Several voices disagreed with his harsh opinion of himself, but Mrs. Buchanan’s was loudest. “You are not to blame. Not in the least.”
“My company makes textiles, and magicians of the same discipline as Juliette and Mary are the reason behind its failure. Well, that and the fact I haven’t given the business the attention it needs. I’ve been too busy with my distillery. Whiskey is my passion, you see, not wool.”
“What if someone else managed it for you?” Miss Wheeler asked with a sly smile. “Someone who may lack business skills but is clever enough to pick it up and also has a knack for wool?” Her gaze slid to Juliette.
Juliette looked to her mother. “Can I?”
Mrs. Buchanan laughed. “Don’t ask me, ask Mr. Kinloch.”
Mr. Kinloch paused then thrust out his hand. “I think we can work something out. We’ll discuss the particulars when you’re feeling up to it. By the way, do you think Mary would be interested, too? Wool-cotton blends are the way of the future.”
“I’ll ask her.” Juliette darted off toward the door.
Mrs. Buchanan smiled at Mr. Kinloch. “Thank you. This will be good for her. The idle life of a lady isn’t for her.”
Mr. Kinloch gave a shallow bow of acknowledgment. “Perhaps seeing their cheerful faces every day at the office is just the thing to get me interested in that business again. Their faces, and yours, dear lady, if I may be so bold.”
Mrs. Buchanan smiled softly. “We’ll see.” Her smile vanished as she caught sight of her sister-in-law, still seated on the sofa. “I’ll remain in Edinburgh for some time, so we’ll certainly be seeing more of each other, Mr. Kinloch.”
He bowed again. “I look forward to some neighborly interactions.”
We walked from the room with him, and Anderson saw us out. The journalist we’d seen lounging against the garden fence earlier was back. He scribbled furiously in his notebook as Blackburn spoke to him. Mr. Kinloch didn’t seem to mind that his coachman was going to earn a little extra on the side by talking to the press.
At his front steps, he turned to us and shook each of our hands in turn. “I was glad to sell A Treatise on the Laws of Witchcraft and Maleficium in Scotland to you Professor. I knew you would be worthy. Now I’m doubly glad. Triply! Thank you for bringing those women back safely. All of you.”
A hollow pit opened in my gut. I felt guilty for not telling him it had been stolen. I felt even more guilty that I still considered him a suspect for the theft. But I didn’t want to accuse him now. It didn’t feel right. If he needed the money so desperately, he should keep the book and resell it.
We said our goodbyes and continued on. Mr. Kinloch was right. We’d done a wonderful thing today. It was growing late and I was hungry and exhausted. I’d probably fall asleep in my room again, but this time I wouldn’t leave anything valuable out for anyone to steal.
“Miss Wheeler, will you join us in the hotel’s private dining room this evening to celebrate?” Oscar asked.
“Mr. Defoe wouldn’t like that,” she said.
“Forget Defoe then.” From the enthusiastic way he looked at her, I wondered if he’d say to forget me next. Oscar was quite smitten.
She laughed lightly. “I can’t. Besides, he’ll probably want to leave as soon as I return.”
“Is there a London train this evening?”
“We’re not going to London.”
Oscar sighed. “Pity. I was looking forward to spending several hours with you.”
“We wouldn’t have sat together, Mr. Barratt. Mr. Defoe wouldn’t like that. He’s very bitter about losing the Mackenzie book to you and will be for a long time.”
“Speaking of which,” Oscar said mildly, “may we have it back?”
Chapter 16
“Oscar!” I cried. “You can’t accuse Miss Wheeler without evidence!”
“That’s a fair point, and ordinarily I wouldn’t. But I do have good instincts, and in this case, my instincts have served me well.”
I pushed my glasses up my nose to study Miss Wheeler. She was unmoved by the accusation. “Is he right?”
She stopped and rested the point of her umbrella into the groove between pavement stones. She folded her hands over the top and regarded me levelly. “He is. I am sorry, Professor.”
“Why did you take it?”
