Norman’s lips began to curve. “I’m sure you haven’t, but I find that calling Mort a noble steed is amusing, especially since it seems to aggravate Theo.” He shook his head. “She’s the one who insisted I acquire a noble steed in the first place. Apparently, she realized that every romance book she’s taken to reading of late—done so for pure scientific research, of course—has the hero riding a noble steed. That’s what convinced her I needed to get one, and no amount of arguing on my part would change her mind.”
“You could have refused.”
“Don’t think I didn’t consider that. But what you might not know about Theo is this—she’s relentless when she gets an idea in her head and wouldn’t stop pestering me about acquiring a horse. She even tracked down a horse auction being held at the Washington Park Club and immediately began pestering me to attend. Since her pestering was making it very difficult to work on the design plans for Gemma’s peddle-boat, I agreed to attend the auction—not that I agreed to purchase a horse there, mind you, but merely agreed in order to stop the incessant badgering.”
“A horse auction would have been filled with horses—an animal you detest.”
“I’ve recently read that a gentleman should be possessed of a brave and adventurous spirit, something Theo pointed out in the midst of her badgering.”
“I . . . see.”
“The skepticism in your tone suggests you don’t see at all, and even though being surrounded by so many horses left me uneasy, that feeling disappeared straightaway the moment I laid eyes on Mort.”
“The mule?”
Norman nodded. “He was standing some distance from all the horses, and he looked so out of place that I found myself drawn to him. One look into his sad, dejected eyes, and I knew he was the noble steed for me.” Norman smiled. “Mort’s a peculiar animal, and I found it rather fitting that I, a gentleman known to be peculiar as well, would acquire a peculiar mode of transportation.”
“You’ve ridden this mule?”
Norman nodded. “Tossed up my accounts the first two times I took him around the block because he didn’t have an even gait. That’s since been resolved because Mort only needed to become adjusted to someone riding him, and now I’m quite convinced we make a fine sight as we amble along.”
Stanley sat forward and shook his head. “I never thought you’d ride again, which means this Beatrix must be of great importance to you, especially since it’s becoming abundantly clear you’re going to extreme measures to try to impress her.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m going to extreme measures.”
“You’re riding a mule about town. I’d say that’s fairly extreme.” Stanley caught Norman’s eye. “Are you, by chance, taking her to the Palmer affair?”
“I am.”
“And does anyone know that?”
“Theo and Constance do. Mother too.”
Stanley’s eyes widened. “Bet that was an uncomfortable discussion for you since Mother was overwrought when you started bringing Theodosia to society events, but a salesgirl, well, I suspect she was downright apoplectic.”
Norman winced. “She didn’t reach the apoplectic stage, but she did take to lecturing me over the danger of becoming involved with a woman not of our station, concerned that Beatrix was only interested in me because of my money.” He blew out a breath. “I thought that would be the end of it, but then Mother tracked me down earlier today to continue trying to discourage me in regard to Beatrix.”
“I take it she wasn’t successful with that?”
“She didn’t have the opportunity to claim success, not after I realized someone had tried to burglar my rooms while Mother was still attempting to make me see matters her way.”
Stanley sat forward in his chair. “Someone tried to burglar your rooms and you’re only now getting around to telling me that?”
It took another ten minutes to explain that situation to his brother. “So now I have no choice but to accept that someone is still out to steal my papers,” he finally finished. “Which has, unfortunately, brought danger to the front door of the family.”
Stanley narrowed his eyes. “That does seem to be the case, but if there’s such a threat, why in the world did you send Theodosia back to your workshop to fetch a part for one of the machines? She could even now be in real danger, which means—” Stanley got up and bolted for the door, disappearing a second later.
Before Norman could even get out of his chair, or contemplate to satisfaction why Stanley seemed to be bringing Theo into the conversation so often, he heard Theo’s voice drift through the doorway, followed by a very un-Theo-like giggle, proving that she’d not encountered any danger. Although, given the giggle, he might be wrong about that.
Chapter 22
Before Norman could fully process the idea of a giggling Theo, Stanley was escorting Theo into the room, beaming a bright smile at her, one she was certainly returning.
“I see you’ve returned in one piece,” Norman said, rising to his feet. “Stanley was concerned that I’d been careless with your welfare by asking you to go back to my workshop after the burglary.”
Theo’s cheeks turned pink. “How kind of you to worry, Stanley, but I had Agent Cochran with me the entire time. He’s of the belief that since there are now so many agents guarding the house, it would be foolish for anyone to make another attempt to break into Norman’s apartment.” Theo nodded to Norman as she held up the magnetic ring for the generator. “This was exactly where you said it would be, and I left your suit, tie, and fresh shirt with Stanley’s secretary, who promised to hang them up so they won’t get wrinkled.”
“You brought my brother another set of clothes?” Stanley asked as he offered Theo his arm, which had her face turning pinker than ever, before he escorted her to the nearest chair, making a big to-do about getting her settled. He then excused himself, telling
