Page 63 of Hearts of Locke Hill

“It’s not something to wave about, miss. One tends to get funny looks. Imagine my surprise when Miss Whittemore showed that she had theeye.”

“The eye?” Violet asked.

“The ability to see into a person’s inner workings. We of thegifttend to recognize it in others.”

“Imagine. And I thought I was merely looking into his ear.”

Cy was certain he had thegiftof recognizing a load of codswallop when he heard it. Still, he could not set Violet down without setting down the elder woman as well, and he didn’t have the heart to do that.

“I had no idea I was gifted in such a way,” Violet said airily. “We must do all we can to bring balance to Mr. Burke’s soul.”

Cy could not have rolled his eyes any harder. He turned on his next step. “Ladies.”

All three stopped and stared, as if surprised that he’d realized they were walking just behind him and speaking his name. Miss Janes’s eyes were a little too bright, and Violet looked as though her favorite pony had just given birth to bunnies. That is to say, too delighted for words.

There was only one thing he could do. “I had intended on walking around the lake this morning—”

“So had we,” Miss Janes said. “That’s what I was trying to tell you earlier.”

“That being said,” Cy continued with a nod, “all this talk of my fractured soul has wearied me. Shall you join me for a shorter walk around the gardens? Miss—er, what is your surname, Agnes?”

“Pennymoon.”

Of course it was. “Miss Pennymoon, would you care to take my arm? I would not want to leave you susceptible to those who would take advantage of your excellent intentions and use them for their own entertainment.” He eyed Violet, who had the decency to look chagrined, and Miss Janes, whose mouth dropped open but who blessedly did not say anything.

“Thank you, Mr. Burke.” Miss Pennymoon took his proffered arm. “Truth be told, I wasn’t sure I was up to going clear ’round the lake. These old bones, you know. Though, I imagine the prospect to be singular, don’t you agree? When I was a girl …”

“Well,thatwasn’t any fun,” he heard Violet murmur as they fell into step behind him and Miss Pennymoon.

“No fun at all,” Miss Janes answered. “Maybe you do have the eye.”

“Maybe Mr.Burkeneeds his sense of fun freed from its dusty old box.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time we hunted for a key, would it?”

“Indeed not. A bit of shaking-up never hurt anybody.”

“Now we just need to find elephants.”

Violet made a noise between a snort and a cough.

“… and that is when I knew that Mr. Fenimore Miller would be thelastperson I would ever marry. Two days later he run offwith a circus performer named Delilah Blade. She threw knives. You know? I don’t think that were her real name.”

Miss Janes halted. “Agnes! Why are you telling Mr. Burke things you’ve never toldme?”

Agnes turned. “Miss, when your soul’s existence is in peril, I’ll tell you such stories. Your head will spin.”

“What if my soul is never in peril?”

Miss Pennymoon gave Cy a speaking glance.

Cy’s shoulders shook in silent laughter.

“Never you fear. In the meantime,” she continued, nodding sagely, “we shall need a plan.” She patted Cy’s arm in concern. “You young ladies must put him through the rigors.”

“Rigors?” Violet asked from behind them.

“Rigors?” Cy asked with alarm.