stamp on the bell guard. “This is world standard, with the Ecks Caliber mark here.”

“So it’s stolen,” Theobold said with an enormous grin.

“No, it isn’t,” Henry said. “It’s borrowed. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize there was anything wrong. It’s just, the left-handed sword has been missing a lot of the time, and I didn’t know what to do, so I asked to borrow a spare.”

“From whom?” the fencing master asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Fra— I mean, Miss Winter,” Henry said.

“I find it hard to believe that Miss Winter would loan a schoolboy she hardly knew a sword of this quality.”

Henry bit his lip.

“Mr. Grim?” the fencing master pressed.

“We’re friends,” Henry said.

“Friends. Ah.” The fencing master didn’t believe him. Henry could see this at once.

“Mr. Archer,” the fencing master said. “Can you please run to the headmaster’s house and tell Miss Winter that I would like to see her in my office immediately?”

“Yes, sir,” Theobold said with a nasty smile.

Henry had never been to the fencing master’s office before. It turned out to be a tiny, cramped room located behind the armory, most of its space taken up by a large trunk bursting with equipment in need of repair.

Henry sat in the hard wooden chair across from the fencing master’s desk, still in his fencing kit. His leg bounced nervously.

There was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” the fencing master called.

Frankie burst through the door, out of breath and carrying an embroidery sampler. “Yes, maestro?” she asked, bobbing a curtsy.

“Can you please describe the object that Mr. Grim has in his possession?” the fencing master inquired, waving Frankie into the empty chair.

A beat too late, Henry wondered if he ought to have stood in Frankie’s presence to make a better impression.

“He’s just borrowed a foil,” Frankie said with a frown. “A left-handed foil.”

“From your father’s private stores?” the fencing master asked mildly.

“Yes,” Frankie said.

“I see.”

“Is something the matter?” Frankie asked.

“Are you often in the habit of loaning out world standard Ecks Caliber foils with platinum inlay and custom maker’s marks?” the fencing master asked.

“No one was using it,” Frankie said with a shrug.

“Are you aware of the cost of a sword like the one you so casually loaned Mr. Grim?”

Frankie ventured a guess.

The fencing master laughed and told her it was worth at least ten times that amount.

Henry nearly gasped. The sum seemed enormous. Enough to buy a house, perhaps. Certainly more than Professor Stratford made in a year.

“Um,” Frankie said. “Probably should have given you one with a worse balance, then.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Henry muttered.

“Actually,” the fencing master said, putting up a hand. “I’m not concerned about the sword, rather with what it implies.”

“And what might that be?” Frankie asked, daring the fencing master to say it.

“That there are … improper relations between the two of you.”

Frankie snorted. “That’s ridiculous,” she said dismissively.

“We’re not having—erm, doing—anything like that,” Henry said, his face flushed with embarrassment.

“I am merely concerned for Miss Winter’s reputation,” the fencing master said. “After all, she is nearing marriageable age, possibly preparing for her first City Season.”

Frankie sighed, not wanting to be reminded. “Truly, Henry was helping me with my French. You can ask my grandmother all about it.”

“I have heard other rumors of your … improper behavior,” the fencing master continued as though Frankie had said nothing at all. “I seem to remember at the beginning of the term some of the boys voicing doubt about your … propriety.”

Henry cringed, remembering Valmont’s cruel taunts on the first day of fencing that an educated woman was a ruined woman. Had the fencing master overheard him? Apparently so.

“There’s nothing of the sort going on here,” Henry said firmly. “Fra— Miss Winter loaned me a sword and even admits that she had no idea of its value. It’s simply a misunderstanding.”

The fencing master looked back and forth between Henry and Frankie, and finally shook his head in defeat.

“From now on, Mr. Grim, in my class you will use swords from this armory, swords that I have given to you expressly for training purposes. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Henry said.

“And Miss Winter,” the fencing master continued. “Really, do try and behave yourself. Or at least think of what impressions your actions might give.”

“I’ll try,” Frankie said doubtfully. But even Henry could tell she didn’t mean it.

WHAT SIR FREDERICK FOUND

Their midday meal was half finished by the time Henry changed back into his uniform and made it to the dining hall.

“Where were you, mate?” Adam asked, making room for Henry between