“It was a true tip.”

“And where on earth did you get it?”

Elizabeth strolled into the parlor and seated herself on a sofa, enjoying the slightly cooler temperature in the darkened room. Mother Bates followed her and took her usual chair after ringing for the maid.

“I went to see the Old Man yesterday, and while I was waiting for him, I was visiting with some of the men I know who happened to be at Dan’s. They were talking about a race being held this afternoon. The favorite is going to be scratched at the last minute so another horse has a chance to win.”

“Cupid’s Arrow,” Mother Bates confirmed.

“Is that the horse’s name?” Elizabeth asked with feigned confusion. “I really don’t remember.”

Mother Bates gave a contemptuous huff. “Is that what a fixed race is?”

“Oh, Mother Bates, you never cease to amaze me!”

“Stop teasing me and answer my question.”

Elizabeth sighed. “There really isn’t any good way to fix a horse race. It would be too complicated, and too many people would have to be bribed and would know and might talk later. And even if you managed to bribe everyone else to lose, there’s always a chance the horse that is supposed to win will pull up lame or throw his jockey or get injured in the gate or . . . Well, so many things can go wrong, not to mention all the other horses want to win and one of them might just decide to in spite of its jockey trying to hold it back.”

“So Cupid’s Arrow isn’t going to win?”

“I have no idea. Scratching Mill Due will give Cupid’s Arrow a much better chance, though. The fellows in Dan’s back room were arguing about that very thing, which is how I knew about it.”

“I see. So why did you pretend to go into a trance and deliver this information to Mr. Lindhurst?”

“Because I knew that Mill Due was going to be scratched, and Cupid’s Arrow might win—although you will recall I didn’t say for sure that he would, only that he’d have a better chance.”

“Which means you made a fairly accurate prediction, or something that sounded like one anyway.”

“Yes, and it will sound even better if Cupid’s Arrow wins.”

“But why? Did you just want to embarrass Madame Ophelia?”

“Oh no. I just happened to think that if I could convince her I really could tell the future, I might be able to figure out a way to con her.”

CHAPTER THREE

Gideon wasn’t nearly as good at hiding his emotions as Elizabeth was, so his grim expression gave him away the moment she came to welcome him home.

“Are you all right?” she asked, her beautiful face creasing into a worried frown.

“I’m fine. Just something at work. Is Mother here?”