Page 30 of If Not for the Duke

She shouldn’t have allowed that kiss and certainly couldn’t allow another. Whether she’d find the strength to ignore the temptation remained to be seen. How hard could it be? It wasn’t as if they would have the chance to be alone often, if at all.

“Lena?” Norah’s voice came from what sounded like another room.

Lena blinked to clear her thoughts and turned to look at Norah, who had an expectant look on her face. “I’m sorry. What were you saying?”

Norah grinned, a knowing look in her eyes. “You thinkSterlingknew you weren’t fully telling the truth?”

“I’m afraid so. But it’s not as if I really know anything. The few possible clues I found hidden in those letters aren’t enough to act on. Perhaps Lady Bernice noted the map as well and chose not to tell me about it.”

“I have a difficult time believing that. Surely, she would’ve pointed it out to you and asked your opinion.”

“If there aren’t any specifics in the letters, then why did they hire Clarke?” Lena returned to her pacing. “They have to know something more. Some new information that convinced Clarke to embark on a treasure hunt that everyone knows won’t be easy.”

“True. But these few references to Oak Island aren’t exactly an X on a map.” Norah shook her head as she stared at Lena’s notes. “Are you sure there wasn’t a location marked on the map you found?”

“I’m quite sure.” Still, Lena wondered if she’d overlooked something. That was easy to believe since she’d nearly missed the entire map. “I wish I hadn’t returned the letters.”

“Holding onto them longer might’ve raised questions. Besides, maybe we need to shift our focus to another source.”

“Marbury, Ella, and I are visiting Professor Lindquist as soon as Marbury can make the arrangements. He’s the one who has studied letters from various ships’ crews to learn more about the whereabouts of the treasure. I’ll ask the professor if he’s heard of Ebenezer Jenkins.”

“I’ll be interested to hear what you discover.”

“Sterling—I mean, Renwick—is going to ask fellow Society members if they’ve ever heard of Jenkins.” Lena waited for Norah to latch onto her slip, but much to her relief, Norah didn’t remark on it.

“Did you mention what you found in the letters to Grandfather?” Norah asked.

“No. I haven’t seen him since my discovery. But I will make a point of doing so.”

“I wish I could do more to help,” Norah said as she set aside the notes. “If you see Marbury before I do, you might ask how much of this we should share with Ella. I know the renewed treasure hunt upset her. I don’t want to hide anything from her, but since she’s been experiencing contractions, we need to take care. Telling her more might make it worse or it might ease her mind to know you’re doing what you can to learn more.”

“Yes, we should proceed carefully with Ella. I’ll be sure to ask Marbury’s opinion.” While her sister was healthy, the contractions were certainly a concern. Lena didn’t want anything to jeopardize her sister’s health or the baby’s.

Norah sighed. “None of us seem to be able to think clearly about Father or Oak Island.”

How true that was. They each carried guilt for different reasons because of their father’s death. For Lena, she didn’t think she’d ever come to grips with what had happened that day. If she hadn’t been so set on denying her ability, she might’ve realized her father was in danger. Could she have saved him? That was something she’d never know.

Logic didn’t always have a place when it came to love.

*

Sterling entered hisclub five days later. The day had been productive, and as it shifted toward evening, he was ready to relax, have a drink, and enjoy some conversation. Brooks’s was the perfect place to experience all of that.

Living with two females gave him an appreciation for male companionship. Between Bernie and Aunt Edith, he had his fill of talk of fashion and the like.

Things were currently progressing with the treasure hunt to his satisfaction. A letter from Clarke had arrived, detailing his plans for digging. The man had included an updated hand-drawn map with the most likely areas to search for the Money Pit if the shaft he was currently excavating didn’t produce results. Each location had been prioritized with the reasons clearly noted as to why he thought it viable. Sterling couldn’t have asked for a more thorough report.

The fact that Clarke still hadn’t acknowledged Sterling’s request to withhold from giving interviews to the press didn’t bother Sterling nearly as much, though he certainly hadn’t forgotten about it. He had to think Clarke understood and accepted the order since he hadn’t argued.

Talk of the wagers among Society members had eased as well. It had only been mentioned once when he’d been at the Society offices earlier that afternoon. He took that as a good sign.

Bernie had been thrilled with Clarke’s letter and the updated map. She’d read it so many times that he was certain she’d memorized it by now. Clarke’s confidence was compelling. Sterling was beginning to wonder if they might actually find something.

Now if he could convince Bernie to expand her social engagements so that she might gain a few more friends and feel more at ease at events, he would be quite pleased with life. Thus far, with each invitation they received, she countered with the question of whether he thought Lena might be attending.

How unsettling to know he had the same question. He dearly wanted to see her again. She’d been on his mind since that delightful kiss. He found himself far too frequently wondering how he could have another.

Though he was pleased Bernie had at least one friend, he looked forward to her having more. Surely Lena would introduce her to other ladies if she hadn’t already.

---