Page 51 of Dark Tidings on the Thames
Beth blinked. “I think it’s a good thing that I will have the pair of you to guide me in this, but yes, I’m happy to head back to Lake Nemi this morning. I’m anxious to see how Jeanette is faring.”
“As am I,” Kara said.
“And I think I’ll find Lily and check on her,” Beth continued. “I know she acts tough as nails, but she and Glynn were friends, of a sort. She must be missing her. Also, Lily should know how helpful she has been.”
“Let’s finish our breakfast first,” Kara said. “Afterward, we will see you into Town. Perhaps Mr. Chambers will have that list ready for me.” She turned to look at the sideboard. “Is there more bacon?”
They were just finishing up when the door opened and Prudence, the downstairs maid, rushed in. “Oh, miss! I mean, Your Grace! You have a visitor!”
Kara exchanged glances with Gyda. “I wasn’t expecting anyone. Were you?”
Gyda shook her head.
“Who is it, Prudence?” asked Kara.
“Oh, but that’s just it, Your Grace! It’s a duchess! Arealduchess!”
Gyda let out a bark of laughter. “A real duchess, Prudence? Who do you think you areYour Grace-ing?”
“Oh, I do beg your pardon, ma’am, but I daresay you will know what I mean when you see her! We’ve known our own duchess from when she was a girl with oil under her nails. But this one? She looks like she was born to it! She’s got fur trim on her cloak and little jewels dangling from her pelerine! Turner is showing her to the ivory sitting room and sent me to fetch you.”
Kara cleared her throat. “Prudence, do you know, by chance,whichduchess is being shown to my private sitting room?”
“Oh, yes. Apologies, ma’am. It’s the Duchess of Rowledge, and she says she needs a private word with you.”
They all three straightened at the name of the woman who had started the Waif’s Wardrobe charity.
“What do you think she wants with you?” asked Gyda.
“I haven’t the faintest notion.” Kara felt quite at a loss. “I believe I met her once, at the Crystal Palace, but I don’t know much about her. All I recall is that she is a bit older than me. Perhaps a decade? And she has several daughters, but no sons.”
Gyda was frowning now, too. “Do you think she wants to tell us to stop mucking about in her charity’s business?”
Beth gasped.
“No. Certainly not,” Kara said with conviction. She stood. “There is no use speculating. I’ll go and see her.”
“I should go.” Beth stood too. “There is a late morning train into Town, isn’t there?”
“Don’t let the woman run you off,” Gyda said. “You are a volunteer, not an employee.”
“Yes, I know, it’s just… I don’t know. I don’t want to be seen as thinking I am above myself.” Beth raised a hand as Gyda started to object. “And I truly do wish to check on the other girls. Let them know they are not going through this alone.”
Gyda sighed. “Very well. I’ll take you to the station in Hammersmith.” She gave Kara a stern look. “Then I’ll be back to hear what all of this is about.”
With a nod for Gyda and a goodbye hug for Beth, Kara saw them off. Her curiosity growing, she turned and headed for the room that was usually marked as her private retreat.
The Duchess of Rowledge looked up as Kara entered. To give Prudence credit, the womandidmake an intimidating impression at first glance. Her gown was a rich pumpkin color and the pelerine atop it was a work of art, covered in jet and jewels in the pattern of orange and black butterflies. A matching pin anchored her heavy chestnut hair, where just a few grays could be seen mixed in.
Kara suppressed a sigh, though, as the woman straightened. She’d been bending over Kara’s drafting desk, examining the designs for the project she was working on in the lab.
“Your Grace,” the woman said with a nod. “Do forgive me. I’m afraid you’ve caught me snooping.” It was said stiffly, as if the duchess was not used to apologizing. “Thank you for seeing me,” she continued. “We have met, if you recall?”
Kara nodded. “At the Crystal Palace. Yes. I do remember.”
“The clocks and automatons you had on exhibit there were fascinating,” the other woman said. “I was impressed and quite encouraged to see you presenting something that mixed both beauty and science.”
“Thank you.”
