“I once accused you of the same thing.”
“Yes, you did.” Bennet looked bleak. “You really do intend to marry her, do you not?”
“Yes.”
Bennet sighed. “Would you mind telling me why you feel you must marry this particular female, Marcus?”
Marcus gazed broodingly at the clockwork man. “When I am with her I do not feel as though I am made of gears and springs.”
Barclay examined the notes he had just finished making. He pushed his spectacles more firmly onto his nose and considered Marcus through them. “What, precisely, do you hope to discover, sir?”
“I am looking for some sort of link between the Hardstaff museum operation and the person who is constructing the sepulchral monument.”
“I don’t understand. What possible connection could there be?”
Marcus smiled thinly. “That is what I am paying you to learn, Barclay.”
“Yes, my lord.” Barclay groaned as he heaved himself out of the chair. “I shall get to work on it at once.”
NINETEEN
WE TOLD MARYANNE DIRECTLY AFTER BREAKFAST. SHE WAS very quiet for the longest time.” Zoe sniffed into a hankie. “I was terrified that she would hate us forever. She started to cry.”
Iphiginia, seated behind her desk, exchanged a glance with Amelia. Amelia raised her brows but said nothing. Neither of them interrupted the tale.
“And then—” Otis blew into a large handkerchief— “she looked at me and said ‘Papa.’ After all these years, she finally said ‘Papa.’ She threw herself into my arms.”
“I vow, it was the happiest moment of my life.” Zoe burst into more tears.
“And of mine, my dearest.” Otis went to her and put his arm around her. “You cannot imagine what it means to me to be able to openly acknowledge my own dear daughter.”
“We should have told her immediately after Guthrie died last year,” Zoe said to Iphiginia. “Only think of the trouble it would have saved.”
Iphiginia folded her arms on her desk and frowned. “What about the marriage to Sheffield?”
“Maryanne insists upon telling him the truth,” Otis said, not without a touch of pride. “May as well, since the blackmailer will no doubt do so, anyway.”
“I expect he’ll cry off.” Zoe sighed. “There’s no help for it. The Earls of Sheffield have always been very high in the instep. Pity. It was such a fine match. But Maryanne is so lovely and charming that I am convinced that we’ll find another equally suitable husband for her.”
“I shall make it public knowledge that I intend to settle an inheritance upon her,” Otis said stoutly. “Always intended to do so, of course, but planned to keep it a private matter. Now we can be open about it. That should help produce a good selection of candidates.”
“Very true.” Iphiginia picked up her pen and fiddled with it as she considered the situation. “Do you know, it strikes me that there might be an even simpler way of brushing through this entire affair.”
“What’s that?” Zoe asked.
“If you and Otis were to marry,” Iphiginia said, “Maryanne would become Otis’s stepdaughter in the eyes of the law.”
“Married?” Zoe stared at her. “Married? But Otis and I are so happy the way we are. Isn’t that so, Otis?”
“You have always been the delight of my life, my dear,” Otis said gallantly. “You know that. You will continue to be my heart’s truest friend regardless of whether or not we are wed.”
Zoe smiled tremulously. “Otis, I do love you so.”
“The thing is,” Iphiginia said briskly, “if Otis were to marry you, there would be no need to make the true facts of Maryanne’s parentage public.”
“Iphiginia is right,” Amelia said.
Zoe frowned. “I do not comprehend.”
Otis’s brows formed a bristly hedge across his nose. “I say, she has a point, y’know.”
Iphiginia saw the new light in his eyes. She smiled. “If you and Otis were to wed, he would become Maryanne’s stepfather. She could call him Papa and no one would take any notice. He can refer to her as his daughter and people will merely assume that he has a genuine paternal affection for her.”
“Which is no particular secret, anyway,” Amelia pointed out. “Furthermore, the legalities of the situation settle rather nicely into place with regard to both the Guthrie money and the Otis fortune.”
“Precisely,” Iphiginia said. “Maryanne will no longer be a young lady with a respectable portion, but a great heiress.”
“No one will think to question the situation,” Otis murmured. “Perfectly natural that I would provide for her.”
“Good Lord.” Zoe was clearly struck by the possibilities. “She would have her pick of husbands.”
Otis took her hand and kissed it. “And I would have the great pleasure at last of not only claiming my daughter without a scandal, but of being able to claim you, my sweet, as my wife.”
“Oh, Otis.” Zoe looked up at him. “You have always been so good to me. You were the only thing that made my life bearable while Guthrie was alive.”
“It was my greatest pleasure,” Otis said. “And if you wish to continue our liaison as it is, I shall be honored to do so. But I want you to know that nothing would make me happier than to be able to call you my wife.”
Zoe’s eyes glowed. “How can I say no? I thought never to marry again after being freed of Guthrie. But in truth, you are the only man I have ever loved. The father of my child. My dearest friend.”
“I shall obtain a special license this afternoon,” Otis said. “We can be married tonight.”
“Something tells me that Maryanne will be delighted,” Amelia said.
Iphiginia tapped her pen against a sheet of foolscap. “And a bit more venom has been leeched from the blackmailer’s fangs. I begin to perceive that Masters was right all along. He said the easiest way out of this situation was to call the villain’s bluff by unveiling the secrets.”
“It would, indeed, appear that he was correct,” Amelia agreed.
“He very often is,” Iphiginia muttered. “What is worse, he knows it and does not hesitate to make one aware of that fact. I vow, it is vastly annoying at times.”
“I suspect you feel that way because you are so accustomed to being correct most of the time yourself,” Amelia said.
Iphiginia wistfully recalled her plan to solve the blackmail problem by discovering the owner of a phoenix seal and some black sealing wax. “I have never met a man who is right more often than I am. It is rather unnerving,” she admitted.
It was even more unsettling to know that she was in love with a man who was convinced that he was intelligent enough to learn anything except how to fall in love again.
“What is Masters’s latest hypothesis, Iphiginia? Who does he believe is behind this nasty attempt to reveal everyone’s secrets?” Amelia asked as she and Iphiginia walked up a flight of stairs that led to Adam Manwaring’s office.
“He does not know the new villain’s identity yet,” Iphiginia said. “His most interesting theory is that Mrs. Wycherley may not have been the villain in this piece, after all.”
Amelia shot her a startled glance. “Really? But who else could it have been?”
“As I said, Masters does not yet have a new suspect, merely a few doubts about the old one.” Iphiginia reached the landing and started down the hall to Adam’s door.
“What do you believe, Iphiginia?”
“I no longer know what to make of the events. I am still stuck on black wax, phoenix seals, and the fact that whoever sent that first note to Aunt Zoe knew that Masters would be out of Town for an extended period of time.”
“I know how difficult it is for you to abandon your own notions. Well, I’m certain that Masters will soon get to the bottom of this”
Iphiginia wrinkled her nose. “Goodness, such faith in his intellect and talents. There was a time not so long ago when you spent a great deal of energy warning me off him.”
“I still think that he will break your heart, but in the meantime, perhaps he will also solve the puzzle.”
“You are always so very practical, Amelia. It is one of your most endearing qualities.”
They came to a halt in front of the narrow door. Iphiginia raised her hand to knock and then noticed that the door was ajar. A man’s voice, raised in blistering rage, boomed through the opening.
“I demand to meet with the principals of this venture, d’ye hear me, Manwaring?”
Iphiginia opened the door quietly.
A large, thickset man was leaning over Adam’s desk. His face was contorted with anger. Adam sat quietly, his own expression one of cold disgust. Neither of them saw Iphiginia and Amelia in the doorway.
“I have told you, that is impossible,” Adam said.
“I insist upon it,” the stranger roared. He slammed his meaty fist down on the desk with such force that the wax jack and pens shuddered. “I insist upon being allowed to speak with them. I won’t take no for an answer.”
Iphiginia heard Amelia’s soft, choked cry of dismay.
“Amelia?” Iphiginia touched her cousin’s arm. “Are you all right?” she whispered.
Amelia did not answer. She stood stock-still, her attention riveted on the man who was pounding on Adam’s desk.
“I’ve told you that the principals behind this speculation venture are not interested in including you in the pool, Dodgson.” Adam got to his feet, his jaw set as solidly as that of a bulldog. “And I told you the reason why.”
“Lies. All lies told by a slut of a governess,” Dodgson howled. “I cannot believe men of the world would listen to the creature.”
Amelia took a step into the room. Her shoulders were rigid. “They are not lies. You are a nasty, vicious man, Dodgson. You know it and I know it.”
Dodgson whirled around. “Who the devil are you?” he demanded.
“Don’t you even remember me, Dodgson? I’m Amelia Farley. At one time I worked as a governess. But now I make my living in a much different fashion.”
Dodgson’s eyes glazed with the shock of recognition. He stared at Amelia, mouth agape. “It’s you. You’re the one who told the principals that I could not be trusted. How dare you? Why would anyone listen to you?”
“Miss Farley is one of the principals of the investment pool,” Adam said with grim satisfaction.
“I don’t understand.” Dodgson’s heavily jowled face swung back and forth between Amelia and Adam. “This is impossible.”
“No, Dodgson,” Adam said evenly. “It is far from impossible. You will not be allowed to join the investment pool.”
“On the word of this … this pinch-faced little lightskirt?” Dodgson bellowed. “You cannot be serious.”
Adam rounded the edge of his desk, drew back his fist, and slammed it straight into Dodgson’s unsuspecting face.
Dodgson shrieked with pain, surprise, and fury. He reeled back against the wall, clutching at his nose.
Adam advanced on him with clenched fists. “One does not speak to a lady with such disrespect in my office.”
“Damn you.” Dodgson examined the blood on his hands with horror and disbelief. “Damn all of you. This is a nightmare. I am to be ruined because of the whim of a silly little governess who should have been grateful that some man was willing to tumble her.”
“I have news for you, Dodgson,” Adam said softly. “Financial ruin is not all you face. You will meet me at dawn tomorrow morning in the park. Name your seconds.”
Amelia gasped. She gripped the handle of her parasol with such force that her knuckles went white. Iphiginia stepped closer to her.
“Seconds?” Dodgson appeared dazed. “You’re issuing a challenge because of that ridiculous creature? This is insane.”
“I shall expect to see you at dawn,” Adam said. “Or all of London will know you for the coward you clearly are.”
“If you have not already chosen your own seconds, Manwaring,” Marcus said calmly from the doorway, “I would be honored to act as one of them.”
“Marcus.” Iphiginia turned quickly. A rush of relief went through her at the sight of him.
Marcus filled the doorway. His broad shoulders nearly brushed the sides. He was so tall that he’d been obliged to remove his gray, curly-brimmed hat.
He studied the scene in the office with his usual unruffled air, but there was an ominous gleam in his amber eyes.
Adam inclined his head brusquely in Marcus’s direction. “Thank you, sir. I shall take you up on your offer to act as a second.”
“Masters?” Dodgson stared first at Marcus and then at Adam. “Have you both gone mad?”
“No,” Marcus said. “But we are in danger of becoming quite bored. I suggest that you take your leave.”
“An excellent notion,” Amelia said. “My friends and I have some matters of business to discuss.”
Dodgson turned to her with a desperate look. “Amelia, for God’s sake, you cannot do this to me. There is too much at stake. Please, my dear, you must allow bygones to be bygones.”
“Get out of here,” Adam said.
Amelia looked at Dodgson. “You heard Mr. Manwaring. Remove yourself from these premises immediately. The very sight of you makes me ill.”
“Amelia.” Dodgson went toward her as though to take her hands in his. “I cannot believe you would be so hard-hearted. You were once such a sweet creature.”
“Do not touch me.” Amelia stepped back quickly. “Do not ever touch me, Dodgson.”
“You heard Miss Farley.” Adam came up behind Dodgson, grabbed him by the collar, and propelled him toward the door.
Marcus politely got out of the way.
Adam shoved Dodgson out into the hall and slammed the door.
He turned and looked straight at Amelia. “I regret that you were obliged to come face-to-face with the bastard, Miss Farley. I assure you, it will be the last time.”
Amelia stared at him. “Mr. Manwaring, you must not meet him tomorrow at dawn. I forbid it.”
Adam gave her a crooked smile. “Think nothing of it. As it happens, I am a rather good shot. Hobby of mine, you know.”
“But you might be injured. Even killed. Dodgson is a liar and no doubt a cheat. There is no telling what he might do in a duel. You cannot trust him.”
Marcus stirred. “Do not concern yourself, Miss Farley. As Manwaring’s second, it will be my privilege to keep an eye on Dodgson. There will be no cheating.”
“No,” Amelia blurted. “You must not do this, Mr. Manwaring.” She dropped her parasol and ran toward him. “You cannot risk your life.”
She hurled herself into Adam’s arms.
“It’s all right, my dear,” Adam said. He held her close. “I do not mind in the least.”
“If it’s any comfort to you, Miss Farley,” Marcus said, “I believe that I can say with some certainty that Dodgson is highly unlikely to appear for his dawn appointment. I expect he will be halfway to Scotland by then.” Amelia raised her head from Adam’s shoulder. “Do you really think so?”
“Yes.” Marcus smiled. “I really think so.”
“I’d rather he showed himself,” Adam said. “I quite relish the notion of lodging a bullet in him.”
“That is very gallant of you, sir.” Amelia blotted tears from her eyes. “But I fear I would be devastated if anything were to happen to you.”
“Do you truly mean that?” Adam asked.
“Yes.” Amelia gave him a tremulous smile.
The two gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, oblivious of Iphiginia and Marcus.
Iphiginia smiled to herself. She glanced at Marcus. I told you so, she mouthed silently. Made for each other.
He raised one brow in silent acknowledgment.
It suddenly occurred to Iphiginia that he had no business being there.
“What are you doing here, sir?” she asked in a low tone.
“What do you think? I came to request that I be allowed to pur
chase shares in the investment pool that is being formed to finance Bright Place.”
She gazed at him in amazement. “You know about the pool?”
He gave her a smile of superiority. “Of course.”
“You know that Amelia and I are the principals?”
“Naturally.”
“You think you know everything, don’t you?”
Marcus’s eyes were brilliant with amusement. “I believe in keeping myself informed on a wide variety of topics.”
“He thinks he is so very clever,” Iphiginia grumbled an hour later as she and Amelia got out of the white and gilt carriage. “Quite arrogant about it, in fact.”
“Who?” Amelia cast her a distracted glance as they went up the steps of the town house. “Masters?” “Yes.”
“Well, he is quite clever. What do you expect him to do? Conceal his intelligence? You rarely bother to hide yours.”
“He could practice being a bit more discreet about it.”
Amelia nibbled uneasily on her lower lip. “Personally, I pray that he is correct in his belief that Dodgson will flee rather than confront Mr. Manwaring at dawn.”
Guilt swept through Iphiginia. Here she was complaining about a minor annoyance while poor Amelia was burdened with a very genuine fear. It struck her that if she were in her cousin’s shoes, she would have been hysterical.
“I’m sure Masters has the right of it,” Iphiginia said soothingly as Mrs. Shaw opened the front door. “As I was just telling you, he is always right.”
“Yes, I know.” Amelia seemed to take heart from that. Her face brightened a bit.
Iphiginia smiled at her housekeeper. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Shaw. All is well?”
“Aye, Mrs. Bright. Oh, that very nice Mr. Hoyt called while you were out. He returned a book he said you had lent to him.”
“Grayson’s Illustrations of Classical Antiquities, yes, of course.” Iphiginia untied her bonnet and handed it to Mrs. Shaw. “Anything else of import?”
“No, madam. Everything has been very quiet.”
“Excellent. Would you please send a tray of tea into the library?”
“Immediately, Mrs. Bright.”
“Thank you.” Iphiginia paused at the door of the library. “By the bye, you may expect both Mr. Manwaring and his lordship, the Earl of Masters, shortly before five o’clock. They will be calling to take Amelia and myself driving in the park.”