“Blonde. As the Prophesized One, Charlotte of course hasentirely properhair.”
Mrs. Pettifer opened her mouth to argue further—
“Ahem.”
Everyone turned to see Woollery once again at the door. “Mrs. Chuke,” he announced.
“Darlings!”
A woman strode into the room, her orange silk bustle nearly knocking down Woollery in the process. “I have the most astonishing news!”
Charlotte sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Listen to this!” Mrs. Chuke commanded so loudly, even the neighbors could have listened were they at home. “I was just in St. James’s and heard all about it!”
A vase began to lift from the mantlepiece, its cargo of flowers trembling.
“The British Museum has opened an exhibition on Beryl Black!”
The vase dropped back down with a clink. The assembled ladies murmured excitedly amongst themselves.
“But wait, there’s more! Dearlove!” Mrs. Chuke snapped her fingers, and her maid, a pallid young woman with plain brown hair and a plain brown dress, hurried through the doorway, trying to walk and curtsy at the same time. Mrs. Chuke snatched a brochure from her hand and she stepped back, blending in with the furniture. “ ‘For a limited time only!’ ” Mrs. Chuke read aloud from the brochure. “ ‘Visit now and see the mysterious amulet once belonging to Beryl Black!’ ”
“Mysterious amulet?” Mrs. Pettifer echoed with gratifying excitement.
“It was only recently discovered,” Mrs. Chuke explained. “Apparently it is etched with Strange Markings of an Accidental Nature.”
Miss Dearlove hurried forward again and whispered in her mistress’s ear.
“Occidental Nature,” Mrs. Chuke said. She waved the brochure at them, but when Miss Gloughenbury went to take it, whipped it away behind her back. “I do believe this may be the pendant Beryl made by melting down the bottle in which she found the incantation. It disappeared the night she left for her retirement in the countryside.”
Miss Plim and Mrs. Pettifer exchanged a glance. They knewAndromeda Plim had stolen that pendant from Beryl, then promptly lost it by being so foolish as to put it in a safe place where no one could find it—including, as it turned out, her.
“If it is,” Mrs. Chuke continued, “then this is a tremendous discovery. After all, the original bottle had the spell inside it and the great power of the sea surrounding it, was molten in fire, and then cooled in a setting of gold. I’ve heard it said the power of those forces combined was such that a person wielding the amulet could pull pirate houses out of the sky, uproot forests, even summon buildings from a distance.”
“It’s just a myth,” Charlotte said.
“It’s in the British Museum,” Mrs. Chuke countered, flapping the brochure.
Never before had a moment of silence sounded so loud.
“Imagine being able to weed one’s yard without effort,” Miss Gloughenbury said dreamily.
“Or bring a bank to oneself,” Mrs. Pettifer said with a smile. “Grand larceny from the convenience of one’s own doorstep!”
“Imagine being the downfall of those revolting Wisteria Society ladies—literally!” Miss Plim added through a mouthful of oyster savory.
Everyone sighed.
“The museum’s Grenville Library has been remodeled for the special purpose,” Mrs. Chuke reported, “and extraordinary security measures are in place.”
The ladies laughed. Even Woollery smirked.
“Well, now.” Miss Gloughenbury tucked her taxidermied dog under her arm so as to more easily straighten her gloves. “This has been lovely, darlings, but I must be on my way. I’ve suddenly recollected another engagement I have with my—er, my hat maker.”
Miss Plim pushed back her chair and rose. “I too must go. Thankyou for tea, Delphine, but I have an urgent dentist appointment that quite slipped my mind.”
The two ladies raced each other to the door as fast as decorum and heavy dresses would allow.
