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The usual cordialities having been exchanged, he sank into the giltwood chair I indicated, seeming to need a moment to gather himself. “I told ye I would take a look at my brother’s memoirs,” he declared after a deep breath. “And I think I’ve found somethin’.”

“You were able to access the safe?” I asked in some surprise, for this was the first I’d heard that anyone had been able to return to the study after the engineers had declared the remainder of the ceiling too unstable.

“Nay.” He flushed somewhat sheepishly. “But I realized I’d never returned this.” He lifted the book in illustration. “It was still in my home. Now, see here…” He flipped open the book to a page he’d marked before passing it to Gage.

“He makes reference tae a trip tae Kirkcaldy he took in July o’ 1828. I’m no’ sure if ye’re aware, but there was a terrible calamity there in June o’ that year when their church balcony collapsed.”

“Yes, we’re aware,” I said, anxious for him to continue.

“Aye. Weel…” He nodded toward the pages Gage was now scouring. “He mentions a visit he paid tae that congregation and hoo he spoke tae a number o’ the people afflicted, reassurin’ them somethin’ would be done.”

I arched my neck, wishing I could read the handwriting from where I perched. “When you say he reassured them that something would be done, do you mean to alleviate their suffering and financial difficulties, or to prevent something like the collapse from happening again?”

“He didna say.” Mr. Clerk’s voice turned wry.

“He was more concerned wi’ boastin’ about his own graciousness in consolin’ ’em.

” He clasped his hands tightly in his lap.

“It only caught my eye because o’ the similarity between both events, wi’ them involvin’ floors collapsin’, though one was a balcony, and the recent correlation made in the press.

So maybe it’s much ado, but I thought I should mention it. ”

“Do you know if your brother ever actually did anything about it? Either alleviating their suffering or preventing a collapse from happening again?” Gage asked, looking up from the page. He allowed his thumb to riffle the later pages of the memoir. “Did he boast about it in another entry?”

“Nay. And I did look.” Two pleats formed between his eyes. “Which makes me think he didna.”

My husband turned to look at me and then Trevor.

This was Lord Eldin’s connection to Kirkcaldy, then.

He’d made a speech or simply paid some calls on the parishioners and promised them aid.

Now, this didn’t mean that it was the motive behind what happened at Picardy Place, but it was definitely something which required greater scrutiny.

“I dinna ken if this information is o’ any use tae ye,” Mr. Clerk said. “But I thought ye should ken.”

We thanked him as he pushed to his feet, saying he needed to return to his duties at the courthouse.

Though we asked to be able to keep the memoir, he insisted on taking it with him, so we had to let it go.

Even so, it hadn’t contained many details that could help us in tracing who was aware of Lord Eldin’s remarks.

He’d not listed any names or addresses or any other identifying factors about the people of Kirkcaldy except the minister and a town official.

I supposed he’d deemed the rest to be inconsequential.

Gage sat staring at the doorway through which Mr. Clerk had departed, drumming his fingers agitatedly against his lap.

Seeing the deep furrow in his brow, I knew he was thinking of his inkling that what had happened at Kirkcaldy was key to the solution of who had tampered with the joist at Picardy Place, and his allowing himself to be diverted by Anderley’s discoveries about Mr. Sullivan.

“You couldn’t have known,” I began to say, but he shook his head, cutting me off.

“Perhaps I should see how I might be able to assist Henry with his research.” He pushed to his feet, striding from the room before I could stop him.

“Let him go, Kiera,” Trevor said, earning a scowl from me, but he was unmoved. “Besides, I need you to play guide. Or rather, to completely forget I’m with you once you become absorbed in one of the paintings at the Royal Institution.”

This shocked me into speechlessness, but only temporarily. “You want to visit the Royal Institution?”

“Yes, I’ve heard the building is a marvel of engineering. I read that since it’s situated on ground that the Nor Loch used to cover, two thousand piles had to be driven into the foundations to make them stable.”

An amused smile curled my lips. “So you want to see the building, not the art or antiquities it holds?”

“Yes, but we can go inside, if you wish,” he offered. “I’ll be just as happy studying its interior.”

I had to admit it wasn’t a bad way to spend part of a day.

And since everyone else seemed to be focused on uncovering the information we needed and our interview with Reverend Jamieson had been postponed to the following day, there was nothing to stop me from enjoying myself and my brother’s company.

Given the fact Lord Eldin’s collection contained art and antiquities, I could consider it research.