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“But that has no relevance here. Amalia was never part of my community. Her family doesn’t use a matchmaker.” Though some of the wealthier families in the west did use lawyers instead, solidifying their wealth and influence. David ran his tongue over the back of his teeth. Amalia’s parents wouldn’t have done that with A
rmstrong though. Maybe with the first husband, but not Armstrong. He tapped his chin. “Obviously, it wasn’t for money. But—”
“We need to talk.” Meg strode over and placed herself between the two men.
“What’s going on?” David rubbed his temple. “Where’s Amalia?” He glanced around, searching for their charge. Because if anything happened to her...
“Fluffing her hair or something.” Meg slid closer to Will. “So we have some time, but not forever.” His partner’s tone was more weary than sarcastic though, and her usual smirk wasn’t present. David’s blood froze in his veins.
“Is she all right?”
Meg pursed her lips. “She’s fine. Primping, like I told you. If anyone’s been injured it’s me.” She held out a palm. “Just look at this.” A bubbling, red tube of skin rose like an angry snake across her flesh.
In an instant, Will was at her side, his hand on her shoulder. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“Those are burns.” Meg brushed Will off with her most withering eye roll. The woman had a way of dismissing everyone around her as an idiot, even when she was in clear pain.
“She burnt you?” Will’s voice was a chilly growl.
Meg snorted. “No, her foolish curling tongs did. I didn’t even get them in her hair. I did this heating one with a lamp.” She gave a begrudging head-nod and shifted from foot to foot, her tone almost chagrined. “Actually, she did the task herself, despite not having use of both hands when she realized what was happening to me, so she isn’t a selfish witch. Well, not entirely.”
“Only a partial witch.” Will’s body relaxed and his lips quirked. “A beautiful, spell-casting one, who has her hooks into David.” He gave Meg a hasty glance before elbowing his ribs, again. They were going to be so bruised. Will might be wiry, but he was strong. “Like the one in the Odyssey. The one who turned the sailors into pigs. You remember her name, right, David?”
“Circe.” David straightened his spectacles. “And I’m in no danger of changing into anything. She has no influence on me whatsoever.” He blew out a slow breath. “I’m only focused on her safety.”
“Maybe, but that might be in jeopardy.” Meg looked from side to side and motioned for them to lean closer. “She insisted on sending a telegraph this morning.”
“Yes, to her editor, for that column of hers, asking for more time.” David shoved his hands in his pocket as the tension in his body eased. The woman had almost given him a heart attack. “She already told me that. That’s why we’re staying in that Bedford Springs place. Research, or some such rubbish. On water.” Nonsense, though if she was getting paid and enjoyed it, who was he to criticize?
“Well, if that’s all she was doing, why did she send the telegraph to Indianapolis, not Philadelphia, where her paper is located?” Meg gave him a shove—right where Will’s elbow had been.
“What—ow.” David stumbled and had to clutch the wall for purchase. His friends needed a gentler way of getting him to pay attention. “How do you know? And who exactly did she contact?”
“I have no idea. I only saw the top of her form, out of the corner of my eye. And when I lingered to get a better view, the man got rather snooty and snatched it away, muttering something about ‘privacy for paying customers.’” She pinched her nose and stuck it in the air, before shrugging. “But it definitely was going to Indianapolis, not to Philadelphia. Are we sure she’s not in on whatever is happening? That she’s not doing this for attention?”
David just shook his head.
“It could be a lover.” Meg tapped a frenetic finger to her lips, her eyes lighting as the wheels in her mind turned the theory in her head. “Ooooh, a married lover. A jealous wife could have the perfect motive for—”
“She doesn’t have a lover.” David near bellowed the words. They’d have found that out already, wouldn’t they? And she wouldn’t have tried to kiss him again and—
“How do you—”
“She doesn’t.” He turned his back on Meg. “Not now, at least. And she’s not doing this for attention.”
“I’m not trying to throw aspersions on her. She was almost kind this morning, but it’d make sense.” Meg was near in his face, hands on her hips.
It would. David pressed his fingers to his temples. But at the same time it wouldn’t. Because she would’ve told him about another man.
Wouldn’t she?
Well, she hadn’t told him about the column, or the charitable contributions at first, but she hadn’t exactly been hiding them from him either.
She just hadn’t believed the information important. She wasn’t an imbecile and wouldn’t play around with their lives if she had information that would help them.
As for attention...she wasn’t that cruel and thoughtless. Spoiled? Yes. Frustrated with her family? Often. But not mean. At least not to anyone but him.
A calm hand thudded on his shoulder. “You still have to ask her about this, David. Verify.” Will’s voice was soft, but firm.
