’t arrived yet. But if he did appear, she’d certainly elect the pleasure of dancing with him over a possible business transaction.
“Do you have a reference?” Angelica asked her potential client, for she was careful with whom she divulged her ability.
“Chastity Drury told me about you. I’m Gertrude Yarmouth,” the woman whispered. One of the green spikes from the lemon tree had caught in her hair, and she pushed it away as she offered a coin to Angelica, gloved hand meeting gloved handbehind the sturdy tree trunk. “Will this be enough for you to tell me about Baron Framingham?”
Ah. Framingham. The man who laughed too loudly and who seemed unable to retain a valet, if his attire was any indication.
Angelica looked down at the gold crown that had just been slipped to her and resisted the urge to smile in delight. Her reputation was certainly growing, as was the small pouch of coins in her chamber. As soon as she could slip out of the house without Maia bothering her, she would deliver it to St. Anselm’s orphanage, where the ladies who ran the home would put it to good use.
“I must have further information before I agree to take you on as a client,” she warned, for the services of Angelica Woodmore weren’t for the fainthearted. Nor for the destitute.
“Has Framingham asked for your hand?” she continued, for she hadn’t heard, nor read, any announcement of a betrothal. And if the man were betrothed, the engagement certainly hadn’t affected his interest in other young women since arriving at the Lundhames’ ball. Including Angelica herself.
“Yes, he spoke to my father only today. My father approves of the match.”
“Have you accepted him? Are you certain you wish to engage my services?” Angelica watched the girl closely.
“I have asked my father to allow me a day to think on it—a request which he granted reluctantly. I knew you were going to be here tonight, and I didn’t want to make a decision until I learned what you had to tell me. Chastity said you helped her.”
Angelica nodded. Now for the most telling question. “Do you wish to accept Framingham? Are you in love with him?” She would return the coin in a moment if the young woman were.
Angelica had come to accept that the very thing which made her so different, and which burdened her in ways no one else understood, could also be put to good use. Her “sight” could beintriguing, amusing, and profitable for certain charities—but not in every case. She’d learned her lesson after what happened with Belinda Mayhew and no longer blindly accepted clients.
“I hardly know the man,” Miss Yarmouth said, her voice rising and her hand buffeting the aromatic lemon leaves. “He is… He’s nearly forty, and his teeth are so yellow and crooked and all he speaks of are his hounds. Always, his hounds. But he has over thirty thousand a year, and this is my second Season. Papa is annoyed that I’ve been out for so long and I’ve only received one other proposal. If I don’t accept Framingham, Papa won’t be pleased.”
Definitely not a love match, which would make it easier to deliver unpleasant news if that was what it happened to be. “Very well. Consider this”—she held up the coin—“a down payment. You will owe me another one after I give you the information.” The orphans at St. Anselm’s seemed to grow out of their frocks and pants weekly.
Angelica eyed Miss Yarmouth, who gulped but nodded firmly. Then Angelica tucked the crown into her reticule and, after a glance to determine Mr. Beemish’s whereabouts (still across the room, in line for lemonade), continued, “You must provide me with something that Framingham has touched with his bare hand. And you understand there is only one thing I can tell you about him.”
“Yes, of course. Chastity explained how you helped her. You can tell me only how he will die,” Miss Yarmouth said, her voice pitching so low at the end of her speech that the music fairly drowned it out.
“After a fashion. I can only see a person in a still image at the moment of death. And the only reason I am willing,” Angelica said, her voice and expression becoming vehement as she tried to ignore the fact that it was no longer quite true, “is to enableyou to make a knowledgeable decision as to whether you wish to accept his hand in marriage.”
She ruthlessly pushed away the flash of memory from the grisly dream she’d had last week.
Such a thing had only happened once. Surely it meant nothing.
Miss Yarmouth’s eyes were wide and she nodded fervently. “Yes, of course,” she said again.
Despite the other woman’s assurances, Angelica launched into her standard lecture. “We of the fairer sex have little to say in regards to our marital matches and our lives. If I can offer a piece of information that might tip the scales a bit in our balance, then I am happy to do so.”
“I do wish you’d cease this ridiculous game,” a voice suddenly hissed into Angelica’s ear. “We’ve other things to be concerned with tonight.”
