Storing Up Trouble, стр. 67
Harvey seemed to swell on the spot. “I’m insulted you’d even consider me a suspect.”
Norman frowned. “I said you were a suspect at first. I’ve since changed my mind.”
“As I would expect you to, but . . .” Harvey returned Norman’s frown. “What made you change your mind?”
“Because I’m aware of your limitations as a scientist, and . . .” Norman’s voice trailed off when Beatrix cleared her throat in a rather telling fashion.
“What?” he asked.
“You obviously suffered a blow to your head, quite like Mr. Cabot did, which is the only explanation I can think of to explain why you were just about to insult Mr. Cabot’s abilities as a scientist.”
“I’m sure Harvey’s well aware of his limitations and should be relieved that those limitations are exactly why he’s no longer on my list of suspects.”
The look Beatrix shot him next was filled with exasperation, but before she could voice that exasperation, Theo lifted her head from her book.
“I just read the most excellent advice.”
Beatrix frowned. “What is it?”
“It says that good humor is the only shield to protect oneself from the barbs of satirists, and that you’re supposed to be the first to laugh at a jest made against you because then others will laugh with you instead of at you.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Norman asked.
Theo shrugged. “Well, nothing, but it’s interesting, isn’t it? And it might come in handy at some point.”
“As riveting as that is, Theodosia,” Harvey began, “if we could return to the topic of Norman’s research, I feel compelled to state loud and clear that I am not responsible for the attempted theft of his work.” He handed Norman his satchel, something Norman hadn’t even realized Harvey had been holding. “As further proof, I’m now returning Norman’s satchel to him that Theodosia thrust at me when she decided she needed to look something up in one of her books. If I had been the culprit, I certainly wouldn’t be doing that, now, would I?”
“Unless you just decided that it would benefit your claim of innocence by not running off with the satchel, which would certainly muddy the waters and throw suspicion in another direction,” Theo argued as she looked up from her book again.
Harvey’s brows drew together. “I’m doing nothing of the sort, but dare I hope you just blurted out that bit of nonsense because of another passage in that ridiculous book?”
“There’s nothing ridiculous about Cecile B. Hartley’s book. And I was just reading that a gentleman must never stop another gentleman in the street during business hours because there’s a chance that will delay said gentleman from important matters of business.”
Harvey stared at Theo for a few seconds before he nodded. “I believe this is where I offer to escort you home because you’re evidently overwrought, which is the only explanation I can come to, given that I don’t believe this is quite the time to be leafing through a book on what seems to be general manners.”
Theo wrinkled her nose. “While I thank you for the offer, I’m not returning home after this. I’ve been invited to attend a dinner with Miss Gladys Huttleston, and if I return home, I’ll be late. And that engagement, I’ll have you know, is why I’ve been leafing through this book at what you must see as a most unusual time, but I’m about to be served a seven-course meal and I have no idea what to expect in regard to proper cutlery.”
Harvey opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Miss Amelia Burden suddenly burst on the scene, stumbling to a stop when she reached his side.
“Mr. Cabot, what’s happened to you? I was just at Marshall Field & Company and learned that a shooting had taken place on the street, and—” She stopped talking and drew in a deep breath. “I came to see if the rumors were true, but you’ve not been shot, have you?”
Harvey took hold of Miss Burden’s arm and gave it a pat. “I’m fine, although I’m sure I must look a sight.” He nodded to Norman. “I happened upon Norman right as he was being accosted by a group of criminals I’ve recently learned are determined to steal his research. I, as a gentleman, had no choice but to throw myself into the madness, especially after I realized Miss Robinson had apparently thrown herself on top of a man who was trying to tear Norman’s satchel straight out of his grasp.”
Miss Burden turned to Theo. “Surely Mr. Cabot is mistaken and you weren’t tussling with a member of the criminal set, were you?”
Theo had returned to her book and didn’t bother to so much as look up. “I couldn’t very well ignore that Norman was being assaulted.”
Miss Burden nodded to Harvey. “You should escort Miss Robinson home immediately. She’s clearly suffering the effects of her recent misadventure.”
“I already offered,” Harvey said. “She declined because she’s made arrangements to attend a dinner engagement with Miss Gladys Huttleston and doesn’t care to be late.”
“Why would anyone willingly attend a dinner with Miss Huttleston?” Miss Burden asked. “She’s an unpleasant woman, odd most would say, and—”
“I suggest you have a care before you say any additional disparaging comments about Miss Huttleston,” Beatrix snapped.
Miss Burden raised a hand to her throat. “On my word, you’re that coat check girl from Marshall Field & Company. And while I have no idea what you’re doing involved in all this, you should have a care in how you speak to me, unless you’d like to find yourself dismissed from your position for behaving so rudely toward a valued customer.”
“We’re not currently in the store, Miss Burden,” Beatrix said shortly. “Which means I don’t need to have a care in watching what I say to a woman making disparaging remarks about Miss Gladys Huttleston.”
“Why would you care what I say about Miss Huttleston?”
“She’s my aunt.”
Miss Burden blinked. “But you’re a coat check girl.”
“I’ve recently