Gabby sat down and surveyed her guest. She was a very beautiful woman, if far too thin and tired-looking. “Mrs. Ewing, do I understand that you are related to Phoebe’s mother?”

“I am.” Mrs. Ewing’s eyes were a lovely blue-gray, although they were positively ringed with fatigue. “I am one of Phoebe’s aunts. Phoebe’s mother, Carolyn, apparently chose me to be Phoebe’s guardian, but she neglected to inform me.”

Phoebe shook her head. “Mama and Papa didn’t inform anyone,” she reported. “Mr. Stokes, the English consul, had to go through their papers. And then he said that you are my guardian and likely my only living relative.” She looked alertly into Mrs. Ewing’s face.

“Well, I’m not your only relative,” Mrs. Ewing replied. She gave Phoebe a little squeeze. “Your aunt Louise is at home, longing to meet you. And…you have other family as well.”

Definitely there was something odd about Mrs. Ewing’s lame mention of “other family,” to Gabby’s mind.

“Mrs. Ewing,” Gabby said. “I am so sorry that I haven’t introduced myself.” She cast a dark look at Quill, who was leaning against the wall in a relaxed fashion, utterly neglecting his host duties. “You probably guessed from my letter that I am Miss Gabrielle Jerningham, and this is Mr. Erskine Dewland.”

Quill straightened and bowed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Gabby was a bit annoyed to notice how appreciatively Quill was looking at Mrs. Ewing. He had no right to look at a married woman with such enthusiasm.

“I’m afraid my family had not kept in touch with Carolyn as much as we ought, and so this has been rather a shock.” Mrs. Ewing’s smile faded. “I can’t imagine what would have happened to Phoebe if you hadn’t rescued her, Miss Jerningham. What luck you were on that particular vessel!”

“It was lucky for both of us,” Gabby remarked. “Phoebe was very pleasant company on the journey.” The way Quill was leaning forward and hanging on Mrs. Ewing’s every word was really quite annoying.

“We rarely heard from my sister,” Mrs. Ewing was saying. “Carolyn had an explorer’s soul, and her husband was as intrepid as she was. I’m afraid I received only one letter from her in the last seven years.”

“Sometimes she and Papa were gone for months,” Phoebe put in. “They had very important work to do.”

Mrs. Ewing brushed a kiss over Phoebe’s curls. “Did they never take you with them, poppet?”

“No, indeed,” Phoebe exclaimed. “Mama and Papa had important work. Mama always wished I could come with them, but they visited unsafe places. I stayed with my ayah, and Mama and Papa came to see me when they were able.”

“Was your father Roderick Pensington?”

Quill’s sudden question startled Phoebe, but she nodded. “My papa was a famous explorer,” she said proudly.