Page 29 of Lord of Fortune
They were interrupted by the arrival of the footman with the first course. After serving the soup, he took himself off once more.
Penn studied her as they ate. She was a remarkable woman, unlike most he encountered. Oh, there was no shortage of women who wanted to spend time with him, but those who actually shared his interests were few and far between. “What is it that fascinates you?” he asked.
She thought for a moment before answering. “The mystery, I suppose. And learning new things. I always thought it would be marvelous to go to university. My father and grandfather loved studying at Oxford.”
“Did you attend a school?”
“Not formally. My father and grandfather took a hand in educating me. I’m afraid you’ll find me more bookish than most females.”
“How utterly charming,” he murmured while a smile curved his lips.
A faint blush stained her cheeks, and she directed her attention to her soup.
“Your grandfather didn’t share his love of antiquities with you? Or is it just that he didn’t share information about his discoveries of the heart and dagger?”
“He did share them with me, but I was more passionate about botany and medicine.”
“Such as the salve you gave us. You specialize in such things?”
“Yes, I suppose I do.” She set her spoon down. “I keep meaning to ask how Egg is faring.”
“He’s as cantankerous as ever, which means he’s just fine.”
“Where is he now?”
“Visiting his sister. When I come to Septon House, he always swings a bit south to check in on her. He’ll join me in a day or two unless I send for him sooner.”
“How did he come to work for you?”
Penn swallowed the last of his soup as he nodded and set his spoon beside his bowl. “We met at a pub in Oxford and became friends, if you can imagine. He worked as a cabinetmaker, and when I went on my first excursion in search of an artifact, I needed someone to act as groom. He was agile and wiry and slightly better tempered than he is now. He’s worked for me ever since. I suppose he’s a sort of valet too.”
She laughed softly. “Now, that I have trouble imagining.”
Penn grinned. “He hates it when I call him that.”
The footman came back and removed the first course, then replaced it with the second—lamb chops with peas and potatoes.
Once the footman had gone again, Amelia asked, “Is there something of import in the Wynnstay library? Something my grandfather would have been interested in?” She cut into her lamb.
Penn spared some attention for his meal but found he was far more interested in conversing with his lovely companion. “Probably a great many things, but we are, of course, focused on the heart and the dagger—the tale of Hilaria and Ranulf.”
“Aren’t there other tales involving the heart and dagger?”
“Actually it’s the only one that contains the dagger and the legend behind it.” As he chewed a bite of lamb, he pondered the story’s origin.
“You look very serious all of a sudden,” Amelia said, drawing his attention.
He sipped his wine. “I was just trying to think of where the story came from—the first time it was recorded. Many old texts were written down by monks and then copied by other monks—and sometimes antiquaries.”
“When was this story recorded?”
“I’m not entirely sure. My father would know.” He searched his memory but came up blank and frustrated.
“Should we go back to the library and see what we can find? Surely Lord Septon has something that would at least spur your memory.”
“Actually, what we should do is go to his secret library upstairs.”
She paused in eating, a spoonful of peas arrested on the way to her mouth. “Secretlibrary? And you have access to this?”
