Free The Truth About Verity Sparks by Susan Green

me a goose? But I kept silent too. Acting like that is called dignity, Judith taught me.
    “My sister, Miss Anna Beale, will be pleased to receive you and of course act as chaperone,” Dr Beale continued. “What do you say, Miss Sparks?”
    “I don’t want to,” I said flatly.
    Our eyes met. The way he looked at me, I could have been an insect. An interesting insect, one that he wanted to catch and put in a jar and investigate. But not a person. Not me, Verity Sparks. He was silent for a few seconds, and then his face gave a kind of twitch.
    “Miss Sparks,” he said, bowing slightly, and then he turned to the Professor. “Well, sir,” he said. “The young lady has spoken, and I have failed in my quest. I have no hard feelings, I assure you, Miss Sparks. I bid you both goodnight.”
    We heard the front door slam a few seconds later.
    “That man!” shouted the Professor. “That … that man.”
    Now I knew what had been wrong with his voice. He’d wanted to yell.
    He paced up and down for a few seconds and then snatched a vase from the mantelpiece and deliberately threw it onto the hearth. “There,” he said, looking at the smashed pieces. “That feels better. Now find me the bannister brush, Verity, and I’ll hide the evidence from Etty.”

8
CALLISTEMON CITRINUS
    “I hear you had a flattering offer last night,” said SP after breakfast the next morning.
    “Do tell, Verity,” said Judith, but when I did she made a face. “How odd.”
    “He hasn’t the best reputation, has he?” said SP.
    “The man’s a pest!” exploded the Professor.
    “What has he done?” asked Judith.
    The Professor calmed down, then said with a sigh, “Apparently, he’s up to the last chapters of his book. He’s convinced it’s going to make the whole world sit up and take notice, but he needs another subject for his experiments now Madame Oblomov has taken her son back to Moscow. Beale thought Verity here would fit the bill perfectly. Offered to pay her. Sister will chaperone, and all that. But I could never have allowed Verity to accept his offer, even if she’d been tempted. I believe that Dr Beale has performed some most irregular experiments.”
    “What sort?” I asked.
    “It is said that he obtained a number of children from an orphanage. He wanted to find out whether certain fears are innate or acquired.” He hesitated. “Rumour is that one of the children died.”
    “How dreadful,” said Judith.
    “What happened to the other children?” I asked.
    “They went back to the orphanage, I suppose. It was hushed up, of course, and there were some who thought nothing of it.” He gave a little grunt. “I must say I wish the man hadn’t joined our little group. But there was a letter of introduction from Professor James of Harvard, you see, and I couldn’t really say no.”
    “Verity, you don’t have to see him again,” said SP. “Does she, Father?”
    “Certainly not. In fact, when I agreed to let him talk to you last night, Verity, it was on the condition that if you refused, he was not to communicate with you again.” He changed the subject. “And how did you enjoy the gathering last night?”
    “It wasn’t near as bad as I’d thought it would be,” I said honestly. “I did like Mr Savinov.”
    “Ah!” said the Professor. “Dear Pierre. I am lunching with him at the Megatherium Club today. He’s a fine fellow, and a most interesting man as well. He’s done many things. Born in Russia, made his fortune in furs and timber in Canada, and now has businesses all over the Continent.”
    “Have you known him long?” I asked.
    “No, no. I met him only a couple of years ago. He’s a good friend of our neighbour, Monsieur Tissot. Have you met Tissot yet, Verity? Judith is thick as thieves with his wife, Kathleen.”
    I had been to quite a few tea parties with Judith, but not yet to the Tissots. I shook my head, wanting to hear more about Mr Savinov, but all the Professor said was “Such a