men, for example. And that females ought to be admitted to colleges,
universities and professions on an equal basis with males.”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
“I see.”
“It was my mother’s dream to attend medical school.” Concordia’s self-control returned quickly,
masking the brief flash of pain and anger. “When she was refused admission, her parents forced her into
a loveless marriage.”
“And your father?”
“He was a brilliant man, a philosopher and a scientist who was passionate about modern ideas of all
types. He also found himself in an unhappy marriage. He met my mother at a lecture on the rights of
women.” Her smile was oddly wistful. “They always claimed that it was a case of love at first sight.”
“Your tone implies that you do not believe in that phenomenon.”
“On the contrary. My parents were proof that it does exist. But in their case it demanded a very heavy
price. They destroyed two marriages and created a great scandal in order to achieve their own
happiness.”
“And they saddled you with the burden of illegitimacy.”
She uttered a soft, mirthless laugh. “That is the least of it. The most difficult problems I face arise from
the assumptions that others make when they discover that I was raised in the Community.”
“These assumptions concern your personal behavior?”
“Precisely, Mr. Wells.” She set the cup down on the saucer with enough force to make the fine china
clang loudly. “When people discover that I am the offspring of William Gilmore Glade and Sybil
Marlowe, they conclude that I practice a similar modern philosophy concerning the relationship between
the sexes.”
“I can see why you go to some lengths to conceal your past from potential employers.”
“There are very few people who are willing to hire a teacher who was raised with such modern notions.
As I said, when my past was exposed at my previous post at the girls’ school, I was dismissed instantly.”
He gave that some thought. “You were perfect for Alexander Larkin’s purposes, weren’t you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You were desperate for a position and you possessed no family connections. If you had disappeared
after Larkin was finished with you, no one would have asked any questions.”
She shuddered. “A chilling thought.”
“I wonder if Miss Bartlett fit the same requirements.”
“What do you—? Oh, I see. It does appear that way, does it not? She vanished from the castle, and as
far as I know, no one came to inquire after her.” Concordia hesitated. “Then again, no one would have
mentioned any such inquiries to me. I was just the teacher, after all. For the most part I was ignored.”
He nodded slowly, a familiar sense of awareness uncurling inside him. This was the sensation he always
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
experienced when he knew himself to be closing in on the answers he sought.
“Something tells me that you are the key to this affair, Concordia,” he said softly. “I think that, when it
came to you, Larkin made his fatal blunder, the one that may well bring him down.”
“What do you mean?”
“He underestimated the teacher.”
10
The innkeeper’s wife did not like the man who was questioning her husband so closely. It was not
merely because the stranger had made his disdain of their modest establishment evident when he walked
through the door a short time ago. She had been in this career a very long time. Wealthy, arrogant
gentlemen who treated her neat, respectable, well-kept inn as though it were a hovel were a fact of life.
At worst, they got drunk, tried to accost the serving girl and sometimes soiled the sheets. This one was
different, though. She doubted that this elegant man would be the sort to commit any of those small,
annoying crimes. Very neat and proper, he was. He had come all the way from London on
universities and professions on an equal basis with males.”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
“I see.”
“It was my mother’s dream to attend medical school.” Concordia’s self-control returned quickly,
masking the brief flash of pain and anger. “When she was refused admission, her parents forced her into
a loveless marriage.”
“And your father?”
“He was a brilliant man, a philosopher and a scientist who was passionate about modern ideas of all
types. He also found himself in an unhappy marriage. He met my mother at a lecture on the rights of
women.” Her smile was oddly wistful. “They always claimed that it was a case of love at first sight.”
“Your tone implies that you do not believe in that phenomenon.”
“On the contrary. My parents were proof that it does exist. But in their case it demanded a very heavy
price. They destroyed two marriages and created a great scandal in order to achieve their own
happiness.”
“And they saddled you with the burden of illegitimacy.”
She uttered a soft, mirthless laugh. “That is the least of it. The most difficult problems I face arise from
the assumptions that others make when they discover that I was raised in the Community.”
“These assumptions concern your personal behavior?”
“Precisely, Mr. Wells.” She set the cup down on the saucer with enough force to make the fine china
clang loudly. “When people discover that I am the offspring of William Gilmore Glade and Sybil
Marlowe, they conclude that I practice a similar modern philosophy concerning the relationship between
the sexes.”
“I can see why you go to some lengths to conceal your past from potential employers.”
“There are very few people who are willing to hire a teacher who was raised with such modern notions.
As I said, when my past was exposed at my previous post at the girls’ school, I was dismissed instantly.”
He gave that some thought. “You were perfect for Alexander Larkin’s purposes, weren’t you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You were desperate for a position and you possessed no family connections. If you had disappeared
after Larkin was finished with you, no one would have asked any questions.”
She shuddered. “A chilling thought.”
“I wonder if Miss Bartlett fit the same requirements.”
“What do you—? Oh, I see. It does appear that way, does it not? She vanished from the castle, and as
far as I know, no one came to inquire after her.” Concordia hesitated. “Then again, no one would have
mentioned any such inquiries to me. I was just the teacher, after all. For the most part I was ignored.”
He nodded slowly, a familiar sense of awareness uncurling inside him. This was the sensation he always
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
experienced when he knew himself to be closing in on the answers he sought.
“Something tells me that you are the key to this affair, Concordia,” he said softly. “I think that, when it
came to you, Larkin made his fatal blunder, the one that may well bring him down.”
“What do you mean?”
“He underestimated the teacher.”
10
The innkeeper’s wife did not like the man who was questioning her husband so closely. It was not
merely because the stranger had made his disdain of their modest establishment evident when he walked
through the door a short time ago. She had been in this career a very long time. Wealthy, arrogant
gentlemen who treated her neat, respectable, well-kept inn as though it were a hovel were a fact of life.
At worst, they got drunk, tried to accost the serving girl and sometimes soiled the sheets. This one was
different, though. She doubted that this elegant man would be the sort to commit any of those small,
annoying crimes. Very neat and proper, he was. He had come all the way from London on
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