“Mrs. Rose—”
She shook her head and then picked up the rubbish bin with a grunt. “No, no. I shan’t hear any more of this talk. I shall fetch us lunch. And then we will talk about something else. Do try to wrap up any more grim revelations before I return.” With that, Mrs. Rose hurried off toward the kitchen, lugging the rubbish with her.
Elswyth stood at the vanity for a while, looking at the bouquet and making sure she hadn’t missed any flowers. Then she moved to the writing desk and started reading through Persephone’s letters once more. There was no passion in those letters, nothing to indicate an actual romance had occurred. If Persephone really had taken a lover, wouldn’t there be more evidence? Letters, correspondence—and where were the rumors? The court loved its rumors. Hyacinth Thatcher had said that she saw Persephone in the garden with Captain Burr, but now Burr was dead.
“Is she gone yet?” a voice came. Elswyth jumped out of her desk chair.
Behind her, Silas Blackthorn stood on the balcony, leaning against the balustrade and smiling. All around him summer light made him seem larger than life. His coat was draped over his shoulder, and he wore only a canvas shirt, tight around his arms, sleeves rolled up to the elbow. His forearms twisted as he folded them across his broad chest, the muscles and tendons flexing. Suspenders kept up a pair of simple trousers, cutting a fine figure down to his black boots.
“Silas! What are you doing?” Elswyth sputtered.
“Calling upon a lady friend of mine. What does it look like?”
“In my bedroom? If Mrs. Rose sees you…”
“Which is why I so tactfully waited until she was gone. A man is nothing without his manners, after all.”
Silas stepped into her bedroom. Shame flooded her; the room was filthy. He looked around, a smug expression on his face. “My, my. This is where you get dressed, then? The mind races.”
Elswyth scowled. She moved toward the door and quietly slid the lock into place. “This is frightfully inappropriate, Blackthorn. You are lucky I do not scream for my uncle. Why on earth did you not just come through the front door?”
“As if Mrs. Rose would allow me. I’ve been writing for weeks, asking for a call with you. I even showed up unannounced, tail tucked between my legs. She shooed me like a dog every time. She’s rather convinced I have ill intentions toward you.”
Silas moved to the bed, where he flopped down and rubbed the sheets. “Ooh… comfy.”
Elswyth frowned. She pushed the letters she’d been reading back into the desk drawer and then quickly hid a pair of bloomers that were draped over the chair.
“Floral print… interesting choice,” he said.
“Really, Sir Silas, what is the reason for this? If this is some kind of attempt on my honor, I assure you, I am not interested.”
Silas grinned. “Curious that should be your first thought. It is duly noted. No, Miss Elderwood, I’m afraid I come strictly for business.”
“And what business do I have with you?”
“Why, we are both Dr. Gall’s assistants, are we not? I would conclude that we are colleagues. Friends, even.”
“I think I would sooner be friends with the corpse flower,” Elswyth said dryly.
“Oh, but if you died, I would miss our banter,” he said. “Who else could I regale with my wit? So many of my peers are too daft to understand it.”
Elswyth rolled her eyes. “I’m sure your cockiness is ambrosia to the sort of women you court, but it will win no favor with me.”
Silas smiled, first in his eyes, and then with a gentle quirk of his upper lip, and then it bloomed across his face. For a moment, he was all white teeth and dimples, all shining amber eyes. Elswyth turned away.
“We shall see about that, Miss Elderwood,” he said. He pushed himself up from the bed and began moving about the room, picking up an empty flower pot and examining it. “No, I’m afraid this errand is my own, not Dr. Gall’s. In fact, I think it would be better if he never learned of it.”
“An errand? Of what sort?” Elswyth said.
“I’ve misplaced something… Well, one could actually say that it was stolen from me. I was hoping that you could help me get it back.”
Elswyth blinked. “Me? Why?”
“What do you mean?” Silas asked.
“Why would you invite me? Why not one of your adventuring peers? One of your… I don’t know… ‘Good old boys.’”
Silas shrugged. “Because I find you intelligent and capable. Beyond that, you are an immensely powerful floromancer, which is exactly what I need.”
