“There were rumors of a very ugly incident during his time at university. I don’t know any of the details, but I shall make inquiries if you wish.”
“Thank you. That might prove helpful,” she murmured. “Is Lady Julianna interested in science?”
“She seems to share DeVere’s interest in botany. She attends many of the public lectures at the Royal Institution, and plays hostess to his scientific soirees. I’ve also heard she cultivates a number of exotic plants in the large conservatory that DeVere had added to his villa.”
Alison frowned in thought. “Though at Lady Thirkell’s weekly salon, Lady Julianna spends a good deal of the time playing with a very complicated, colorful deck of cards involving numbers and symbols, which she says is based on an ancient Indian system of . . .” The dowager gave a vague wave of her hand. “It was something to the effect of . . . divining the workings of the cosmos.”
Puzzled, Charlotte took a moment to consider the odd information.Colorful cards. . .an arcane philosophy. . . she was suddenly reminded of something she had seen during her stay in Italy. “Do you mean something like theTarocco Piemontese? My husband and I had friends in Italy who dabbled in cartomancy, the art of divining the future through an elaborate system of illustrated cards.”
“I couldn’t say,” answered Alison. “A number of our members find it fascinating, but it strikes me as fiddle-faddle, so I haven’t paid much attention to her explanations.”
“How odd,” mused Charlotte. “Such mysticism seems at odds with rational thought. Though Wrexford says science often involves imagining the unimaginable.”
“I fear I’m too old for my brain to budge from ordinary thinking,” quipped the dowager. “Though I daresay you’re right.” Her expression turned pensive. “Lady Julianna is a strange mix of fire and ice.”
“I have the sense you don’t like her,” said Charlotte.
“She’s poised and polished, with faultlessly correct manners,” answered Alison. “But her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.”
An interesting observation.
“However, I’m old and opinionated,” added the dowager. “So I may be judging her too harshly.”
The clock on the mantel chimed, signaling that it was time for them to leave for Lady Thirkell’s salon.
“And what is your opinion of Lady Cordelia?” asked Charlotte as she helped her aunt gather her cane and rise from the sofa.
“Her tongue is nearly as sharp as mine,” answered Alison dryly. “She’s very smart, and doesn’t care whether that offends people.”
Highly intelligent and highly unconventional.“She sounds like a lady who is unafraid of taking risks.”
“I think very little frightens Lady Cordelia,” agreed the dowager. “But enough of my nattering. Let us see what your impression is when you meet them.”
CHAPTER 21
Fatigued and frustrated, Wrexford entered White’s, feeling desperately in need of a brandy. Failure seemed to be dogging his steps—he had made the rounds of every scientific haunt and private club he could think of. But his quarry had proved elusive.
“Why the black face?” Sheffield looked up in alarm as the earl stalked into the reading room. “Is Lady Charlotte—”
“Lady Charlotte is, to my knowledge, drinking tea at Lady Thirkell’s salon. I, on the other hand, am in need of a stronger libation.” He signaled for the porter to bring a bottle.
“And two glasses,” murmured his friend.
Wrexford slouched into the leather armchair next to Sheffield and blew out his breath. “Confound it, I—”
He stopped abruptly on spotting the small table sitting in front of Sheffield’s chair. Several piles of playing cards sat atop the dark-grained wood, along with an open book. “What the devil are you doing?”
“Studying the principles of probability.” Sheffield didn’t meet his gaze. “Lady Cordelia was kind enough to explain some of the basic concepts when I paid a call on her and herbrother this afternoon. She also gave me a book on the subject.”
The earl raised his brows. “You always complain that reading is boring.”
“Perhaps I’ve changed my mind.”
“And perhaps—” Wrexford bit back a sarcastic retort. “My apologies, Kit. I’m in a foul mood.” After a glance around showed their only company were two elderly gentlemen sleeping in their chairs near the fire, he lowered his voice and gave a terse explanation of what he had discovered in Thornton’s laboratory.
“Ye gods.” Sheffield’s face tightened in shock.
“I’ve spent the day trying to have a word with him,” continued the earl.
