Page 75 of The Best of Friends
“The Huntresses and the Pack.” Colm tried it from that direction.
The more Toss heard the suggestion, the more he liked it. Unless Newton or Scott posed objections, they might very well have settled the matter.The Pack.
“Now that you’ve cut ties with Laurence,” Duke said to Toss, the others having launched into a discussion of their new group name and their guesses as to Newton’s and Scott’s thoughts, “are you considering returning to Cambridge?”
“Without Laurence’s funds, I couldn’t hope to pay for it.” He didn’t even know how he was going to pay for food to eat moving forward.
“I suspect I am about to be your best friend.” Duke rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and steepled his fingers. “I did some searching after Laurence dragged you to London. There is a scholarship in honor of William Boyce intended for a student studying composition who also plays the organ, harpsichord, or pianoforte.”
“Truly?” Toss had never heard of it. But, then, he’d not been a scholarship student. Few whose families could fund their education gave much thought to scholarships and other means of assistance.
Duke nodded. “I gathered all the information I could and wrote it out for you. But I’m told the scholarship has not been claimed for next term.”
Did he dare let his hopes begin to grow? “What does the scholarship offer?”
“Payment of tuition fees.”
Dozens of questions flitted through his mind. “How does—How would I apply for consideration?”
“An essay of interest, a performance for the deciding committee, and a letter of recommendation from a person of adequate standing in the world of musical composition or performance.”
“I could manage the essay, but a performance would require either me or the committee to travel. And blast it, I don’t have any prominent musician who would endorse me.”
“Don’t blast things too soon.” Duke was one of the most unshakable people Toss knew. “I inquired of Stuber, and he said that your professors at Cambridge could provide their own assessments of your performance abilities in lieu of you performing for the committee.”
Stuber was a particularly influential professor of music at Cambridge. “And he thought they might be willing?”
Duke nodded. “And Stuber himself said he’d write the recommendation.”
He could have money enough for his tuition. He could return to Cambridge and finish his studies. That would allow him to at last pursue his music in earnest.
But all the remaining complications slid over Toss in quick succession. “I wouldn’t have funds for housing or for buying food or any of life’s necessities.”
“I can’t solve that difficulty for you, but Stuber seemed to think that if your brother ever cut you off entirely, you could apply to be a fellow. That would negate the need for the scholarship but would also eliminate your living expenses.”
It wasn’t a guarantee, but it was a chance. It was an opportunity.
“Laurence ought not to have done what he did,” Duke said. “Both what he did to you at the start of the term and the misery he’s caused you since. But you have options, Toss. You have choices.”
A footman stepped quietly into the room and presented Tobias with a folded missive before bowing himself back out of the room.
“Could it be Tobias has a secret admirer?” Charlie wondered out loud. “Seems to me you ought to have shared that bit with the rest of us, Colm.”
“I would have if he’d shared that bit with me.”
In that moment, though, Tobias didn’t look entertained. His expression turned solemn before slipping into something like panic.
“What’s happened?” Colm asked.
With an audible swallow, Tobias looked up at them all. “Daria’s missing.”
“What do you mean?” Toss was on his feet in an instant.
“Artemis came by the house to fetch her when she didn’t arrive at the dress shop as planned. But she’d already left and ought to have arrived long since.” Tobias looked down at the letter in his hands once more. “Father says she never called the carriage.”
“She wouldn’t have tried to walk, I hope,” Colm said.
“I don’t think so.”
