Aurelia’s excitement at seeing Cuff again was momentarily chased away by the appearance of Miss Clack. It had been a few years since she’d readThe Moonstone, but she had a distinct memory of Miss Clack being an interfering and sanctimonious woman. Another unpleasant woman in the shop was yet another sign that something must be very wrong with the shop’s magic.
Aurelia introduced herself and Julia to Miss Clack, and then introduced Miss Clack and Sergeant Cuff to Blanche, Kitty, and Mrs. Jamieson. Everyone seemed to be eyeing and assessing each other, as though picking sides for battle.
“I see your niece has put on more appropriate attire today,” Mrs. Jamieson observed.
Aurelia gave Julia a meaningful look. It had taken some work but she’d finally convinced her to wear one of Aurelia’s longer dresses for the evening.
“I didn’t exactly plan to come down here to meet people last night,” Julia said. “I was sleeping when I heard everyone arguing.”
“Was there a touch of discord?” Miss Clack asked hopefully.
“We’ve had a bit of a rough patch since Julia’s arrival,” Aurelia explained, turning to Cuff. “I put your book on the table this morning, hoping you could help sort a few things out for us.”
“I would be happy to offer my services.” Cuff inclined his head and seemed pleased to have been called in to help.
Kitty and Julia began speaking together in hushed voices, moving to a corner of the shop. Blanche looked after them disdainfully at first, but then Aurelia thought she caught a hint of longing in her face before she turned to speak with Mrs. Jamieson.
“I wonder if we might just—”
Aurelia was about to suggest that she and Cuff go up to the mezzanine to talk, but she spotted Miss Clack hovering as though she wanted to be included. Aurelia felt a twinge of guilt, but she wanted to talk to Cuff alone, without having to watch her words around someone new, particularly someone like Miss Clack.
“Is this your first time visiting the shop?” Aurelia asked her.
“It is, yes. What an interesting phenomenon to be drawn into, though it does seem a tad… improper.”
“Improper?”
“You understand—being brought into a room with perfect strangers. We’re only lucky that Sergeant Cuff is here to moderate. What if it were a shop full of men? I should hate to think of the potential for impropriety under the right circumstances.”
In spite of her words, Miss Clack seemed positively gleeful at the possibility.
“I think you mean the wrong circumstances, then,” Aurelia said impatiently.
“Well, yes. Naturally! Of course.”
“Julia?” Aurelia called out. “Could you give Miss Clack a tour of the shop? She’s never been.”
“But I’m telling Kitty about her movie,” Julia said in a near-whine.
Aurelia suspected she wanted to get out of having to talk to Miss Clack altogether but felt no sympathy since she’d been stuck with Mrs. Jamieson and Blanche the night before.
“I’m sure Kitty won’t mind waiting a few more minutes to hear about it.”
“Merde,” Julia said under her breath.
Blanche and Miss Clack gasped. Julia’s comment hadn’t been as covert as she’d thought. Meanwhile, Kitty looked between all of them, clearly unsure of what had happened.
“Sorry,” Julia said, looking around at them. “I didn’t think anyone here spoke French.” She looked at Aurelia. “Sorry for swearing. Again.”
Aurelia had already given Julia a mini-lecture about the expletive she’d let out the night before, though Aurelia had admitted she probably would have said the same thing in Julia’s shoes.
“Alright, Miss Clack. You can follow me,” Julia said, the resignation thick in her voice.
Aurelia turned back to Cuff, eager to fill him in on everything he’d missed.
22
Whentheysatonthe window seat, Aurelia smiled to see a puff of word-strewn mist rise up as Cuff touched it, reminding her of the very first time they’d sat there together.
