From The Ashes (The Ministry of Curiosities #6)(74)

Lincoln repeated his explanation for the dinner invitation for the benefit of the newcomers, and finally for Lord Marchbank, the last to arrive. "I hope your wives aren't offended," he said to Marchbank and Gillingham, "but I didn't want to alarm them with any talk of the supernatural, if it should arise."

Gillingham tried to hide his blush behind his glass, downing the contents in a single gulp.

Lord Harcourt checked his watch, frowned, then slipped it back into his waistcoat pocket. Yes, I wanted to tell him, it's going to be a long night.

"So you're now a gentleman of leisure," Andrew Buchanan said, raising his glass to Lincoln. "Congratulations. All the best fellows are. You ought to join me at the club. Or come with me to the races. It would be a lark. Bring Charlie." He winked at me.

Ugh. Perhaps he'd arrived drunk. His eyes certainly seemed glassy and he hadn't even finished his first sherry.

"Shut up, Buchanan," Seth snapped. "Nobody wants to go anywhere with you."

Buchanan's nose wrinkled. "You've become an egalitarian, Fitzroy. Allowing the help to dine with the honored guests, now, eh?"

Seth simply rolled his eyes.

"Stop it, Andrew." Lady Harcourt pressed her fingers to her temple. "This is trying enough without you making it worse."

"That's what happens when several of your paramours happen to be in the one room together. It becomes trying." He held his glass out to Doyle to refill. "Hurry up, man. I need the fortification if I'm to survive."

"Enough!" Eastbrooke bellowed. "Or I'll throw you out myself."

"I'd like to see you try, Old Man."

"Andrew!" Harcourt snapped at his brother. "Don't!"

Buchanan snapped his heels together and saluted, first at his brother then the general.

"Arse," Seth muttered.

The company broke up into small groups, although Lincoln remained no more than an arm's length from me as he conversed with Lords Harcourt and Marchbank. Seth remained on my other side, so close that I felt him bristle when Lady Harcourt sidled up to me.

She wore deep black with her usual plunging neckline that displayed her bosom and jewelry in all their perfection. She never ceased to dazzle me with her beauty and wealth, although nothing could hide the tiredness in her eyes, and the worry lines around her mouth. The gossip was taking its toll.

"That necklace is unusual," she said, reaching out to touch the orb. I pulled back, out of instinct, and she laughed. "I'm not going to steal it, Charlie. I simply wanted to admire it. It's interesting. Where did you get it?"

"It belonged to my mother."

"Oh? And the bracelet too? Are they a set?"

"Lincoln gave that to me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth's gaze shift from me to Lincoln. Lincoln didn't appear to be listening.

"And you didn't give it back when your engagement ended?" Lady Harcourt asked. "My dear, what sort of signal are you sending him? I know you don't have a mother to guide you through the proper etiquette, but I expect more from Lady Vickers. She ought to tell you that when a woman breaks an engagement, she returns all gifts."

"I didn't break the engagement, he did. And this bracelet was given to me only this evening. It was a gift from a friend, not a fiancé."

The odd little smile on her face froze. "I see," was all she said before moving away to speak to General Eastbrooke.

"I don't think it's her," Seth said to me from behind his glass. "She's too preoccupied with her own problems to orchestrate the murders."

"What about the others?" I muttered. "Buchanan seems too drunk. If he were going to attempt to murder me tonight, wouldn't he want to be sober?"

"Definitely. Have you noticed how the general keeps glancing at the door?"

"Perhaps he's hungry."

Seth chuckled. "Gillingham has a firm grip on his walking stick too. It could house a sword or some other kind of weapon."

"By the same token, Lord Harcourt might have a weapon in his jacket pocket. He pats it every now and again, as if checking for something. There! He did it again."

I continued to watch the guests while attempting to make light conversation. It wasn't easy with Buchanan growing louder and continuing to wink at me, Lady Harcourt, General Eastbrooke and Lord Gillingham ignoring me, and Lord Harcourt and Marchbank keeping to themselves.

It was a relief when the dinner gong sounded. Lincoln offered me his arm, even though he should have escorted the highest ranked female, Lady Harcourt. She reacted to the snub with a flare of her nostrils and a hardening of features. The others noticed too, but most kept their opinions to themselves. Only Lady Harcourt's stepsons glanced at one another. To my surprise, it was the elder brother, Lord Harcourt who smirked. Buchanan's lips flattened.

We filed out of the drawing room, but due to a misunderstanding, Lord Harcourt went one way and I the other and we bumped elbows. "Apologies," he muttered. "Didn't see you there."

"I'll join you all shortly," Buchanan said just before we sat down.

I watched him go, unease settling into my stomach. Lincoln gave a slight nod, which I guessed meant he was suspicious too. He glanced at Seth who slipped quietly out. His departure was noticed by most of the guests.