CHAPTER 20 #2
The reply sparked a glint of amusement in Alison’s gaze.
“I may be tottering into senility, but I like to think I still have a discerning eye—and not just for color, my dear.” She patted Charlotte’s arm.
“The curious, courageous girl I knew has grown into a strong, principled young lady. I’m very glad you’ve come back to me. ”
“As am I.” Charlotte clasped the dowager’s frail fingers and gave a quick squeeze. “I missed your wisdom and your laughter.” A smile. “Most of all, I missed your believing in me more than I believed in myself.”
“Nonsense. It seems to me you’ve done quite well without my counsel.” Alison looked away, and covered a sniff with a cough to clear her throat. “You did magnificently in charming the tabbies this morning. But I sense that tonight, you’re looking to do more than spout superficial pleasantries.”
Charlotte’s smile grew more pronounced. The Dragon was still sharp as a battle-axe. “You’re correct.”
The dowager’s expression turned expectant. “Who are you looking to meet?”
“Lady Julianna Aldrich and Lady Cordelia Mansfield,” she answered.
“Hmmph.” Alison thought for a long moment. “Can you tell me the reasons why?”
“I’ve learned that Lady Julianna and Cedric had a romantic attachment. I would like to see if some discreet questioning may elicit any helpful information on who might have wished him ill.”
Charlotte considered how to answer the rest of the question. “As for Lady Cordelia, I can’t reveal why at this moment, but I wish to meet her and make some assessment of her character.”
Alison gave a brusque nod. “Well, then, I imagine it would help to know a little about their backgrounds. And no one knows more than I do about the skeletons in the beau monde’s family closets.”
“I was hoping as much.”
“Then let us get down to brass tacks.” The dowager fluffed her skirts.
“Lady Julianna grew up in India. She lost her parents during the Second Maratha War when the Chief of Baroda attacked the town in which her family was living. She was the lone survivor, and her father’s will designated Justinian DeVere as her guardian. ”
“DeVere?” Charlotte recalled that Wrexford had mentioned the fact of his guardianship in passing. She hadn’t given it much thought as of yet, but any connection to Lady Julianna now seemed important to understand. “Isn’t he the nabob who’s said to be incredibly wealthy?”
“Yes, he and the gel’s father were close friends,” explained the dowager.
“Apparently, her upbringing was eccentric by English standards. DeVere indulged her intellectual interests. She’s very bookish, and interested in all sorts of arcane subjects, which, of course, make the beau monde shudder in horror. However . . .”
Alison’s brows rose in a cynical arch. “DeVere has given her a very large dowry, and as we all know, money covers a multitude of sins. I’m sure Cedric wasn’t the only gentleman paying court to her.”
Charlotte nodded. “So it seems. Sir Kelvin Hollister is said to have ultimately won her regard.”
“Sir Kelvin? I find that very hard to fathom,” replied the dowager. “I grant you, he possesses a handsome face, but I seem to recall hearing whispers that he’s less than a gentleman.”
“What do you mean?”
“There were rumors of a very ugly incident during his time at university. I don’t know any of the details, but I shall make inquiries if you wish.”
“Thank you. That might prove helpful,” she murmured. “Is Lady Julianna interested in science?”
“She seems to share DeVere’s interest in botany. She attends many of the public lectures at the Royal Institution, and plays hostess to his scientific soirees. I’ve also heard she cultivates a number of exotic plants in the large conservatory that DeVere had added to his villa.”
Alison frowned in thought. “Though at Lady Thirkell’s weekly salon, Lady Julianna spends a good deal of the time playing with a very complicated, colorful deck of cards involving numbers and symbols, which she says is based on an ancient Indian system of .
. .” The dowager gave a vague wave of her hand.
“It was something to the effect of . . . divining the workings of the cosmos.”
Puzzled, Charlotte took a moment to consider the odd information.
Colorful cards . . . an arcane philosophy .
. . she was suddenly reminded of something she had seen during her stay in Italy.
“Do you mean something like the Tarocco Piemontese? My husband and I had friends in Italy who dabbled in cartomancy, the art of divining the future through an elaborate system of illustrated cards.”
“I couldn’t say,” answered Alison. “A number of our members find it fascinating, but it strikes me as fiddle-faddle, so I haven’t paid much attention to her explanations.”
“How odd,” mused Charlotte. “Such mysticism seems at odds with rational thought. Though Wrexford says science often involves imagining the unimaginable.”
“I fear I’m too old for my brain to budge from ordinary thinking,” quipped the dowager. “Though I daresay you’re right.” Her expression turned pensive. “Lady Julianna is a strange mix of fire and ice.”
“I have the sense you don’t like her,” said Charlotte.
“She’s poised and polished, with faultlessly correct manners,” answered Alison. “But her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.”
An interesting observation.
“However, I’m old and opinionated,” added the dowager. “So I may be judging her too harshly.”
The clock on the mantel chimed, signaling that it was time for them to leave for Lady Thirkell’s salon.
“And what is your opinion of Lady Cordelia?” asked Charlotte as she helped her aunt gather her cane and rise from the sofa.
“Her tongue is nearly as sharp as mine,” answered Alison dryly. “She’s very smart, and doesn’t care whether that offends people.”
Highly intelligent and highly unconventional. “She sounds like a lady who is unafraid of taking risks.”
“I think very little frightens Lady Cordelia,” agreed the dowager. “But enough of my nattering. Let us see what your impression is when you meet them.”