Affair by Amanda Quick Read Free Book Online Page A

of any significance in the laboratory in weeks and I have taken care to make certain that noxious odors did not permeate the hall." "Mrs. Hardy apparently concluded that you were attempting to
    poison her, sit "' Lambert said. "Poison her?" Baxter was outraged. "Why in God's name would
    she think that? Bloody damn difficult to keep housekeepers as it is.
    The last thing I would do is poison one."
    Lambert cleared his throat. "Something about the bottles of chemicals that she found in the kitchen last evening, I believe." "Devil take it, I only put them in there because I was preparing
    an experiment that required a very large pneumatic trough. You know I always use the kitchen sink for that purpose." "Apparently the sight of the bottles disturbed her, sit." "Damnation. Well, there is nothing, for it. Take yourself off to
    the agency and find us another housekeeper. God only knows what
    we'll havc to pay this time. Each one seems to be more expensive than the last." "Aye, sir." Lambert shuffled backward a pace and winced. He pressed ii Is. hand to his lower back.
    Baxter frowned. "Rheumatism bad today, I take it?"
    "Aye, sir. "Sorry to hear that. Any luck with those new treatments you're undergoing?"
    I believe I do feel some improvement for a time after each
    session with Dr. Flatt but unfortunately the relief is quite temporary. The doctor assures me that with more treatments, the pains will steadily decrease in severity, however." "Hmm." Baxter did not ask any more questions.
    He had absolutely no faith in Dr. Flatt's treatments, which involved the use of animal magnetism or mesmerism, as it was often called. It was all quackery, so far as scientists such as himself were
    concerned. Distinguished authorities such as Benjamin Franklin from America and the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier had de-
    nounced Mesmer's work several years ago. Their opinions, however, had done nothing to stem the rising tide of practitioners who claimed to achieve amazing results using variations on Dr. Mesmer's methods.
    "Lady Trengloss, sit," Lambert reminded him. "Yes, yes, send her in. I may as well get this over with as quickly as possible." Baxter glanced at the tall clock. "I have an
    appointment with my new employer in an hour." "Employer? ls that what you call her?" Rosalind, Lady Trengloss, swept past Lambert and sailed into Baxter's laboratory. "What an odd description of the creature." "But, unfortunately, an accurate one." Baxter nodded brusquely at his aunt. "Thanks to you, madam, I seem to have secured gainful employment at last, whether I like it or not." "Do not blame me for your scheme." Rosalind removed her black and white silk bonnet and sank into a chair with theatrical
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    Amanda Quick
    grace. Her striking black and silver hair was elegantly styled to
    enhance her noble features. Her dark eyes glittered with determination.
    Baxter eyed her with a combination of gruff affection and acute
    impatience. Rosalind was his late mother's younger sister. He had
    known her all of his life. She was sixty now but she retained the innate sense of elegance and dashing style that had graced both women from the cradle.
    Emma and Rosalind Claremont had taken London by storm in
    their younger days. Both had made brilliant matches. Both had found themselves widowed in their early twenties. Neither had ever
    remarried. They had reveled instead in the enormous power they had wielded as wealthy, beautiful, titled widows. Their status and
    charm had enabled them to survive scandals and gossip that would have ruined other women.
    Baxter smiled grimly as Lambert removed himself soundlessly from the laboratory. "You must admit that I am uniquely qualified to be a man-of-affairs."
    Rosalind tipped her head slightly and considered that. "In an
    odd way, you may be right. You have had a great deal of experience managing finances, have you not?" "Indeed."
    "Tell me what you discovered when you went to see Charlotte
    Arkendale yesterday."