Views from the Tower Read Online Free PDF Page B

she finally prompted.
    “Well, what?”
    “Who is this mystery woman that’s cursed you. If we’re going to figure out how to un-frog you, the most logical place to start would be with the person who cast the curse.”
    “I agree it makes the most logical sense. The situation is...a bit delicate, however...”
    “You’re an amphibian. Surely, however ‘delicate’ the situation is, the most important thing is to get you restored to normal.” She narrowed her eyes even further when he didn’t respond. “You must know who it was; you were out in the garden with her, which suggests a certain familiarity. Unless...Oh Marcus, tell me you didn’t come out into the garden with a young miss. You must know better.” She burst out in laughter. “Are you that afraid you will be forced to marry her? I suppose if you remained a frog for the rest of your earthly life you could avoid marriage. But just think what a grave disappointment that would be to all of the women you bed.”
    “Lucinda Beacham!” Marcus croaked. “You shouldn’t say such things. You shouldn’t even know about such things! Does your brother know you talk like this?”
    “Of course not. Just because I’m young doesn’t mean I am deaf or stupid. Now, are you going to tell me who it was?”
    “Lady Beaumont.”
    “Ah, Julia Beaumont...I can’t think what the ‘delicate situation’ would be, she is widowed and quite...how shall I put this nicely?...liberal with her favors.”
    “This is a very inappropriate conversation, Lucinda. I feel as your eldest brother’s friend I must stand in his stead and protest your lack of propriety—”
    “Shh, I’m thinking. Lady Beaumont, she of the annoying terrier, why would—” Lucinda broke off, her mouth gaping open in surprise. “Marcus Sutton, are you a spy?!”
    Marcus jumped, at least six inches straight up in the air, at her words. She was afraid for a moment that he was going to splash right back into the fountain, but he managed to land back on the stone edge.
    “Lower your voice!” he croaked at her, his head turning this way and that, as if to make sure no one had heard her. There were completely alone in the garden, a fact, Lucinda thought with a bit of smile, that probably should have occurred to him when he questioned her propriety. Although, if anyone came upon them, they would more likely be concerned with the fact that Lucinda was talking to a frog than the possibility that said frog had compromised her.
    “Your reaction is all the answer I need,” she informed Marcus. “You are not very good at hiding your emotions. However do you manage to work for the Home Office? I’d think better acting skills would be required.”
    “Well, I’ve never been made quite so easily by a sixteen year old.” He sounded a bit angry.
    “Seventeen,” she corrected.
    “How could you possibly have figured it out?”
    “Really, Marcus, it wasn’t that difficult. Lady Beaumont is obviously selling something to the French; whether it’s information or goods, I’m not sure. Probably information, as her late husband was a diplomat. You were obviously angry as you questioned her; you must have discovered she was a traitor. And then she cursed you. I admit, the magic thing I didn’t see coming, but the traitor bit was relatively easy to make out.”
    “Relatively easy, she says,” he muttered to himself. “It took us almost a full year of investigation to discover. How is it that you are so certain?”
    Lucinda sat on the edge of the fountain. She ran her hand over the cool stone first to make sure it was dry. She didn’t want to have to explain a wet dress to her mother.
    “Her petticoats are covered in French lace, slathered in it. They’re almost ridiculous. It’s not the kind you can get by paying the right modiste a bit more, it’s the best kind. On her petticoats. Where hardly anyone can see it. I noticed it the other day when I had to help her chase down that stupid little dog. Then