Page 60 of Black Widow

However, Amelia’s brilliant maneuver meant Gideon had to wait for her to fall asleep every night before he silently crept inside the room and stretched out on the floor next to her. He would rise and depart just before the day servantsarrived.

The situation would have been laughable if it weren’t sofrustrating.

Just another quiet week, perhaps two, and she’ll see it’s over. Gideon was certain. In the meantime, there was the orangery in the Porter’sgarden…

Chapter 23

Amelia perchedat the edge of her chair at the edge of the ballroom. She listened with rapt attention to the impromptu lecture she’d prodded Lady Lewin into givingher.

A noted bluestocking and eccentric, Lady Lewin was an expert in demonology, one who needed little prompting to wax enthusiastic on her favorite subject. It was the reason the other old biddies in this, the chaperone’s seating area, were giving them a wideberth.

Amelia had been apprehensive about approaching her. The spinster wasn’t one of the scholar and collectors recommended by Isobel. Relatively new to town, Lady Lewin hadn’t interacted with the contessa before—probably because she was much younger than Amelia had initially supposed—her early forties at most. There was also the fact that, as a woman, Lady Lewin was not held in high regard in the exclusive circle of experts Amelia had beenconsulting.

That was exactly why Amelia had sought her out. She was notdisappointed.

“While Barrett’s demon classification is quite popular with Gurney and his cronies, I’m fond of the King James’ simpler arrangement, the one detailed in hisDaemonologieseries. His way doesn’t fuss with names and ranks but organizes them according to their modus operandi—the specific behavior demon’s display when bedeviling humans. Of course, his thesis was incorrect. King James believed spirits and demonic influences were the cause of all maladies and illnesses. Now we know they are caused by an imbalance of thehumors.”

Amelia nodded.“That seems a far more practicable approach. After all, these entities have the names people gave them, but in reality, one name could describe any number of demons and viceversa.”

She didn’t want to think about the alternative scenario where the demonsharedits name with a human. “Would it trouble you if I wrote this down?” she asked, reaching into her unfashionably large reticule for a small pad andpencil.

Lady Lewin blinked and beamed at her. “No, by all means go ahead,” she said before complimenting Amelia on herforesight.

“A commendable practice. I should do the same. These affairs are so deadly dull—well, they normally are with no one to talk to,” she added, patting Amelia on the hand before pulling the drawstring of her ownreticule.

Lady Lewin pulled out a copy of Mrs. Moore’s latest horrornovel.

Amelia laughed. “I love Mrs. Moore as well. Her books are so…atmospheric.” She trailed off and looked down at hernotes.

Lady Lewin was a remarkable woman, with a breadth of understanding for the occult and esoteric. And like Amelia, she was a bit of an outsider in their rigidsociety.

She felt a kinship to the older woman, the sort that came from a mutual lack of acceptance from theirpeers.

Amelia slid to the edge of her chair, casting a quick glance around before asking what she didn’t dare ask any of the other priggish scholars she’d been interviewing. “Would you be familiar with the types of entities one could call on to act on someone’sbehalf?”

Lady Lewin’s bright expression sobered. “Now, my dear, I realize some of the ton may be a bit too tart-tongued when it comes to you, but summoning the dark forces to do your bidding is not the answer…not that I would know how. My interest is strictlyacademic.”

Amelia flushed. “No, that isnot—”

Lady Lewin tsked maternally. “Believe me, my dear, I have wished for the ability to crush my detractors now and again. But calling on demons is a dangerous business, even if one knows what one is about and you as a merenovice…”

Amelia held up a hand, trying to stop the gentle reprimand before any passersby heard them. Her voice dropped to a thready whisper. “I have no interest in calling a demon; on the contrary, I want to…I wish to rid myself ofone.”

“Oh.” Lady Lewin paled. She took hold of Amelia’s hand and held it tight. “Er, I wish I could help you, mydear…”

Amelia smiled despite tears stinging at her eyes. Lady Lewin was definitely a kindredspirit.

“I understand, your interest is strictly academic. But all I want is information. I need to know about those entities that can act in our world, giants with glowing eyes,” shewhispered.

Lady Lewin’s mouth turned down. “According to my studies, that would not be a demon. You see, the latter are creatures of spirit—they do not possess a physical body. I’ve never heard of one that could manifest itself on thisplane.”

It was Amelia’s turn to frown. “But if they don’t have bodies, how do theyact?”

“By using others, influencing the weak-willed or through outright possession. Truth be told, I’ve had more than one nightmare imagining who on my staff might be possessed. It’s hardly a rational fear. From what I’ve read, a possessed person is barely functional, and they grow sickly as if the demon feeds off them. The afflicted could not do a servant’s work for verylong.”

She caught Amelia’s dismayed expression. “Though they are rare, there are other nefarious creatures in the world, those with corporeal form. You may not be dealing with a demon atall.”

Amelia bit her lip. If the giant wasn’t a demon, then what was it? “What could itbe?”

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