Dorothea Hall Mysteries

The Update

We escorted Miss Aimes to her hotel and returned home. Emory had asked me to keep him posted on our progress with the chess automaton. He was sitting in the parlor reading the paper when we arrived. Freddy went upstairs to get ready for bed. She had rehearsal early in the morning. I kissed Emory on the cheek and settled in the chair across from him.

"What did you discover?" he asked.

"The machine is indeed a fraud, but the young lady playing chess in it is quite good. She beat Bella's husband quite soundly," I said. "I want to have her and Mr. Walker meet. Do you think he'd be interested in encouraging a female chess master?"

Emory looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. I have read all of Mr. Walker's books, but know nothing of his feelings on women and their talents. I suppose you'll have to ask him. What do you want to come of this meeting?"

"Miss Aimes and her brother are using this ruse to make money to live. I was thinking, that since Mr. Walker is interested in bringing an international chess tournament to London; he might hire her to give demonstrations and raise money and awareness for his cause. A lady chess master would be just as much a draw as a chess automaton, if not more. It seems to me that most of the chess community is like Mr. Walker in being sure the automaton is a trick, but they could challenge Miss Aimes and see that she is not."

"How do you know so much about the chess community when you just got hired to look into this two days ago?"

I smiled. "I had two days to skim Mr. Walkers books and read all the articles I could find about the original automaton and I know human nature. I'm sure there are some chess players who would love it if there was a real machine which could beat experts at chess, but most of them prefer to think that they could never be replaced by technology. If we reveal the fact a woman was beating men at the game they feel is theirs, they will want to test their skill against her. I suppose the best way to get Mr. Walker to see the merit of this idea would be to have him play against Miss Aimes. If she can beat him or even do quite well against him, he'll be hooked."

"Why do you feel a need to help Miss Aimes when your client is Mr. Walker?" He slapped his forehead. "I withdraw my foolish question. A woman of talent is to be encouraged. What was I thinking?"

I gave him a kiss on the lips. "Perhaps it is time to retire for the night."