She’d only been married for the past year. What had happened between Clara and Sir Henry in the many years before her wedding?

I walked over to where the baron was pouring himself a cup of coffee into a delicate china cup from a silver urn. “Ah, Mrs. Monthalf. I see you’ve suffered no adverse effects from stopping a robbery.”

“None, thank you. My cousin and I appreciated your taking us home in your carriage. That was very kind.”

“Not at all.”

“Have your guests departed?”

“My guests?”

“The Duchess of Bad Ramshed and her daughter.”

He gave one deep chuckle. “They weren’t my guests. Because they’re relatives of the kaiser’s wife, the embassy has a duty to smooth their journey. In the ambassador’s absence, it becomes my responsibility.”

“Does the duchess often need to have her journeys smoothed?”

“Did you meet her?”

“Yes. At Lady Bennett’s.”

He gave a wry smile as his diplomatic reply.

“Lady Bennett seemed to get along well with her.”

“Lady Bennett loves royalty.”

“She must be very useful when you have work to do and guests at the embassy.”

“She is indeed. Now, if you’ll excuse me?” He walked off with his coffee cup, leaving me to wonder how I’d be able to question someone who, as a diplomat, was so practiced at saying nothing.

The rail carriage began to shake and I took the chair next to Phyllida. “I’m sure in a little while the ride will be much smoother.”

“How long is this trip?”

Blackford crouched down facing her, keeping good balance despite the jolts that whipped through the carriage. “Two hours or a little more. Is there anything you require, Lady Phyllida?”

“Distraction.”

He smiled. “Are you familiar with the entire party who’ll be at Harwin’s estate?”

“Besides those in this carriage? No.”

“There’ll be a friend or two of the Harwins’ son from Oxford, one or two young ladies the same age as Harwin’s daughter, who was presented at court this past spring, and I imagine a few others. A bishop and his wife, perhaps, to keep us all on good behavior.”

“It sounds jolly. How close is the Marquis of Tewes’s estate?” Phyllida asked, holding the arms of her chair in a death grip as we rounded a bend in the tracks.

Blackford rested one hand on a chair arm to keep his crouched balance. “I believe the estates are adjoining. Have you been holding out on me, Lady Monthalf? You know more about where we’re going than I do.”

“Lady Ormond mentioned she was going there and that we’d be neighbors.”

“Is this also jolly?” the duke asked.

“Not if you’re visiting the marquis. Lady Ormond is an awful gossip.”

Blackford patted her hand. “Thanks for the warning. Ah, we seem to be running smoothly now. If you’ll excuse me?”

He rose and walked off with a grace I couldn’t help but watch. Phyllida cleared her throat.

I turned my attention to her. “Are you doing all right?”

“Yes, thank you. Lady Bennett has been watching you watch the duke. The evidence of your liaison is obvious.”

“What do you mean?”

“No one could mistake your gaze. Well done.”

I hadn’t been acting, but I wouldn’t tell Phyllida that. “Good,” I said with finality.

In a little while, Phyllida felt comfortable enough with the rocking of the train that I could walk over to sit on the couch with Rosamond Peters. “I feel cooler already,” she told me.

“I’ve come to love London, but it will be nice to spend a little time in the country. Is it always so hot this time of year?” Georgia Fenchurch knew it wasn’t, but this was just the sort of question Georgina Monthalf would ask.

“No. This heat wave has been far different from our weather the last few years. Tell me, where did you get the courage to chase after a robber? I’ve heard he knocked over your maid and stole some of your purchases, and you stopped him and had everything returned.”

I laughed. “Where did you hear that?”

“Lady Bennett.”

“Who heard it from the baron. He’s the real hero of the story. He came to Phyllida’s aid and gave us a ride home in his carriage once the excitement had passed.” I looked over to see the baron in close conversation with Sir Henry while Lady Bennett flirted outrageously with the duke. Could the baron and Sir Henry be taking this opportunity to discuss terms for Sir Henry to sell Germany the blueprints?

I mistrusted every conversation I couldn’t hear between our suspects. Finally, I turned back to Lady Peters.

She was saying, “But you chased down a robber? You ladies from the Far East are very brave.”

“I only had to chase him a few steps. He ran into a dead-end alley. All I had to do was stop him until the bobby came, and my maid did most of that.”

“How clever to have a useful maid. Minette would have expected me to save her.”

“You have a French maid? However did you manage that?” French maids were favored over English ones by anyone who could afford a lady’s maid.

“I have family who helped me arrange it.”

“Do you speak French?”

“Of course. Just as you must have learned to speak French in school. And now I guess you speak Chinese or some other Far Eastern tongue.”

I shook my head. No sense in getting caught in a lie over that. “I never managed to learn a word. I’m a dunce at languages.” Wanting to change the topic, I said, “You were carrying a hatbox when we saw you. It was a lucky thing you weren’t the one the robber attacked. You were on your own, having sent your maid back. You could have been hurt.”

“Do you think he was after hatboxes? How very odd.” Rosamond Peters studied the thick blue carpet at her feet as she spoke.

“I know he was. He said he was hired to steal hatboxes.”

She looked at me with a half smile. “Probably a rival milliner. They can be ruthless competitors.”

“You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

Rosamond Peters laughed at me. “Georgina, you are such a mistrustful soul.”

Sir Henry Stanford joined us. “What’s so amusing?” His gaze told me to watch my step.

“Mrs. Monthalf has the measure of most of London. You must watch what you say around her.” Her tone was light, but I wished she hadn’t warned him to be careful of me. The more helpless he thought I was, the safer I’d be.

His eyes narrowed as he gave us both a smile, waiting to hear more. I wasn’t going to enlighten him.

“Being near government and the queen, Mrs. Monthalf believes we have all taken to being mysterious and deceitful,” Lady Peters said.

I shook my head and laughed. “I don’t believe I said anything of the sort.”

“Then forgive me,” she said with a nod, “I misunderstood you.” She turned to Sir Henry. “Mrs. Monthalf said the most amazing thing. The thief who stole Lady Monthalf’s hatbox told her he was hired to steal hatboxes.”

“The heat is getting to people,” Sir Henry scoffed. I thought he looked relieved. Perhaps I could eliminate him as the man who’d hired the hatbox thief, but he could certainly have orchestrated stealing the warship plans.

The duke came over from where he’d been talking to Lady Bennett, his face unusually red. “There have been strange incidents occurring in London lately. I challenge you to make sense of any of them.”

“Stranger than stealing hatboxes?” I asked.

“Leading a goat through the cellars beneath Parliament.”

Sir Henry chuckled. “I read about that. Bizarre.”

The duke glanced over his shoulder. “Mrs. Monthalf, you might want to check on your cousin. Lady Monthalf looks unwell.”

“Excuse me.” I leaped from the sofa, but just as I did so the train swayed and I bumped into the duke. With masterly charm, he tucked my arm inside his and walked me to the chair next to Phyllida’s.

I sat heavily and said, “Phyllida, are you all right?”

She gripped my arm. “Are we going to crash?”

“No. It’s just a stretch of track that is bumpier than before.”