I scrambled for some topic to discuss, but Flora shot me a chilling glare and then went into a summary of the Herald’s society pages: a list of who was holding balls in the coming weeks, who was expected to attend, which couples had announced engagements, and which families had gone to the Continent. When she finished, she smiled smugly, daring her uncle to comment.

Lord Henry’s eyes widened in dismay. “Surely that’s not your idea of conversation,” he said. “Miss Newton, what do you talk about with your friends?”

His question caught me off-guard. The truth was, I didn’t have many friends, not real ones. But I wouldn’t admit that to Flora, who looked at me with a sly smile that said she knew I wasn’t a very popular girl in any social circle. “Most of my friends were students at the university, so we talked about the books they were reading for class,” I said, omitting the fact that these talks had been tutoring sessions. “We discussed the philosophies or principles from the books.”

“I’d never be invited to another party if I had that kind of conversation,” Flora protested to her uncle.

“I can’t imagine any man wants to hear a list of the clothing you’ve bought lately,” Lord Henry argued. “I’d rather discuss books with Miss Newton.”

Flora gave me an appraising glance that clearly found me wanting as a companion, then turned back to Lord Henry. Batting her eyelashes innocently, she said, “Well, if you insist on discussing something else, I have to say that they really must do something about that gang of bandits.”

“Why do you say so?” I asked, trying to sound only casually interested.

“People should be able to travel without having their journeys interrupted by such unpleasantness. They don’t even take much money. It doesn’t seem as though it’s the amount of money that matters to these bandits, but rather to whom the money belongs.”

She had surpassed my knowledge of the event, which was limited to having experienced it. I’d seen them take the royal courier’s bag that he’d said contained dispatches, but I didn’t know what else they’d stolen before they reached my car. The guards had already been chasing them, so they must have committed a robbery before then, and they’d had those heavy sacks. But then why did they bother taking the courier’s bag? “To whom does the money belong?” I asked, pretending that I knew already and was merely quizzing her.