“I think we could all do with some sustenance,” agreed Charlotte. She rose and moved to the diamond-paned windows while the parlormaid was summoned, hoping the sunlight slanting through the glass might warm the dread from her bones.
“Do you believe her?” murmured the earl as he came to stand beside her.
“I want to,” she admitted. “But like you, I shall try to keep a healthy skepticism until I hear the whole story. As of yet, we’ve heard nothing about Professor Sudler’s workshop, and I find it hard to imagine that those intricate gears and levers aren’t in some way connected to . . .” A sigh. “To whatever evil Lady Cordelia is about to reveal.”
“I confess to a morbid curiosity as to what that connection is,” responded Wrexford. “On a purely intellectual plane, the scientific innovations of Sudler’s mechanical device appear to hold revolutionary possibilities.”
“Yes, but as we’ve seen in our previous cases, science is not a beautiful abstraction. Theories in themselves aren’t good or evil. It’s we who twist them to do our bidding.”
He looked at her in concern. “You’re usually not so pessimistic.”
“I’ve become well enough acquainted with Lady Cordelia to know she doesn’t frighten easily.” Charlotte closed her eyes for an instant. “She’s rattled, and I have to assume there’s a good reason for it.”
Clasping his hands behind his back, Wrexford turned to stare out over the back gardens and sloping lawns. A breeze ruffled the ivy twined around the windows, setting the dark leaves to whispering against the panes.
The sound drew her from her brooding, and she found herself gazing out at the pastoral scene.
“Hell and damnation,” muttered Wrexford.
Charlotte suddenly saw it, too—a hulking grey shape stalking within the small glade of trees skirting the walled rose garden. “Good Lord, is that awolf?”
“No.” A pause. “It’s Harper.”
Harper appeared to be the size of a small pony. . . .
A flurry of fierce barks rumbled through the glass. “He’s a Scottish deerhound,” added the earl.
A gasp slipped from her lips as she spotted Raven and Hawk moving through the shadows close to the beast. “Is Harper dangerous?”
“Not usually,” answered the earl. He hurriedly unlatched the window and let out a piercing whistle.
Harper pricked up his ears and then turned and came loping across the lawn. On reaching the window, he leaped up and planted his huge paws on the stone sill.
“Hallo,” murmured Wrexford, curling his fingers in the hound’s shaggy ruff and giving a vigorous rub.
With his lolling pink tongue and wagging tail, the animal didn’t look quite so fearsome up close, decided Charlotte.
“He’s quite good natured,” explained the earl, “save for when he feels the estate is being threatened.”
“What possible threat . . .” The words died in her throat as she saw the boys break free of the trees.
Hawk was brandishing an Elizabethan small sword, while Raven was cradling a medieval crossbow. And between them was the Earl of Woodbridge, his hands bound in front of him with a rather soggy-looking rope.
Cordelia must have spotted her brother from one of the side windows, because she rushed to join them. Elbowing Wrexford aside, she leaned out the window. “Raven! Dash it all, untie your prisoner this instant!”
As the dowager and Sheffield joined the commotion, Cordelia expelled an oath. “Damnation! Jamie was supposed to stay with the professor and his Engine.”
“Well, well,” observed Alison with an owlish blink. “The plot thickens.”
CHAPTER 18
Everyone quickly resettled in their seats as Wrexford poured a glass of brandy and thrust it into Woodbridge’s hands.
“And now, Weasels,” he intoned, turning to fix the boys with a gimlet gaze. “Kindly explain yourselves.”
“We saw someone skulking in the trees,” replied Raven, refusing to be intimidated. “And as we didn’t know who it was, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry.” He lifted his chin. “There’s already been one murder. Hawk and I wanted to ensure there wouldn’t be another.”
The earl repressed a twitch of his lips. The little imps had cleverly seized the opportunity to handle the ancient weapons. But it was impossible to be angry, for he knew they would fight with tooth and nail if need be to protect Charlotte from harm.
