Page 33 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
“I have an answer for that as well. Attend Lady Norfolk’s ball tomorrow evening. If you dance with me in public, it will lend credence to the idea we are becoming attached. Leopold would be less suspicious of your visit to Carstairs the next day.”
Lady Edith stood up from her bench at the pianoforte and declared that they would play cards. As the party trouped into the next room, Cecil made his goodbyes despite Nathaniel’s frowns. He’d had enough of visiting, of conversation. He’d put in an appearance.
Cecil would return home and see if Bones had any new information. The man wasn’t happy with him, although he hid it well. He knew his employer was not telling him everything about the gold clock Cecil coveted.
“So the lady won the clock?” the former smuggler had asked him.
“Yes. Unfortunately, Louisa’s brother and I have a rivalry, so the man was determined that I would not win the piece.”
“And the clock has a twin? A mythical twin?”
“It does.”
Perhaps he should tell Bones more. Throw him a crumb or two, as he was loyal and quite effective at infiltrating the households of the ton.
When he arrived home, Cecil sent for the older man.
“My lord?”
“Have a seat, Bones.”
The man perched on the edge of a leather chair, bolt upright, looking uncomfortable.
“There is something I must tell you, and it might put you in even greater danger with the RA than merely being known as my employee.”
The man’s eyes lit up. “I’d not shirk from danger, my lord.”
He knew that well. Bones liked a fight as much as Cecil did.
“The clock that Lady Louisa bid on and won is the key to taking down the Rogue’s Alliance. The riddle of the clocks is real, and if I can solve it, it will name the only living founder of the organization.”
Bones frowned. “But it is rumored that there are no clues written on the clock, no notes inside it.”
He was glad to hear that the servant rumor mill had spread the story he wanted put around about the clock.
“There are clues on the clock, but I do not want all of Town to know about them,” he replied carefully.
“You can trust me, my lord.”
The words had been said solemnly.
“I believe the key to the riddle is the Roman gods depicted on the clocks.” He pulled the sketch of Louisa’s clock from a pocket in his waistcoat.
Bones took the sketch and looked it over. “These are Roman gods?”
“The goddess Venus and the god Cupid.”
The man handed back the drawing. “I know nothing of gods and goddesses, my lord. Neither the name Cupid nor Venus put me in mind of anyone.”
“Nor me either,” he replied, folding the vellum and replacing it in his pocket. “If the deities are clues, I don't believe it would be easy to figure out who Cupid and Venus are.”
“And the other clock?”
“I have an idea of what it looks like from a book owned by Lady Louisa. I would like to know if there are rumors about who has the other clock.”
Bones rose to his feet. “If there are any, my lord, I shall find out for you.”
When the man had gone, Cecil let out a breath. He had told Bones enough to keep him occupied and feeling trusted and valued.
