] I think that Professor Randolph and his watch (which is right in the centre of the dust jacket illustration!) are perhaps hypnotising and/or brainwashing first Miss Kendall and now Caroline.

Not only are you angelically good, you have incredibly sharp eyes. Now, don't tell me you can make out runes on the watch face! ;-D

I know there has to be some tie-in with the museum exhibit. Since I'm only on chapter 8, I'll just have to wait and see.

]Maybe they need Miss Bingley's fortune for that or maybe Parrish is being influenced by Randolph to keep the money coming.

I mentioned this in another post, that maybe there is some alliance formed to do away with dear Caroline and get their hands on her fortune. This could be an alliance formed due to a revenge angle (the Kendalls), the money angle (Mr. Parrish, perhaps), or maybe Jane Bingley is more horribly upset than we realize over being upstaged at her wedding! Oh, wait, that last one probably isn't it. ;-)