Her Majesty's Necromancer (The Ministry of Curiosities #2)(58)
"I thought I'd collect Lincoln in case he changed his mind," she said.
How odd. She must know that if Lincoln didn't want to go to the ball, she wouldn't be able to sway him. No one would. "He's getting ready."
She smiled. "And men say we females take too long. Never mind. I'll wait here with you." She glanced at the stairs and lowered her voice. "There's something I'd like to speak to you about anyway."
I glanced at the stairs too, willing Lincoln to come down before she could say anything further. A terrible foreboding had settled into my stomach. "Oh?"
She smiled again, but this time it was like the diamonds she wore—beautiful yet hard and cold. I swallowed heavily.
"You need to raise the spirit of Mr. Gurry for me," she said.
"Lincoln's tutor? No!"
She placed a gloved finger to her lips. "I suspected that would be your first reaction, but listen to what I have to say before you refuse. After we spoke on this matter recently, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I need to know why Lincoln killed him. You could speak to him for me. His spirit, that is."
"I won't go behind Mr. Fitzroy's back."
"You mustn't tell him!" She glanced at the stairs again. Then she took my arm and patted my hand. "I know you're curious too, Charlie. Lincoln never has to find out. It's just to ease our consciences on the matter."
"My conscience is eased. I don't care why he did it. He must have had a reason."
"I'm sure he did too, and that's precisely why it's important to get to the bottom of the mystery. Lincoln deserves nothing less than our full support."
"He has my full support already."
"Does he? Come now, Charlie, we both know this matter will bother us until it's resolved. It will always color our perceptions of him. That's why we need to remove it from our minds. You're a better woman than me, if you can do that without knowing the truth."
While she had a point, and I was wildly curious, I couldn't bring myself to go behind Lincoln's back again. He'd forgiven me once, but I wasn't sure he'd do so a second time. Yet I hated to offend Lady Harcourt. I needed her on my side.
"I couldn't even if I wanted to," I told her. "I need a full name to summon spirits that have crossed. Unfortunately we only know the tutor as Mr. Gurry."
"It's Nelson Hampton Gurry." At my startled gasp, she added, "Lincoln isn't the only one capable of looking through ministry archives."
"Oh."
"Come into the library. We don't want him walking in on us." She took my hand and tugged me toward the library, but I wouldn't budge.
I slipped my hand out of hers. "I'm sorry, my lady, but I won't raise Mr. Gurry's spirit. Not for you, or for me."
Her lips pinched together, deepening the tiny lines at the corners of her mouth. "Those are quite strong morals you have now. What a pity you didn't employ them when you went to the General Registry Office."
I fell back a step and my stomach plunged to my toes. "How do you know about that?"
"That's not your concern." She lifted her chin. "Your concern is whether I will inform Lincoln of your betrayal or not. I don't think he'll be too happy if he discovers you've gone behind his back to investigate him."
"But that's what you want me to do now!"
She smiled, and it wasn't at all beautiful. For the first time, I saw the cunning, ruthless woman who'd pulled herself up from being a mere teacher's daughter to a grand lady. I didn't like her. "It's a sticky situation, isn't it? So what will it be, Charlie? Raise Gurry's spirit, and Lincoln is none the wiser, or don't raise it and Lincoln learns of your treachery?"
CHAPTER 13
"H—how do you know?" I whispered. Had she followed me? Was it her man who'd caught the same omnibus as me and followed me through the city? No…that was a different day. But…my God, I'd trusted her.
Lady Harcourt's nostrils flared. "That's irrelevant."
"I don't think it is."
"It's ministry business."
"And I'm not a ministry employee," I finished for her. "Only a Lichfield one."
Movement on the stairs had us both turning toward Lincoln. "Julia, what are you doing here?" He looked like a prince, dressed in his tailcoat, white gloves and waistcoat, his hat in hand. His hair, tied at the nape of his neck, gleamed like polished jet with the Macassar oil he'd used in it. He cut a fine, handsome figure that made my heart ache even more. No woman could resist such a handsome man if he gave her his full attention. I envied the ladies at the ball, and one in particular. He couldn't take his eyes off Lady Harcourt as he joined her at the base of the stairs.
"I wanted to make sure you arrived at the ball." She beamed at him and held out her hands. He took them and kissed both her cheeks.
I sank into the shadows near the library door, wishing I was anywhere but there, witnessing their friendly greeting. My heart hammered like an anvil; my blood thudded through my veins. I felt like I was caught in a spider's web, unable to run off like I wanted to and forced to watch the exchange.