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our quest?”
    She rose to her feet. “I think we should begin as soon as possible, Mr. Albright. We cannot afford otherwise.”
    For the first time in their acquaintance, he smiled at her with genuine warmth.
    The next three days were exciting and of absorbing interest to Jemima. Harley came up with an account of all that he knew about Maria Cardew, which turned out to be a bit more than Jemima had expected.
    “She was apparently a very vivacious woman,” he began. “Pretty in her own way, and very fashionable.Made herself most agreeable. I think she tried to keep her more eccentric opinions to herself, but she certainly did not always succeed.”
    “What opinions?” Jemima asked, then saw his expression and wished she had not.
    “On racial matters, and people’s position in society, property rights. Which is amusing in a dry way, considering she met Edward Cardew in our house, and was quick enough to accept his proposal of marriage.”
    “Are you saying she was a hypocrite?” Jemima asked as innocently as she could.
    “Yes,” he said quietly. “I suppose I am. Her subsequent history rather proves my point.”
    “Yet Miss Albright speaks well of her,” Jemima pointed out.
    Harley’s expression was a mixture of anger and attempted patience.
    “Celia likes anyone who likes her, and Maria knew that.”
    “I see,” Jemima replied, forming a strange and not very pleasant picture in her head of a selfish and manipulative woman who had deeply hurt her husband and her only child.
    Jemima was careful to say nothing to Phinnie about how she was spending her days. As far as everyone else was concerned, Harley was merely spending time with Jemima in order to show her around the city he knew and loved, and she was greatly enjoying it.
    Soon the weather turned much colder. Jemima woke up on the third day of their quest to find everything mantled in white.
    “I must show you Central Park in the snow!” Harley said at the breakfast table, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
    “Indeed,” Mr. Albright agreed. “It is a wonderful sight. If it is deep enough, there will be people playing all manner of games. And if there is ice, there will be skating. I might come with you …”
    “Thank you, Father,” Harley said with a very slight drop in his voice. “But we will be fine. I’m sure you have matters that need your attention.”
    Brent stifled a smile; a complete misunderstanding, as Jemima knew. Harley had no interest in being alone in her company. What he had was an idea as to where they might find Maria Cardew. Something about the snow had clearly awakened a memory in him. She could not afford to pass up this chance. She bowed her headslightly as if both happy and self-conscious, and saw a fleeting look of alarm in Harley’s eyes.
    “Of course,” Mr. Albright agreed, as if he understood perfectly, and it pleased him.
    Jemima concentrated on the anticipation of discovering Maria Cardew.
    She and Harley set out as early as they could without giving rise to more comment, which she thought he found even more uncomfortable than she did. The air was brisk and the wind had a bite to it, but he did not ask her if she still wished to go out. It would have been the courteous thing to do, even though he knew she would not refuse to go.
    They took the carriage as far as Central Park, then dismissed the driver, saying that their plans were too open for them to estimate a time for him to return. He smiled and drove off.
    Harley looked discomfited for a moment, then recovered himself.
    “The snow this morning has reminded me of something Aunt Celia once told me, Miss Pitt. Maria Cardew used to enjoy such weather, most especially when the snow was newly fallen and still outlining the branches of the bare trees. If she is here in New York, as I amcertain she is, she will be most likely to walk in the park this morning. Of course we could well miss her—it is a very large place—but I do know the best walks for such sights,