Page 97 of Marigold and the Marquess
Dillie nodded. “Ian assured us Leo could be trusted. You must have faith.”
“I do, just not in this.” She sighed and shook her head. “No matter. We’ll press on. Oh, I see Violet walking over.”
Marigold loved having family close by. Having been raised in Lancashire, she felt as though she had missed out on so much. “Oh, and Daisy has just drawn up in her carriage.”
Violet and Daisy entered arm in arm.
Now that the four of them were all standing together, Marigold thought it quite humorous they all looked so much alike. Dark hair and blue eyes. Of course, Violet had violet eyes, but who looked that closely? Mr. Mercer, Ian’s senior clerk, would have had his head in a spin had he seen all four of them together.
Dillie was smirking at her and must have been thinking the same thing. “Oh, here come the blondes. About time you showed up, slow pokes,” she called to Rose, Laurel, Honey, and Belle as they walked in.
Marigold grabbed Belle aside. “What has Finn told you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Greetings to you, too. And before you toss a thousand questions at me, I don’t know anything yet. Finn has not been home in two days. I would blame Ian for keeping him chained to his desk, but this is all Finn’s doing. He is thoroughly delighted to be on the task. I received one brief note asking for a change of clothes. I delivered them personally because…why not snoop? But he grabbed them out of my hands and rushed me out the door before I even had time to kiss him. What is he doing that is so fascinating?”
“It is a major Crown investigation,” Marigold said. “I cannot reveal anything more.”
“Well, it must be something enormously important,” Belle remarked. “I could have been standing naked in front of Finn and he would not have cared a whit. Once it is over, I hope he will tell me what has his eyes sparkling as brightly as they were on our wedding night.”
“Does Lorcan’s sudden departure have anything to do with it?” Honey asked. “Cammy said she would be late today because he had to go out of town suddenly, and she was left having to run all the errands.”
“Really, we cannot talk about it,” Marigold insisted, turning to greet Syd and Gory. “Do not repeat anything of what has been going on,” she quietly warned them.
The older ladies, Aunt Sophie, Lady Eloise, and Lady Withnall walked in next.
Her cousins ran to Lady Withnall and began tossing her questions. The little termagant rapped her cane on the floor for silence, then said, “I am not at liberty to discuss the matter. It is delicate and private.”
But it was obvious everyone was bursting with curiosity.
“Do our husbands know?” Honey asked. “I vow, I will beat Wycke about the head if he’s kept this from me.”
“I’m sure Graelem doesn’t,” Laurel said. “He would have gone into hiding from me for fear I would get the details out of him.”
Marigold breathed easier when they all finally settled in for tea and resorted to discussion of the usualtongossip. Once the cousins were all chatting among themselves, she drew Syd and Gory aside. “Have you heard anything more?” she whispered.
“No,” Gory said. “We were hoping you had some news.”
Marigold shook her head. “Nothing. Well, the investigation seems to be moving along. Have you seen Octavian or Julius? Did they mention anything?”
“Haven’t seen them today. We plan to head over to the Huntsford Academy tomorrow. Hopefully, we’ll see them there.”
“Excellent. I’ll be going there as well. Just before everyone arrived, Mr. Barrow’s nephew sent word that the Bow Street team will be meeting Mr. Smythe-Owens at five o’clock tomorrow afternoon to review security for the new exhibit’s opening. I plan to join them.”
“So will we,” Syd said. “How about we get there at four o’clock and meet in the library?”
Marigold nodded. “Perfect.”
Once they’d all had their fill of tea, sandwiches, and cakes, Marigold hurried upstairs to retrieve her speech. By the time she returned, the ladies had turned their chairs to face the hearth where Sterling had placed a small table to serve as a podium of a sort.
Marigold set down her papers, cleared her throat, then began to read her opening speech. When she finished, her cousins shot to their feet, cheering and clapping heartily. “Let’s hope I get the same response from an impartial crowd this coming Friday,” she said with a jaunty bow.
Eloise regarded her kindly. “You will.”
Marigold then moved on to recite her lecture. “Well, I do not have the bone samples I was going to pass around the lecture hall. But just imagine what a giant tooth, or talon, or leg bone might look like.”
She started her talk with an explanation of Adela’s discovery of the caves, the wall drawings, a comparison to the Lyme Regis caves, and the results of their dig. She ended with a short discussion of what was in store for the future. “Well, that’s it. I think I took up the entire hour. Is that too long? Were you bored? Confused? Inspired?”
Her Aunt Sophie rose and began to clap.
