The clink of cutlery punctuated their conversation. Dinners at Bramble Cottage were informal affairs. The dining room was small, with exposed beams running lengthwise across the low ceiling, and no gas lighting to illuminate their meal. Instead, the room was lit with tallow candles, and in the absence of a footman, the hot serving dishes, and the carafe of watered wine, were left out for them to serve themselves.

Laura refilled Mr. Archer’s glass. “You must know all manner of card tricks.”

“Indeed not. Giraud guarded his secrets with his life. When we parted, I was none the wiser.”

She gave him a doubtful look. “But you do play, don’t you?”

“I do,” he said.

There was a wealth of meaning in those two words. Laura sensed it as surely as if he’d confessed to being a sharper himself.

“Then you must play with us after dinner, sir,” Aunt Charlotte pronounced. “We used to enjoy a lively game of whist before my brother passed away. The four of us played on every occasion I came to visit, didn’t we, Teddy?”

Teddy grimaced. “Aunt Charlotte could never be prevailed upon to play anything else.”

“My husband was a keen whist player,” Aunt Charlotte said. “God rest his soul. We often had card parties at our little house in Leicester.” She cut off a slice of her mutton. “He’d been gone less than a year when the wire came from Mrs. Crabtree telling me of the fever. By the time I arrived in Surrey, my poor brother was gone, and Teddy and Laura were as near to death as they could be.”

Teddy speared a piece of potato on his fork. “Aunt Charlotte stayed on to nurse us. She’s been here ever since.”

“Oh, we played a great many card games while you recovered, didn’t we, Teddy? We’ll see how much you remember of what I taught you.”

Laura eyed her aunt with concern. Her cheeks were flushed, just as they’d been at church. “You mustn’t overtax yourself.”

“There’s no question of that my dear. Not now I’ve had my tonic and a little rest.”

“Even so,” Laura said, “it’s better to err on the safe side, don’t you agree? We don’t want to end the evening by summoning Dr. Taylor.” She paused, adding, “And we mustn’t monopolize Mr. Archer. He’s a guest at the vicarage. They’ll be expecting him back by now.”

Mr. Archer didn’t dispute the fact. “Perhaps another time?”

Aunt Charlotte heaved a sigh. “Indeed.”

“You will come back, won’t you?” Teddy asked.

“I will,” Mr. Archer promised. “You have my word on it.”

Later, after he’d helped Teddy back upstairs and bid goodbye to her aunt, Laura walked Mr. Archer out. Yardley had fetched the vicar’s gig from the stable, and was waiting with it at the gate.