Page 23 of The Missing Book (Bluestocking Book Club #3)

“ I t has been a fortnight since we last sat down together.”

Amelia nodded as Miss Sherwood glanced at her, continuing to speak.

“I know we have all been to various places in search of these missing books. You, Amelia, have also spoken to Lord Melford, Lady Anna, and Lady Gwendoline, I understand?”

Amelia nodded yes, glancing toward Lady Isobella. “There is something I need to say about that. Something I think is significant.”

“Oh?” Every head turned towards her, with Miss Trentworth leaning forward in her chair. “What is it?”

“It is something Lord Melford said.” Amelia had been considering this for a few days now, trying to make sense of it, to find some sort of explanation before she shared it with her friends but she had gotten no further with her thinking.

The last thing she wanted to do was to suggest that Lord Melford was guilty of something without any real proof.

“When we spoke to Mr. Lackington, he told us that there were three books returned, yes?”

All the bluestockings nodded.

“But Lord Melford told me that he had picked up four books,” Amelia continued, her heart beating a little faster now.

“I spoke with him upon his return but I cannot be certain how many he held in his hands, much to my frustration! I do not know what happened or how he could have picked up four but then only returned three and neither did I want to suggest that he is guilty of something when he is not… but there is something very strange going on here, I am sure of that.”

“Indeed, it does sound like it.” Miss Sherwood glanced around the room. “We have all managed to make our way to the various establishments, have we not? And have any of our enquiries been in any way successful?”

Amelia looked at each friend in turn as they all shook their heads.

“So we do not know where any of the books have gone?” she asked, as the confirming looks of frustration were returned to her.

“These two gentlemen, whoever they were, took the most expensive books with them from the Temple and then ran from it. Only three were returned though Lord Melford stated he collected four.” Her lips pursed. “Could he just have been mistaken?”

Lady Isobella nodded. “I did consider that, given how clouded his thoughts were as he said, he might well have made a mistake.”

“He fell,” Amelia said, by way of explanation, “or was pushed, I think. He hit his head on one of the many shelves of books but it was not until he returned home that he realized he was injured.”

“Though,” Lady Rosalyn said slowly, “I must admit that I am still a little suspicious.”

“Of Lord Melford?” Amelia asked, feeling a sense of relief well up in her as her friend bit her lip. “I am glad to hear you say so for though I do so very much want him just to be mistaken, there is something within me that says otherwise.”

Lady Isobella offered her a slightly wane smile. “It is a difficult thing to explain for I have nothing particular to say about my suspicions, aside from the fact that he spoke of the number of books he collected being different from the number that was returned.”

“Why are you suspicious?” Miss Trentworth asked, looking at Amelia. “Is there anything more?”

Biting the inside of her cheek, Amelia hesitated, then spread out her hands.

“It is nothing. I have no real reason to suspect him, I confess, aside from this strangeness with the number of books. But there is also something more… something that I cannot quite fathom.” Seeing every eye on her, she let out a slow breath.

“Why did he take his coat off and throw it to Lady Gwendoline?”

“He said he threw it to his sister, did he not?” Miss Sherwood asked as Amelia turned her gaze to her friend. “Was that not so?”

“Yes, but his poor aim meant that Lady Gwendoline took it,” Amelia answered, slowly, her eyes darting from one side of the room to the other as she took in her friend’s expressions.

“Lady Gwendoline was then lost in the crowd, separated from Lady Anna and it was only by chance that I discovered her again.”

“Did she still have Lord Melford’s coat?” Miss Trentworth asked as Amelia nodded. “So she was the one who held it.”

“Yes.” Amelia sighed. “I wish I could give you a better explanation than that, for it is not really based on anything more than my confusion over it all. Why did he throw his coat aside? He stated it was because he saw these two gentlemen behaving in a somewhat furtive manner but to my mind, that seems a little unusual still, to dispense of one’s coat in some way. ”

“But what does it all mean?” Lady Rosalyn asked, as Amelia shrugged. “What does his coat and the incorrect number of books lead to?”

“Nothing conclusive,” Amelia replied, heavily. “I fear that we are a little lost in this, are we not? We have not found the books, we have not found the gentlemen who stole them and we do not know as to who might have done so!”

There was silence for a few moments. Amelia closed her eyes, her spirits low, fearful that what they had done was not good enough to bring them any further forward.

Was this to be the end? Would they be able to do nothing more and be forced to tell Mr. Lackington that there were no more steps they could take to assist him?

“I think there might well be something to consider with Lord Melford.” Lady Isobella was the one who broke the silence.

“I have been thinking on it, just as you have, and I have to agree that there is something strange about it all. It is certainly worth pursuing, though quite how you are to do so, I cannot think.”

“I – ” A knock came to the door, making Amelia frown. She had told the maid she did not want to be interrupted, not when her friends were present.

“Forgive me, my lady, but Lady Anna is most insistent,” the butler said, coming in and handing her the lady’s card. “And if I might be so bold, it does appear to me as though she is a little upset.”

“Upset?” Rising to her feet, Amelia turned to her friends.

“Please, do continue the conversation without me. Mayhap when I return, you will have something for me to do as regards Lord Melford and pursuing the confusion there!” With a nod from her friends, she turned back to the butler. “I will see her in the parlor.”

It did not take more than a few minutes for Lady Anna to be shown into the parlor. Amelia greeted her with a warm smile only to see that the butler had been quite right in his thinking. Lady Anna did appear to be upset, for her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was pale as well.

“I am sorry to call unannounced but I needed to speak to a friend,” she said, as Amelia gestured for her to sit down. “I did speak to Broughton about it yesterday but it has not brought me any great comfort. I thought that you might have some advice for me since you are so learned.”

“Advice?” Amelia repeated, a little confused. “What has happened, Anna?”

Her friend sniffed. “I have discovered that Melford has an interest in Lady Gwendoline and she in him!”

Not fully understanding, Amelia frowned. “Why does that trouble you?”

“Because neither of them told me!” she exclaimed, sniffing lightly, her eyes glistening with tears.

“I feel a deep sense of betrayal because neither of them trusted me enough to be honest with me about it all. By chance, I saw my brother taking his leave and going to the carriage and I asked him where he was going. A somewhat panicked expression came over him and he blurted out that he was going to see Lady Gwendoline, though I do not think that he meant to say that.” She shook her head, a single tear falling to her cheek.

“I cannot understand why it must be so secretive. I cannot understand why they did not tell me of their connection! My brother is old enough to make his own decisions and Gwendoline is one of my dearest friends! Did they not think I would be glad of it?”

“That must be very painful,” Amelia said, softly, herself not understanding as to why Lord Melford had done such a thing. “What did your brother say when you asked him why he had kept it from you?”

Lady Anna shook her head. “He simply left for the carriage, though he was sure to tell me – over his shoulder, of course – that there was nothing between himself and Lady Gwendoline. A friendship only but I certainly do not believe him.”

Amelia, thinking quickly, tried to make sense of it all. “There must be something that prevented him from being willing to tell you.”

“I think so,” came Lady Anna’s reply. “I only wish that I could understand what it was. I know that Lady Gwendoline’s father does not have a great deal of coin but my brother has an excellent fortune.

If he cares for her, as I believe he does, then why would that stand in his way? It does not make any sense.”

Curiosity began to twist through Amelia’s mind, going in one direction and then the next as she tried to think about what reason there could be for Lord Melford’s secrecy over this situation.

“Mayhap there is good reason for it, one I have not yet thought of. Mayhap Lady Gwendoline’s father has another in mind for her.

” Anna’s voice softened. “And I am grateful for Broughton’s apology to me.

He did appear to be quite genuine when he said he was sorry for how he had behaved these last few years.

Though whether that will prove to be genuine, I cannot yet say. ”

“I think that it is.” Seeing the way Lady Anna looked back at her, a little startled, made Amelia blush.

“He did come to speak to me also and his apology did appear to be sincere. I think it is the first time I have ever had a gentleman apologize to me with such consideration, in fact.” As she spoke, she remembered how he had looked at her with that hope flickering in his eyes but worry puckering his lips.

That had sent warmth into her heart, feeling a wall breaking between them as she had not only accepted his apology but saw the beginnings of a closer connection.

Something that, she had to admit to herself, she was slowly beginning to desperately want.

“Lady Amelia?”

She pulled herself out of her thoughts, her face hotter than before as she realized she had not heard a word her friend had said. “Forgive me, I was just thinking.”

“Thank you for listening to me. I am sorry that I have taken up so much of your time, especially when you have other friends present.” She rose to her feet though a protest lingered on Amelia’s lips, remaining unspoken.

She did not want Lady Anna to feel obliged to leave but on the other hand, she needed to think.

She was slowly becoming convinced that Lord Melford was, in some way, involved in the theft of the books.

The only trouble was, she did not know how she could go about proving it.