“Cedric and I shared many secrets during our childhood,” pressed Charlotte. “I should like very much to understand this . . . in homage to his memory.”
Julianna bowed her head and appeared to lapse into deep thought. After several moments, she looked up. “Do you like challenges, Lady Charlotte?”
“I wouldn’t have seen the splendors of Rome . . .”
Or have caused the Prince Regent to take to his bed for a week because of my scathing caricature of him in a corset.
“. . . if I was afraid of embracing them,” answered Charlotte.
In response, Julianna took up a small notebook and pencil from the table. For a short interval, there was no sound between them, save for the softscratch-scratchof the graphite. The heiress then tore out two pages and passed them over.
“Very well, then. Here’s a momentous event I’ve discerned from the physical and metaphysical elements of the system. It will happen in the near future. But to work out what it is won’t be easy. You’ll have to study the science of the cards.”
Charlotte had a feeling that Wrexford would use a far less complimentary word thanscience.Nonetheless, she carefully folded the papers.
“And here is a book on the subject.” The heiress pulled a slim leather-bound volume from the reticule sitting beside her chair, then gathered her cards and placed them in a pasteboard box. “Along with a deck ofMaya-Mokshanumbers.”
“Surely, you don’t wish to give away your magnificent cards,” protested Charlotte. “They must be irreplaceable.”
“I have many other decks of equal beauty,” replied the heiress. “It would give me great pleasure to know that Cedric’s childhood friend—someone bound to him by both sentiment and blood—will enjoy learning their secrets.”
“Thank you. That’s quite gracious of you.” As Charlotte shifted slightly to settle the gift in her lap, she saw a stirring within the shadows of the foyer connecting the side salons.
A flutter of smoky amethyst silk.
How long had Cordelia Mansfield been eavesdropping? And why?
“Cedric was very special to me,” murmured Julianna. “It’s hard to believe that his brother could have murdered him in such a horrible fashion. They seemed . . . very close.” A heartbeat of silence. “But then, who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of those we think we know best?”
“I don’t believe Nicholas killed Cedric,” replied Charlotte.
“But the newspapers say the evidence . . .” The heiress’s eyes widened. “Who else could it be?”
“I don’t know. But . . .” Charlotte’s hands tightened on the book and box of cards. “But I hope that the truth will come out and justice will prevail.”
Seeing the lady in the dragon robe approaching with an armful of books, Charlotte quickly rose and added, “I mustn’t keep you from your friends, so I’ll take my leave now. However, I look forward to furthering our acquaintance.”
“As do I.”
Their gazes met and held for a moment before Charlotte turned and moved off in search of her great-aunt, suddenly feeling a pressing need to return to the solitude of her own house and parse over all that she had heard.
“I see you met the Enchantress of Numbers,” murmured Cordelia as Charlotte moved into the foyer connecting the side salon and the grand parlor.
“Yes.” Charlotte pretended not to notice the edge of sarcasm in her voice. “You two seem to share a keen interest in mathematics.”
“Actually, I would say her interest in numbers is metaphysical, not mathematical.”
“And yet earlier you told me that mathematics could reveal the mysteries of the universe,” replied Charlotte.
“When applied rationally and its formulas proved through logic and empirical observation, mathematics can indeed be revelatory.”
“You don’t believe that numbers can tell us anything about the future?” she pressed.
Cordelia’s brows gave a mocking twitch. “On the contrary—I can predict a number of future events with absolute certainty. For example, I can calculate the arc of the moon through the night sky and tell you where it will be an hour from now. Or create an equation based on weight, trajectory, and force that will pinpoint when and where a cannonball will land.”
She made a face. “But will numbers tell me the fate of nations or in what year the Day of Judgment shall fall?” Her gaze darted to the book and box. “Let’s just say I’m skeptical.”
“Skepticism is important in scientific inquiry,” replied Charlotte. “Or so Lord Wrexford says.”
