Chapter Sixteen #2
“I am looking forward to it. The museum directors are delighted to have you attend, madam, since you and Matheson Bank are major contributors to the museum. They may ask you to say a few words.”
“I shall decline, but I will sponsor their work most generously if they allow me anonymity.”
“Some members of the bank’s board plan to attend the exhibit’s opening, as well. I know that Sir John Shaw and Sir Roderick Matheson are both invited.”
The rhythm of Meg’s step faltered slightly as she walked arm in arm with Angela. “How nice it will be to escape from the concerns of the party for a little while.”
*
“Lady Strathlin, what a joy to see you again,” Sir Roderick said as he stepped out from behind a stone column.
The museum’s bright, spacious foyer was crowded with ladies and gentlemen attending the opening.
Sunlight beamed over golden stone, green ferns, and the cheerful colors in the ladies’ dresses and bonnets.
“Sir Roderick,” Meg looked up at him from under the brim of her dark-blue bonnet. “I did not expect to see you here.”
He doffed his top hat politely. “I am here to represent the bank. And glad to have a moment to speak with you. Have you thought about my proposal?”
She stared up at him. In the shadow of the huge column and lost in the noise of the echoing room, their conversation was private. But she stepped away from the column, looking around for Angela Shaw or any other acquaintance nearby.
“I have given your suggestion some thought,” she said carefully. “But I am not ready to talk about it. Certainly not here,” she added, waving a hand toward the crowd admiring the contents of a series of glass display cases containing artifacts in stone, silver, gold, and enamel.
“Of course not, my dear,” Matheson said. “I only wanted to remind you.”
“How could I possibly forget? Ah, Mrs. Shaw!” she called. Angela turned to glide toward them, her black bombazine skirt and purple-and-black bonnet a somber note in the bright, sunny foyer.
“My dear Margaret, I look forward to hearing your answer.” Roderick then took Angela’s gloved hand cordially. “Mrs. Shaw, how delightful to see you.” He turned to Meg. “I so look forward to your soiree, Lady Strathlin. We are to attend in grand full dress following Miss Lind’s concert, I take it?”
“The details of dress are on your invitation card.”
“Indeed. Please accept my apology, for I must run. I have an appointment with Mr. Stewart this afternoon. I believe you know him, madam.”
Meg smothered a gasp. “Mr. Dougal Stewart? I do.”
“He and I have some business matters to discuss, now that he finds himself in a state of near ruin. I understand that he is coming to your soiree. That should prove interesting.”
“Near ruin?” Meg stared up at him.
“Thanks to you and your solicitors. I suppose your advocates work independently for your benefit, sparing you the details. He needs funds for his project.”
“I hadn’t been told yet.” Meg felt Angela watching her with a slight frown. Meg wondered in a growing panic what her solicitors had done.
Roderick tipped the brim of his hat again. “Your lawyers have triumphed over Mr. Stewart at last. We shall talk further, dearest Margaret,” he said, taking her hand and bowing. “Mrs. Shaw.” He turned away to stride through the crowd.
Meg watched his tall black form as he cut a path through the bright crowd. She looked at Angela.
“I despise that oily snake,” Angela murmured. Meg blinked, surprised to hear that from her demure friend. “I hope you will not consider marrying him. He tells everyone you are head over heels in love with him.”
“I am not,” Meg said firmly.
“I did not think so.” Angela took her arm.
“Have you seen the beautiful jewelry in the exhibit? You must come look. And I’ve found Mr. Hamilton, who is talking with the antiquarian who discovered some of the artifacts herself.
She is lovely and delightful. Her name is Mrs. Christina Blackburn.
Mr. Hamilton can introduce you. The Blackburns are rather famous as an artistic family, although she is not an artist.”
“Ah, yes. Her father was a brilliant painter. I own a seascape by him.”
“Her late husband was an artist as well. She is the lovely brunette standing over there with Mr. Hamilton and the tall blond gentleman. That is Dr. Connor MacBain.”
“Oh I know the name,” Meg said. “He has an excellent reputation, but we have never met.” She remembered Dougal once mentioning a cousin was the wife of Dr. MacBain in Edinburgh. Her heart beat faster. Dougal’s cousin. “Is there—anyone else here whom we should see?”
“Were you thinking of Mr. Stewart?”
Always, Meg thought, but she shook her head. “Is he here?” Meg asked, glancing around. “Did he accompany his cousin to the opening?”
“No, but Mrs. MacBain—she is here somewhere—said that Mr. Stewart arrived a few days ago and is staying with them. They have a house near Calton Hill.”
Relieved for now that he was not in the museum, Meg knew she could easily encounter him at any time in the city through some social connection. Roderick had said he was meeting with Dougal today. For now, she could relax.
But she had to tell him the truth before her soiree. Wondering what Roderick might tell him today, she felt fear rush through her.
“I heard that Mr. Stewart has lost funding for his lighthouse,” Angela said. “There is a rumor that he could be personally ruined over this fiasco.”
“Oh no! I was told that withholding the funding would discourage the work on the reef. I was never told it might damage him personally.”
“Mr. Hamilton explained to me that Mr. Stewart’s project cannot recover from serious financial damage, and his name might be dragged down with it. Your solicitors have more than achieved their goal. That lighthouse may never go up, and the engineer may be done as well.”
Feeling sick, Meg strolled beside Angela with outward calm, though she quaked inside. The weight of her secrets could cost her everything. She had never imagined Dougal would be seriously impacted if the lighthouse did not go forward.
She had to see him, and soon.
“Angela,” she said, making an impulsive decision, “there is something I must do later this evening, after supper. I will need your help.”