Page 70 of The Wolf Queen’s Curse

“If the powers don’t act against one another.”

“Yes. Witch and werewolf are an excellent combination. Beryl would have done … Well, she’d have done what she seems to be doing. Moved heaven and earth to get you back.”

“For my powers,” I say as I take a jar from the shelf.

“That’s no disrespect. You stood up to her. Escaped her. It’s a show of personal power that she’ll appreciate.”

“What can you tell me about the Levine Cabal?”

She tells me what she knows. We got more from the werewolf Lynch, though what Beatrice does know supports his account, and that helps.

As she talks, I gather the rest of the ingredients I need.

“So this task Hamish Campbell set your husband on…” she begins.

“Hmm?”

“You said Hamish wished your husband to do a task.” She glances at Bishop, as if to be clear she isn’t talking behind his back, but he only stands guard, expressionless.

“Oh, that.” I wave a hand. “A political matter. He wants Bishop to remove a thorn in his side.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That we’d do it, of course.”

Her lips curve in a slow smile. “But will you?”

“We don’t have a choice, sadly.”

“And what is this troublesome thorn? I might be able to help. I have a vast network of contacts. That’s how I recognized your husband’s name.”

“Then perhaps you could help,” I say, glancing at Bishop as if we hadn’t already discussed this.

I talk to her, and she tells me what she can.

When we leave the storage room, Bishop takes out his billfold to pay for my ingredients, but Beatrice waves it away. “A wedding gift.”

“Thank you,” he says, inclining his head.

“And I can do one better.” She bends and opens a safe. “I owed your aunt some money, Cordelia. She funded my trip here, and I have intended to pay her back when she came to visit, but that…” She glances away. “Well, that won’t happen.”

I reach for her hand and squeeze it. Then she removes a money box and counts out bills.

“Oh!” I say as I see how many she’s giving me—it’s as much as Hamish gave Bishop for this entire expedition.

“Your aunt was very generous to her friends,” she says.

“She was, and I very much appreciate this,” I say as I take the bills. I glance at Bishop. “My husband is also generous, but if we witches were taught one thing…”

She smiles up at me. “It is to have our own money. Always.” She glances nervously at Bishop and whispers to me, “You should also have your aunt’s estate.”

“She will,” Bishop says, since he can easily hear her. “I agree that women need their own money, no matter how happy a marriage. Cordelia will claim what’s hers as soon as she can.”

“Which doesn’t mean waiting for Lenora to be declared dead.” I give a wry smile. “We supernaturals always plan for contingencies, in case we suddenly vanish. Once I can return safely to London, Lenora’s estate will be mine.”

“But what’s happening with it until you return? I could go secure your assets, luv.”

“Alfred is handling that.”