Vow of Deception (The Ministry of Curiosities #9)(25)

She went to stride off but I clung to her and kept her at my side.

"Please, Eva, just tell me if it's something to be worried about."

She stared at Seth's back as he spoke to Alice. He flashed her a dazzling smile but Alice didn't respond. His smile faded quickly and he lowered his hand. Poor Seth. He needed to stop trying so hard. She would grow to like him in her own time, when he was acting more like himself.

"Yes," Eva said heavily. "Yes it is something to worry about, but I suspect I will be the only one who sees it that way."

No matter how much I pressed her, she would not tell me more. We rejoined the others at the door then walked with them down the front steps to their waiting hackney cab.

"Are your nursing studies going well, Eva?" Seth asked.

"Fine. Thank you."

"Excellent. What a grand profession you're entering into. The medical field is an exciting one these days. Lincoln has a subscription to a medical journal, and I flip through the pages from time to time. I'm amazed by all the developments. You must be clever to keep up with them all."

"You sound surprised that a woman can be clever."

"Do I?"

"Eva is studying to be a nurse, not a doctor," David said. "A noble profession, of course, and far more demanding in many ways. She's required to be nurturing as well as resilient and as proficient as any doctor."

"Not quite," Eva said tightly.

"When do your studies finish?" Lincoln asked. His question took me by surprise. He'd once said that Eva couldn't have been studying to become a nurse because nurses required no formal education before taking on a position within a hospital. I thought he might be wrong, but I wasn't sure. It did seem odd that Eva would keep the truth from us if she were actually studying to become a doctor. Why would she hide it? Anyway, her family also seemed to think she was going to be a nurse.

"Before the end of the year is out," Eva said.

"Or more," Leisl said. "If she marry. Her husband will not wish for her to work. He will want a wife at home, a proper lady."

"That's enough, Mama," Eva whispered.

David bundled both ladies into the coach and climbed in himself. It would appear he didn't want them to air their dirty laundry in front of us. Whether Eva was training to be a nurse or doctor, it was as if it didn't matter to her mother. She seemed to think Eva would marry and that would be an end to her career. Leisl could only know that if she'd had a vision about her daughter's future husband.

But why would Eva marry at all if it meant the end to her career before it even began? A career she seemed intent on having. Giving in to a man's demands on that score didn't seem like something she would do.

I watched the hackney until it left the grounds through the front gate. I was about to return inside with Alice, Seth and Gus, but Lincoln remained on the drive. He too had watched the coach until it was no longer in sight.

"What is it?" I asked, taking his arm.

"We have another visitor."

He'd hardly finished speaking before another coach raced down the drive toward us, dust billowing behind the hooves of two black horses. The coach gleamed in the sunshine, as did the gold embroidery on the coachman's crimson livery.

"What do the palace want now?" I muttered.

"I don't know, but it saves me from asking for an audience," Lincoln said.

I gasped. "You're not going to ask them if they are Salter's source, are you?"

"I am, among other things."

"You can't accuse the prince and duke of that!"

"Not accuse, merely ask."

I groaned. Sometimes Lincoln's interrogation technique didn't differentiate between accusing and asking. I wished I could drag him back inside and pretend we weren't home, but it was too late.





Chapter 5





The royal coach merely brought a note from the Prince of Wales requesting our presence at two PM at the palace. Lady Vickers insisted I change into my most fashionable outfit, an off-white day dress with two rows of black bows on the bodice that came together in a V at my waist.

"The queen may prefer dark clothes herself," Lady Vickers told me, "but she likes to see young people in lighter colors." She indicated I should twirl and I obliged. "Excellent. Now, pinch your cheeks." She pinched them for me. "Lift your chin." She lifted it for me. "And smile demurely."

I attempted a demure smile. She wrinkled her nose. "That will have to do. Remind me to have Seth teach you the art of smiling. He's quite good at it. It's why women adore him."

Perhaps too many women, but I didn't remind her of that.

"Are you an expert?" I asked her. "Does Cook like your demure smiles?"

She blushed fiercely and looked away. "We were going to have that talk about your wedding night."

"Not now." I picked up my skirts and hurried from the room. "We have to go."



* * *



The palace footmen led us through grand and ornate rooms where the royals conducted formal business. We were met by the Prince of Wales in an office.

I curtseyed and Lincoln offered a shallow bow as his father welcomed us. The prince didn't take his gaze off Lincoln. He seemed fascinated by his illegitimate son. I wondered if, like me, he saw the similarity in their regal bearing and strong brow. They shared few other characteristics that I could see.