Page 6 of My Devoted Viscount (Brazen Bluestockings #2)

Sophia smiled at them as she turned east. Here the beach became more interesting, with various tide pools revealed at low tide.

Sand gradually gave way to more and bigger rocks until she was picking up her skirts to avoid seaweed, and leaping from rock to boulder.

In the midst of the rocky terrain she noticed a steep path that passed through layers of shale and limestone straight up the bluff, no gentle zigzags, until it disappeared into the brambles at the top.

She’d definitely need her half-boots to climb that trail.

Marshall leaped ahead of her, landing on a boulder that rocked under his feet. He bent his knees and spread his arms wide to maintain his balance.

“I don’t think it’s safe to go this way,” Enid said, frowning at the rock-strewn ground that led to the rocky bluff. “We should go back.”

“You go back. I’m staying with the Miss.”

Not wanting to be a source of discord, Sophia was about to turn back until she heard a familiar rhythmic noise, distinctly different from the waves.

It had been months since she’d last heard this sound of metal on rock.

She shielded her eyes and focused on the rocky beach up ahead, studying each person who was strolling, some of them bending down to pick up an interesting rock or shell.

Then she saw the female figure at the base of the bluff, and realized that was the source of the sound.

“Miss Burrell?” Sophia could hardly believe her good fortune.

Miss Theodosia Burrell had been one of her favorite colleagues at the academy.

Sophia carefully picked her way over the rocks, the pebbles shifting and clacking beneath her feet, toward the base of the bluff.

“Miss Burrell!” she shouted when she got closer.

The figure turned toward her, lowering her arm and the chisel she held. “Miss Walden?” The two of them ran the last few steps and clasped hands in greeting.

“Whatever are you doing here, Sophia?” Miss Burrell leaned back to take in Sophia’s appearance. “It is so good to see you again!”

Sophia quickly explained about her job with Mrs. Digby. “I’m not surprised to see you digging in rocks, Theo, but I am surprised to see you here in Sidmouth.”

“My parents’ cottage is just over there,” Theo said, pointing inland. “While I’m waiting to hear back from prospective employers, I’m putting my time to good use.”

“Have you found any interesting fossils?”

That was all the invitation Theo needed.

She took Sophia by the hand and excitedly led her to the site where she had been working.

“This is a snout. See the teeth?” She gestured at the rocky bluff.

“But I know of no creature with a mouth this long, this large. At least none still walking the earth.”

Sophia stared for several moments before she recognized the outline of something other than random striations in the rock. She ran her finger along the pointy bits. “Oh my,” she said reverently. “I think this is the largest fossil you’ve ever shown me.”

Theo’s interest as a naturalist, especially concerning the ancient world, had been well known at the academy.

Her collection of fossils had been an important part of her history lessons.

Most of them had been small enough to fit in one’s hand, like ancient nautilus shells or spiny fish embedded in rocks.

The one she was most proud of was the two-foot square stone with a deeply embedded footprint of what looked like the largest chicken’s foot Sophia had ever seen.

It was at least five times the size of the footprint of the chickens they had kept at the academy.

She shuddered to think what a chicken that large would look like.

While they chatted, Theo alternated working with a small chisel and mallet, then a brush, slowly revealing more of the snout embedded in the bluff.

Over by the water, Marshall picked up one rock after another and seemed to challenge himself to see how far he could throw them into the waves, while Enid sat on a boulder watching him, shoulders hunched, her chin on her fist.

So pleased to encounter a friend and colleague she hadn’t expected to see again, Sophia lost track of time until a familiar white dog ran up to them and demanded petting, rubbing his little body against Theo’s shins.

“Hello, Henry,” Theo said, obliging the dog with scratches behind his ears. The dog wagged his tail and licked Theo’s face when she bent down.

“You know him?” Sophia scanned the beach. For the second time that day, she closed her jaw with a snap when she saw Mrs. Digby emerging from a cave in the bluff.

Sophia had dismissed that area as just shadows on the uneven surface when she walked by on her way to meet Theo. What else had she missed?

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Digby,” Theo called.

Obviously more familiar with the terrain, Mrs. Digby wended her way between the rocks toward them, no undignified leaping required. “Have you found something of interest, Miss Burrell?”

Theo showed the snout to the older lady. “My, that is remarkable.” Mrs. Digby bent to get a closer look and ran her fingertips along the outline. “Are you going to keep it, or do you plan to find a buyer, like you did for the ammonites you sold last month?”

“I can’t make that decision until I finish excavating it.”

Sophia looked back and forth. Her confusion must have shown.

“My neighbor Lady Lyttleton and I often walked our dogs together down here,” Mrs. Digby said.

“Sometimes the dogs try to steal my fossils.” Theo and Mrs. Digby shared a laugh.

“What a small world,” Sophia said. She and Theo explained to Mrs. Digby how they used to work together.

Sophia felt no insult that Theo had been offered the scribe position first, as she lived nearby, and felt the barest twinge of remorse that Theo’s handwriting was beautiful, as were her drawings of her fossil finds, but extraordinarily slow.

It could take her an afternoon to pen a simple thank-you note.

It finally dawned on Sophia she must have been gone for an hour or two if Mrs. Digby had taken her nap, woken up, and come down to the beach. As she began to apologize, Mrs. Digby shushed her.

“It was time for Henry’s walk,” Mrs. Digby said. “If I’d wanted you to return quickly, I would have sent—” She cut herself off as she saw Marshall near the water’s edge, still tossing rocks. “Well, not that young scamp.”

They chatted with Theo for a little longer.

Henry waved one back leg in ecstasy as Theo rubbed his belly.

A gull swooped low, and suddenly Henry was off chasing it, barking furiously.

Unperturbed, the gull flew out over the waves, rising far above the dog’s reach.

Henry made grumbling noises and lifted his leg to pee on a cluster of seaweed, then trotted back to Mrs. Digby.

“Good boy, Henry,” Mrs. Digby said, petting him. “Keeping us safe.”

Henry grumbled in agreement, clearly enjoying the attention he was getting from all three ladies.

Mrs. Digby stood and dusted off the seat of her dress. “I think we can get through 1770 before supper,” she said.

The three women said farewell and Sophia followed in Mrs. Digby’s footsteps, a winding path between boulders.

Henry trotted ahead, while Enid and Marshall brought up the rear.

The air became cool and still as they entered the cave, though Sophia could still hear the waves, quieting with every step away from the shore.

Daylight quickly faded as they followed a curving path.

Sophia stumbled before she realized the ground sloped upward, but no rocks impeded her passage.

Almost as though the path had been swept clean.

No torches were lit but Mrs. Digby’s footsteps did not slow, nor did the clicking of Henry’s nails on the stone floor.

Sophia traced her hands along the cave wall as they walked, noting the horizontal stripes here and there in white chalk on either side that marked the path.

Sounds echoed as the space closed in, but now and then it changed.

“What’s over there?” Sophia asked when they passed a spot that didn’t echo.

“It fills up at high tide,” Enid quietly said behind her. “Probably has bones. Skeletons of people what drowned.”

Sophia suppressed a shudder.

Darkness briefly engulfed them until they made another turn and a faint light became visible up ahead, almost like they were climbing a spiral staircase.

Soon they were in a chamber about the size of a drawing room, with a lit torch beside a heavy wooden door.

Amid crates filled with apples, potatoes, and other stores were shelves laden with wheels of cheese, bottles of wine, and other kitchen supplies.

Brooms and a dustbin leaned against the wall near the door.

Marshall darted ahead and opened the door, which swung on silent hinges. Three steps up and they were in the kitchen. The entire trip from the beach had taken less time and effort than the gentle path that zigzagged up the bluff farther from the house.

Sophia wanted to ask about the cave and trail, but Mrs. Digby winked at her and put her finger to the side of her nose, before she turned to the maid. “Enid, please bring us tea.”

Enid bobbed a deep curtsy. “Right away, ma’am.”

Mrs. Royston was sitting on the window seat when they arrived in the library, her legs folded and tucked under her skirt, a sketch pad balanced on a small easel before her. “What lovely timing,” she said. “I did not truly wish to sketch another gull just yet.”

Sophia cast a curious glance at Mrs. Digby before addressing Mrs. Royston. “What subject matter has drawn your interest?”

“You.” Mrs. Royston flipped through pages of her sketchpad as Sophia looked over her shoulder, showing drawings of everything from waves rolling ashore during a storm, to Henry chasing a seagull, and Mrs. Digby in her armchair by the fire with Henry sleeping on her lap.