I sat on her other side. “Are you all right, Aunt?”
She touched her temple. “It’s just one of my headaches.”
I met my uncle’s gaze. “Perhaps we should go.”
“No,” Aunt Lilian said. “You young ones are having such a lovely time. Don’t worry about me. It’s nothing.” She offered a smile, but no one was convinced.
Uncle Ronald rose and put out his hand to his wife to assist her to her feet. “Cleo’s right, we should go.”
Lady Caldicott took my hand, trapping me on the sofa. “You look so much like your aunt when she was younger, although that’s where the resemblance ends. You’re not like her in character. She tells me you’re a lot like your mother though.”
“So I’m told.”
She gave me a sympathetic smile. “Your uncle is very proud of you. He couldn’t stop praising you. Apparently you speak Italian.”
I laughed. “Good lord, no. Not fluently.”
“Edward is going to Italy this year for his Grand Tour. Perhaps you can teach him a few words, and when he comes back, he can tell you all about his adventures.”
Oh dear. The trap was opening up before me and I needed to do a quick sidestep to avoid it. Fortunately, I was saved by Floyd offering me his hand.
“Come along, Cleo.”
In the hall, he assisted me into my cloak. With his hands on my shoulders and his mouth near my ear, I could smell the alcohol on his breath. “You’re welcome,” he whispered.
“I didn’t need saving,” I whispered back.
“Oh? So you’re quite happy to have her as a mother-in-law?”
“I wouldn’t let it get that far.”
“Sweet, naïve, Cuz. You have no idea how quickly these things can escalate. It begins as an innocent meeting, as a result of politeness to one’s hostess, and ends with a walk down the aisle. If you’re as determined to avoid the matrimonial noose as you say you are, then you need to be alert when mothers are around. Trust me, I know.”
Edward approached, frowning. “What are you two conspiring about?”
Floyd fussed over my cloak, smoothing his hand over the wrinkles at my shoulder. “I’m just giving Cleo some advice.”
“Financial advice?” Edward took my hand and bowed over it. “Please feel free to come to me at any time if you require advice of that nature, Miss Fox. I’d be happy to guide you.”
“Oh, er, thank you,” I managed to say.
Floyd shook Edward’s hand. “Very good of you to offer. Considering Cleo doesn’t intend to marry, she’ll probably value your advice. A woman alone needs to plan for her future. Isn’t that right?”
Edward was rendered speechless, which I suspected was Floyd’sintention.
My cousin steered me outside after my aunt and uncle. “Aren’t you glad I rescued you now?”
He assisted me into the carriage then helped Flossy in too. Once we were all settled and the carriage on its way, Floyd released a deep sigh. “Thank God they eventually stopped talking about money and investing. I was beginning to think they lived and breathed the bank.”
“Is there something wrong with that?” his father barked. “You could learn a thing or two from the Caldicott boys.”
“Like how to bore a woman in five minutes?” Floyd snorted.
My aunt winced and closed her eyes.
My uncle’s eyes flashed like cold steel in the lamplight. “Like how not to ruin your future.”
Edward Caldicott’sopinion of the Piccadilly Playhouse’s financial predicament was the first thing on my mind when I awoke the following morning. Even though I’d vowed I was giving up the investigation, it seemed I wanted to continue. I couldn’t stop thinking about Mr. Culpepper’s situation. If things were as dire as Edward claimed, then Mr. Culpepper was in no position to assist Pearl if she asked him for money. Did Pearl know and not bother to ask? Or did she go to her long-time lover first before calling on Lord Wrexham? But why would she go to Mr. Culpepper first if he wasn’t the father of Millie?
