That information would come through the women.
Speaking to one of his aunts would have been ideal, but the ones who survived were far from London. His cousin Catherine would have been his second choice—Catherine had a disturbing ability to know everything, he’d learned—but she was close with Xander, and the last thing Ezra wanted was the head of the family sticking his nose in.
That left Persephone, Hugh’s wife. She had her husband’s knack for gathering information. She might know something.
“Good evening, Persephone,” he said when he found her, standing in a forest green gown that complemented her eyes, which were just a shade or two lighter than the silk. “You are looking very lovely tonight.”
Her soft face lit up with surprised pleasure. “Ezra! How good to see you! Are you looking for Hugh?”
He shook his head, looking out over the crowd. He very much didnotwant to see Hugh, who would only get in the way of Ezra’s quest. But he also didn’t want to seem suspiciouslyuninterested in it, either. He wanted information from Persephone, but he didn’t want her toknowhe wanted it.
“Just...” He gave a vague wave. “Seeking diversion, I suppose.”
“And you chose this?” she asked. She sounded amused, but not as though she didn’t believe him.
He shrugged. “Why not? I have already found good company.” He smiled down at her as she rolled her eyes fondly.
He did like Persephone enough, honestly. She was a kind woman and clearly a loving mother and guardian to the endless children she cared for. She had made the reckless choice of marrying into the Lightholder family when she had not been born into the clan, but other than that, he could not fault her.
“Flatterer,” she accused without heat.
“I shan’t apologize,” he said loftily. He was just thinking about how to gently introduce the topic of family gossip and who might or might not have fathered a child out of wedlock, when Persephone turned boldly to face him.
“So,” she said. “I heard you have hired Letitia Knightley. What business have you with agoverness?”
For the second time that night, you could have knocked Ezra over with a feather. He fondly remembered a previous era—had it really only been a few weeks ago?—when he had his life firmly under control.
“How on earth did you even know about that?” he asked, assuming that there was no point in objecting, not when she already knew Letitia’sname. He would likely be fortunate if he got out of here without Persephone suspecting that he had done anything more thanemployLetitia.
Persephone gave him a frankly pitying look.
“You would be astonished how many secrets Hugh learns,” she said. “And then you would be astonished how very few of those he does not share with me. I know things that would shock even you, Ezra Swifton.”
His lips twitched. “I sort of doubt that.”
Persephone sighed. “Oh well, maybe not. Youareincorrigible.”
He chose to let that comment slide.
“You cannot convince me that Hugh is interested in the comings and goings of governesses,” he said instead.
“That’s true.” Persephone smiled. “Actually, Miss Knightley keeps in touch with Clio,” she explained. “And, at present, Clio is keeping in touch with everyone. She is not reacting well to her confinement while she awaits the babe’s arrival. I assume that she has used up half the ink in England, at this point.”
Ezra took a moment to forget that he’d come here specifically hoping to benefit from gossip among the women of the family so that he could, without irony, curse the gossip among the women in the family.
“She needed a position,” he said vaguely. “I had an opening for a maid.”
He didn’t have a strong moral objection to lying, but this had the added benefit of being true. He didn’t need to mention that the opening for the maid had gone to Sarah, not Letty.
“It seems impossible that she could not find a position in her preferred role,” Persephone muttered, half to herself, “not with Helen’s note of reference. It’s not as though there is a lack of children in this city. Goodness knows that a thousand of them live in my household alone.”
Ezra was saved from having to respond by Hugh’s timely arrival, which was likely the very first time, he thought, that anyone had ever had that thought about Hugh.
“What are you doing here?” he said brusquely, which Ezra felt rather proved his point.
“Hugh!” his wife protested. Hugh’s expression grew tender when he smiled down at Persephone, but the moment that she looked away, mollified, he went back to glowering at Ezra.
“You know,” Ezra commented, “I have always said that it’s your effortless way with people that has made your club such a success.”
