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Chapter Eleven
“My Lady,” Lord Sandbourne said, beaming at Selina. She smiled in return. She enjoyed Lord Sandbourne’s company. She was not in any danger of falling for him like she had his friend. She could feel the Duke watching them.
“Yes, My Lord?” she asked, keeping her gaze anywhere, but in the Duke’s direction.
“I was wondering if you had any interest in the art of automata?” Lord Sandbourne asked her
“I’ve seen a few, actually,” she replied. “There was an exhibit in Paris two years ago.”
“My father loved them,” Lord Sandbourne said, offering her his arm. She stood, placing her hand in the crook of his elbow, allowing herself to be led into the room, where a thick velvet curtain was pulled in front of a little alcove.
Lord Sandbourne pulled the curtain aside, to show the clockwork swan, on the other side. She gasped, peering at it.
“What’s she made of?” she asked. The swan was made of gleaming metal, and she sat on a river of glass, with little silver clockwork fish adorning the sides. She was a delicate creature, with gleaming jet-black eyes.
“Silver,” he said, pulling a key from his pocket. “Would you care to do the honors, My Lady?”
Selina beamed. “I’d be happy to, My Lord.” She took the key, and Lord Sandbourne instructed her on its operation. She turned it, winding it up. Then, the water, made of pieces of glass, began to move, so it looked like the swan was floating on a river. The swan’s head moved, so it looked like she was feeding.
Selina was astounded. “Her movements are so lifelike!” she exclaimed, clapping. As the swan moved, chimes inside of her clockwork sounded, ringing merrily like church bells.
“Yes,” Lord Sandbourne agreed. “She was my father’s favorite thing.”
“It’s amazing,” Lord Munro claimed. “How much would something like this cost?”
“It’s priceless,” Lord Sandbourne said, not answering the question.
Lord Munro turned toward the Duke. “Jasper, you must have something like this made.”
Lady Leah, clinging to the Duke’s arm, looked up at him. “Yes, Your Grace! We can place it in the parlor.”
“Along with the stained-glass window?” he asked. “What else should we add? A harp of solid gold and a tiara, as well?” He laughed, attempting to sound merry. Selina heard the note of bitterness in his voice. He tried to catch her eye, but she turned back toward the swan, who was just ending her swim.
She looked at Lord Sandbourne. “That was quite a surprise, My Lord,” she said. “I’ve only seen one other like it,” she said.
“Truly?” he asked.
“Yes—there was an exhibition of clockwork and automata on display,” she replied. “Everyone went. Your father would have been very interested in it.”
“Whose work was there?” he asked.
“Several pieces of Athanasius Kircher’s,” she said.
“Kircher! You know about Kircher?” Lord Sandbourne asked.
“Dinner, My Lord,” the butler called out from the doorway.
“Come, My Lady,” Lord Sandbourne said, offering her his arm. She slipped her hand into the crook. “We must continue this conversation.”
* * *
Jasper suffered through all four courses of the meal that his good friend had planned. Each one went by, agonizingly drawn out. He barely tasted it. His eyes kept wandering, over to where Lady Selina sat, entertaining the whole party with stories.
She was like the Faerie Queen. No lady in all the world was her match with her golden hair and her hazel eyes. The silver dress made it even more pronounced.
Several times, she looked his way, and her smile would falter, just a little, and then the mask would return, and she would hide her true thoughts and feelings. Jasper knew that he was the only one to notice the little slip of her mask.
She was upset with him; it was clear. What had he done, aside from doing what he thought would ensure her safety?
