Mistress - Amanda Quick [64]
“Very kind of you.”
“You may as well use my desk to write your bloody letters.” Pettigrew heaved a glum sigh. “God knows I won’t have much of a chance to use it while this crowd is in residence. Don’t know why my wife has to have so many people down here from London during the Season. I’ve told her that if she wants to socialize, she’s free to do it at our house in Town.”
“She has a right to be proud of this house. It’s not every estate that can boast a Temple of Vesta.”
“Be different if one could boast of a few virgins to go with it,” Pettigrew said. “But these days they’re as rare as unicorns and phoenixes, ain’t they?”
Marcus studied the rolling lawn outside the library window. “Phoenixes?”
“You know, mythological bird that’s supposed to be reborn from its own ashes.”
“I lost interest in mythological creatures at about the same time I lost interest in virgins,” Marcus said.
“What a lovely evening.” Iphiginia gazed up at the night sky.
She had dragged Marcus out onto the terrace on the pretext of admiring the tranquil summer evening before they retired. In truth, she intended to quiz him on what he had learned in Pettigrew’s library this afternoon. She had been eager to speak to him in private all day, but there had been no opportunity to do so.
Now that she had him to herself out here under the stars, she was no longer in such a rush to question him about his discoveries. She realized that all she really yearned to do was share a few quiet, private moments with him.
It was nearly midnight. After an evening of dinner and cards, most of the Pettigrew guests had drifted upstairs to their bedchambers.
Although it was the height of the Season in Town, here in the country there was no endless round of balls and soirees to keep one up until dawn. Spending a few days in the country was considered a good way to refortify oneself for the hectic pace of Town life.
A soft, balmy breeze stirred the leaves of the nearby trees. The scent of flowers floated on the air. Iphiginia took a deep breath, savoring the fragrance of the night.
“It certainly is clear.” Marcus leaned against the ornate balustrade. His gaze was fixed on the heavens. “I’d give a great deal to be at my estate in Yorkshire.”
“Why do you wish you were in Yorkshire?”
“Because that’s where my new telescope is.”
“Telescope? You are interested in astronomy?”
“Yes.”
Iphiginia was intrigued by the revelation. No matter how much she discovered about this man, it seemed that there were always new depths waiting to be explored. “I had no notion, my lord.”
His mouth curved faintly. “Did you think that you had learned everything there was to know about me when you studied for your role as my mistress?”
“No, of course not.” She felt herself grow warm. “But I thought I had made a rather thorough inquiry into your past and present interests.”
“Do not concern yourself.” Marcus kept his attention on the night sky. “It was only a small oversight. You no doubt missed my interest in astronomy because it is a rather new one. I was led into it by my studies of the properties of light and mirrors.”
Iphiginia pushed her questions about Pettigrew’s wax jack and seal aside for the moment. She was far more curious to learn new things about the man she loved. “How did they lead you into the subject of astronomy?”
“Very easily.” Marcus glanced briefly at her before returning his attention to the skies. “When one studies the stars, essentially one studies light. Mirrors can be used to focus light in such a manner that one can see a great distance into the skies.”
“You mean the sort of mirrors which are used in telescopes?”
“Yes. Mirrors can also be used to concentrate the light itself so that it can be studied. I have been working on just such a project.” He gave her an oddly hesitant, sidelong glance. “I have devised a small machine which allows me to study light.”
“How does it work?”
“It utilizes a prism and a small telescope—” He broke off with a rueful expression. “Forgive me. As a student of antiquities, I expect you find this topic rather a dull one.