“There is that,” said Eversleigh dryly. “This would have fallen to me in any case, since of the other three mages on the Council, one is in Ireland, one is 83 years old and can barely remember his own name, and one is crippled by gout. It is merely good fortune I am already here.”
Elizabeth asked, “Pardon me, but if there are questions later, how are we to account for your being here already? I assume you would prefer not to bring Faerie into it.”
“A good point.” Eversleigh’s gaze drifted thoughtfully over each of them in turn. “Gentlemen, perhaps you would join me in spreading the rumor that I am dangling after Lady Frederica. Naturally I followed her here.” He bowed to Frederica. “Unless you object, Lady Frederica?”
Richard chuckled. “No one will have any trouble believing that. There is always some fellow or another dangling after Freddie.”
“Is that so?” Eversleigh raised his quizzing glass and examined Frederica. “I suppose there would be.”
Frederica’s cheeks were red, but whether from embarrassment or anger was impossible to tell. “If it is convenient for your lordship, I can have no objection. But I would prefer to hear your plans for stopping the sorcery here.”
Eversleigh glanced in the mirror and made a microscopic adjustment to his cravat. “Darcy is correct. The three of us must examine Sir Lewis’s study. I tend to believe Miss de Bourgh’s assertion that he was a sorcerer, since she would have no reason to lie, but let us prove it before going any further.”
Richard heaved a sigh. “You are right, I suppose. At least we will be done faster with three of us working.”
Darcy shook his head. “It may take longer than a day. The room has been locked up since Sir Lewis’s death, and I am likely the only person who has entered it since.”
“That was an unfortunate choice under the circumstances, but I suppose you could not have known.” Eversleigh’s voice was tinged with disapproval.
“No, I could not have known,” retorted Darcy. “I was looking for books that might have information on Faerie. The room was covered with dust. You will be able to see where I was and what I touched.”
“You saw no evidence of sorcery?”
“I was not looking for it. There was some odd equipment that looked alchemical, and some of his books were in Italian, but I thought nothing of it at the time.” There was no need to say more. Every mage knew most books on sorcery were written in that language.
Richard stretched. “Fortunately, we do not need to do a complete search. All we need is confirmation that he was engaged in sorcery, and then it will be my infelicitous task to ride to London and break the news to my father. Even if it is your investigation, Eversleigh, he cannot be left out of it.”
“You could send an express,” said Darcy.
Richard shook his head somberly. “My father is not a young man, and this will devastate him. Telling him in person, with my mother there to support him, is safer.”
Frederica said, “I agree completely, Richard. He will blame himself for failing to see it.”
Something else to look forward to.
THE CORRIDOR TO SIRLewis’s library was still dust covered, the footprints from Darcy’s previous visit visible. At least now he understood why the servants had been afraid to clean it.
He unlocked the door and held it open for Eversleigh and Richard to precede him. Darcy almost bumped into Richard who stood frozen in place a few feet beyond the door.
“It is true,” said Richard.
“What?” asked Darcy.
“Can you not feel it?” Richard’s face was ashen.
“Feel what?”
Richard moved his hands through the air. “Evil. Death. Corruption. I have never felt sorcery, but I know this is it.”
Eversleigh turned to him. “Can you generally sense the magic of a mage who is not present?”
“No, but this is... It is like a stench. It is simply there.”
“Your father will be interested to know that sources can sense long departed sorcery.”
“If it is sorcery. We still have to prove that,” said Darcy. “Eversleigh, I do not suppose you can read Italian.”
The viscount gave a dry smile. “Indeed I can. I like living on the edge of danger.” Many mages would deny even the appearance of knowledge of the language. “I will look through his books. One of you should go through his desk while the other checks his experiments.”
