“Good,” Bonnie whispered, as she squeezed Olive’s arm.
“Looks like a messenger,” Willow announced, still looking disconcerted as she pointed toward the footman hurrying toward them. “Perhaps from Mr. Oliphant, announcing his intentions?”
Sure enough the footman approached with an envelope on a silver platter. He directly approached Olive and gave a little bow. “A letter for you, Miss L’arbre.”
Suddenly, Olive’s stomach felt as if she’d eaten a stone. A letter? Oh Lord,wasit from Phineas, as her sister had suggested? What was he going to tell her?
Dear Miss L’arbre, your forward manner and lack of understanding of basic archaeological principles, such as which end of a hammer to hold, have led me to believe I would do best to retire from Dumpkins Manor. I am heading to Nepal, where I would rather have my hair eaten by a yak than spend further time with you.
Taking a deep breath and forcing her hands to quit shaking, she reached out and picked up the letter. Phineas wouldn’t say those sorts of things to her…would he?
“Oh.” Her breathwhooshedout all at once. “It is from the Journal of the Society of Archaeology.”
As Bonnie gasped, Olive turned slightly to open it, catching a glimpse of Hazel asking the footman a question.
“How exciting,” Tiffany was burbling. “You must be so nervous. Look at me!Iam nervous, and I do not know anything about arachnology.”
“Archaeology,” corrected Olive in a murmur as she pulled the letter from the envelope.
Sheshouldbe nervous, but after the spike of fear she’d felt when she’d thought the letter had been from Phineas, she felt strangely hollow now.
Quickly, she scanned the letter.Vaunted publication…pleased to offer you…should be very proud...seminal work on the subject…
“They want my paper,” she whispered. She looked up, meeting her friends’ excited expressions. “The Journal wants to publish my paper on Roman rooflines.”
Willow and Bonnie gasped happily in unison and grabbed her up in a hug as Hazel plucked the paper from Olive’s limp hand.
As they danced about—Olive in shock—Hazel called out, “Listen! Listen to this!” When they stopped cheering and turned to her, she read, “ ‘We believe your section on the adornments of the roof ridges to be the first study of its kind, and we are thrilled to be able to claim the information will appear in our winter edition, if you are amenable.’ Then there is some bit about payment.”
“How wonderful!” Bonnie exclaimed, just as Tiffany laughingly said, “I do not even know what roof ridgesare!”
Still in shock, Olive tried to explain. “The pointy part along the top. Theridge.” Numbly, she gestured toward Dumpkins Manor’s ornate eaves. “Important Roman buildings often had ornamentation…along…the…”
A thought came to her and she trailed off, her hands dropping to her side as she stared at the ridge of the roof.
Could it be so simple?
Her friends hadn’t noticed her distraction, and instead were tripping over themselves to congratulate her.
But Olive didn’t have time to crow about her success. She had to find Phineas!
“I need to find Phineas!”
Smiling, Hazel handed the letter back to Olive. “I can imagine you are anxious to share your accomplishment with him, and I know he will be thrilled to hear it!”
Distractedly, Olive snatched the paper and began to try to fold it into the envelope. “No, no, I need…”
“She needshim!” Tiffany called out with a laugh.
Olive sent her a frown. “I had a thought— Oh, it does not matter!” She began to walk backward toward the manor, which only worked until she stumbled. “I will find him myself.”
Chuckling, Hazel jogged to catch up with her as Olive turned back to face the building. “I thought it would be important to know his whereabouts—especially if I was going to have to challenge him to a duel.” At Olive’s horrified expression, Hazel winked. “I asked the footman. Apparently your Phineas receiveda letter in the same post. So if he is not in the foyer reading it, then the butler would know.”
Gratefully, Olive sent her sister a smile. “Thank you! I have to find him!”
“Of course!” Hazel slowed her steps and offered a knowing wave. “Good luck!”
Olive accepted the wish with a wave of her own, then lifted her skirts and began to run. She needed to find Phineas and tell him her idea.
And find out if he’d been avoiding her.
