Tobias gave her a look of polite inquiry. “What of them?”
“You wouldn’t happen to know who started them, would you?”
He contrived to appear hurt by the thinly veiled accusation. “My sweet, are you accusing me of indulging in the lowest sort of gossip and innuendo?”
“Yes, that is precisely what I am accusing you of doing.” She fixed him with a steely glare. “Well, sir? Did you deliberately impugn Howard’s character to such an extent that he is obliged to leave Town?”
“I am crushed by your poor opinion of me.” He came forward, closed his hands around her shoulders, and kissed her brow lightly. “I assure you that I never engage in false gossip and innuendo.”
“But if you thought the gossip and innuendo were not false-”
“Then I would not be engaging in gossip and innuendo.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I would be dealing in the truth.”
“Tobias, I want to know who started those rumors in the clubs.”
“I thought I had made it quite clear, my sweet, I am not the sort of man who indulges in unfounded scandal broth.”
She wanted to question him further, but he chose that moment to kiss her.
One of these days, she thought, her mouth softening under his, she really would have to make it clear to him that he could not expect to win every argument with this approach.
Joan stood in front of the tall library window and held the ancient bracelet to the light. Her new antiquity was quite extraordinary, she thought. The pattern that had been pierced into the gold was astonishing in its detail. Medusa’s staring eyes were so brilliantly worked in the multilayered blue gem that one could almost believe that they had the power to turn men to stone.
The butler appeared in the doorway. “Lord Vale has arrived, madam.”
A quiet excitement flowed through her. “Please show him in.”
Vale walked into the library a moment later. He crossed to where she stood at the window and bent gracefully over her hand.
“I received your message and came at once,” he said.
“I thought you might enjoy examining my new relic.” She handed it to him with a smile. “I know that you have a deep interest in such things.”
He took it from her and said nothing for a long time, content to study the piece.
At last he raised his eyes to Joan’s. “I congratulate you, madam, on your purchase.”
“Thank you. I am delighted with it. Do you know, I expected to have to compete with at least one other collector at the auction. But Mr. Nightingale informed me that I was the only one to place a bid. He said that his other client learned that I had made an offer for the bracelet and declined to do so, leaving the field to me.”
Vale smiled and went back to studying the bracelet.
“You were Mr. Nightingale’s other client, were you not, my lord?” she asked softly.
“I cannot think of anyone I would rather see take possession of such a fantastic piece than yourself, my dear.” He handed her the bracelet. “It is quite remarkable. And so are you.”
“Thank you.” She looked at the Medusa and thought about what it must have cost him to remove himself from the secret auction. “I find I have developed a serious interest in antiquities. I would like to apply for membership in the Connoisseurs Club.” She paused. “Assuming the club accepts ladies, that is.”
“I am the club’s founder. I make the rules.” He smiled slowly. “And I have no objection whatsoever to accepting ladies.”
She smiled and held the bracelet out to him. “My application fee, sir. I hereby present the Blue Medusa to the club’s private museum.”
“As the Keeper of the museum, I accept your application, madam.” He caught her hand and brought it to his lips a second time. Then he raised his head and looked into her eyes. “If you are interested, I can arrange for a private tour this very evening.”
“I would enjoy that.”
Chapter Thirty-three
A FORTNIGHT LATER, ON A SUNNY THURSDAY afternoon, Tobias motioned Mrs. Chilton aside and opened the door of the study himself. Lavinia was sitting in one of the oversize chairs in front of the hearth, a book open on her lap. The sunlight streaming through the window set fire to her hair.
“Good afternoon, my sweet,” he said. “You have a visitor.”
Startled by the interruption, she looked up with that abstracted expression she always wore whenever she was summoned summarily from one of her books of poetry.
Her eyes cleared when she saw him standing there in the opening. “I did not know that you intended to call this afternoon, Tobias. What brings you here? Have we a new case so soon?”
“Not a new one. Rather the conclusion to an old one.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“There is someone here who wishes to speak with you.”
He stood back and held the door for Lavinia’s visitor. The tall woman walked part way into the study and stopped.
“Good day, Mrs. Lake,” she said. “I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you again and under these circumstances.”
Lavinia stared, eyes very wide, lips slightly parted.
Tobias savored the expression. It was not often that he was afforded the opportunity to witness such a charming mix of astonishment and delight on Lavinia’s face.
“Mrs. Pelling. Jessica.” Lavinia fairly leaped out of the chair. She dropped the book on the table and rushed forward. “You’re alive.”
“Thanks to you, Mrs. Lake.” Jessica smiled. “Actually, I have not used the name Jessica Pelling since the day I staged the drama of my own suicide. I have been known as Judith Palmer these past two years.”
“Which is one of the reasons why it was so bloody difficult to find her.” Tobias went to the window. “I sent out my letters of inquiry the day after Lavinia told me her tale. You did an excellent job of covering your tracks, Mrs. Pelling.”
“I did my best,” she said. “I was quite certain that my life depended on it, you see. Oscar was becoming increasingly mad. The rages were occurring more often, and each time he seemed more out of control when they struck. I knew I had to get away. I took your advice, Mrs. Lake.”
Lavinia released her and stepped back. “You took it so well that I myself was convinced that you were dead. The only question in my mind was whether Pelling had murdered you or if you truly had taken your own life.”
“I cannot tell you how much I regret not being able to tell you the truth. I had hoped that you would reason it out for yourself.”
“The fact that your body was never found gave me some small hope, but I could not be certain.” She looked at Tobias. “What were these letters of inquiry you mentioned?”
He moved one hand in a negligent gesture. “I wrote letters to a number of my associates from the old days. They are scattered throughout the country.”
“Ah, yes, your fellow spies,” Lavinia said. “Very clever of you, sir.”
“I also asked Crackenburne to tap his extensive network of friends and acquaintances. You gave me a good description that day you told me the tale. The fact that Jessica was somewhat taller than average and that she had disappeared with an unusual family ring was extremely helpful.”
“Yes, of course,” Lavinia said. She gave him an admiring smile. “You reasoned that Jessica must have sold the ring to support herself in her new life, so you set out to trace it, didn’t you?”
“That was one of several strategies I employed. I also knew that we were looking for a single woman who would have turned up out of nowhere two years ago. Eventually, word came back that there was a person meeting all the particulars operating a school for young ladies in Dorset.”
Jessica gave him a wry smile. “It is fortunate for me that Oscar did not hire you to search for me two years ago, sir.”