“Indeed?” Aspasia raised her brows. Tobias was just telling me that he had not been terribly successful. Isn’t that right, Tobias?”

He clasped his hands behind his back. “I certainly do not have much to offer yet.”

Lavinia gave him a repressive glare. “How fortunate, then, that I do have some useful information.”

She was certainly determined to follow his rules for dealing with a client, even if he was not bothering to do so, he thought.

“Your professional abilities never cease to astound me, madam,”

“he said dryly. What did you learn from your private informant?”

He saw at once that she had caught the slight inflection he had given the last two words. He doubted that Lavinia had had any intention of dragging Mrs. Dove’s name into this affair, but it was best to be cautious.

She turned to Aspasia with a businesslike air. “I have discovered that there may have been at least two other recent deaths in Society that are highly suspicious. Lady Rowland and a certain Mr. Newbold. Both departed this earth quite unexpectedly.”

That got his attention. “I heard the rumor concerning Lady Rowland. An overdose of the medicine she took to help her sleep. No one mentioned Newbold.”

Aspasia’s brows puckered in a delicate frown. “Newbold died in a drunken fall down his own staircase a month and a half ago, I believe. I heard something about it shortly after I returned to Town.

“I did not pay much attention.”

“Most people ignored his death.” Lavinia’s mouth tightened in a manner that emphasized her disgust. “Evidently Newbold was quite dreadful. He was known to patronize the brothels that cater to those creatures who enjoy debauching children. In my opinion the young lady to whom he had recently got engaged had a very close call. Only imagine the horror of being wed to such a man.”

“Indeed.” Aspasia drank tea and made no further comment.

“The thing is,” Lavinia continued, turning toward Tobias, I find the coincidence extremely intriguing, don’t you, sir?”

“Three unanticipated deaths? Yes, I do.”

“Not the deaths,” she said impatiently, “the cancellation of the wedding plans that followed in each instance.”

She was serious, he thought. He could not believe it. Neither could Aspasia, to judge by her expression.

“Lavinia,” he said carefully, “are you implying that the motive behind each of these three murders was a desire to stop a wedding from taking place?”

Lavinia set down the pot. “Have you got a better motive?”

“I’m working on one.” Her certainty irritated him. “All three deaths resulted in the transfer of fortunes. That makes for a lot of suspects among the family members.”

Aspasia’s expression altered from one of stunned disbelief to thoughtful consideration.

“I heard the rumors about Lady Rowland’s obsessive desire to see her eldest granddaughter wed to her old lover’s grandson,” she said slowly. “The woman had a reputation for using her money to manipulate everyone in her family. But what would be the point of murdering her? She was going to endow the girl.”

“Only if she consented to wed Ferring,” Lavinia reminded her. “But now her papa has taken control of the Rowland fortune, and evidently young Ferring’s offer was not accepted. The granddaughter is free to marry someone else. In one way or another, the other two young ladies have also been delivered from the prospect of extremely unhappy marriages.”

“Surely you are not suggesting that these innocent young girls could have concocted a diabolical scheme to hire a professional killer?” Tobias growled. “That defies credibility.”

Aspasia’s mouth tightened. “He’s right, Mrs. Lake. It is an interesting theory, but it is impossible to imagine that three extremely sheltered young ladies with no experience of the world could possibly reason out how to hire, let alone pay, a professional murderer.”

Lavinia set her shoulders in a manner that Tobias had learned to recognize. She was preparing to defend her position.

“I would remind you both,” she said, “that when it comes to alliances at that level of Society, there are many people besides the young ladies involved who might have a strong interest in the marriage contracts.”

“Do you believe that others in the families resorted to murder in order to halt the weddings?” Tobias folded his arms. “That is a crazed conclusion. We are talking about a killer who is attempting to imitate


“the Memento-Mori Man. It is impossible to imagine a professional murderer hiring himself out to some matchmaking mama.”

To his surprise, Aspasia spoke before Lavinia could respond.

“Marriage is a very serious matter, and young girls have very little say in the arrangements that are made for them.” Her mouth curved coldly. “I can personally testify to that. My papa certainly did not worry overmuch about my happiness when he accepted the offer for my hand.”

The sharp, icy edge on that last statement caught Tobias by surprise. It occurred to him that he had never heard Aspasia discuss her brief marriage.

Lavinia watched her quietly, not speaking. Tobias sensed that she was suddenly keenly interested in what Aspasia had to say.

“Nevertheless,” Aspasia continued, “when it comes to alliances in the polite world, there is nothing unusual about such arrangements.

“I have certainly never heard of anyone committing murder to halt a wedding.”

“As professional private-inquiry agents,” Lavinia said in her most authoritative manner, I can assure you that Mr. March and I have seen cases where murder has been done for far less reason.” She beetled her brows at Tobias. “Is that not true, sir?”

The last thing he wanted to do was get caught in the middle of this little skirmish, he decided. He sought a diplomatic way out.

“There are any number of motives for murder,” he said, keeping his tone as neutral as possible.

Neither woman looked satisfied.

Aspasia frowned at him. “I trust you will not waste time pursuing false leads.”

He inclined his head. “I try to avoid that sort of thing.”

“So do I,” Lavinia said shortly.

Aspasia rose and walked toward the door. “I must be off. Please keep me informed.”

“Of course.” Tobias crossed the parlor to open the door for her.

“Good day, Aspasia.”

She hesitated before moving out into the hall. “I fear we do not have any time to waste, Tobias. You must find this new Memento

“Mori Man, and you must do it quickly. Who knows what he is planning next?”

He gripped the doorknob so tightly it was a wonder it did not come off in his hand. “I am well aware of the urgency involved here.”

Mrs. Chilton was hovering in the hall. She opened the front door for Aspasia, who went swiftly down the steps.

Tobias waited until she was gone. Then he took out his pocket watch and smiled pointedly at Mrs. Chilton. “I believe that you still have time to go out for currants.”

Mrs. Chilton rolled her eyes. “Very well, sir.” She darted a glance into the parlor behind him and lowered her voice. “But you had best be quick about it. Miss Emeline is due back around five. It would not do for her to walk in at an awkward moment.”

“Thank you for the warning, Mrs. Chilton. I assure you it is unnecesssary.”

“Humph.”

He went back into the parlor. Lavinia had risen and gone to stand at the window. She stood with her back to him, her attention on the street.

He crossed the room and came to a halt behind her. Resting his hands on her shoulders, he followed her gaze. Together they watched Aspasia vanish around the corner. Lavinia did not turn around.

“You must make allowances for Aspasia,” he said quietly. “She is frightened and very anxious.”

“Mmm.”

“She has every reason to be worried. Zachary Elland was a coldblooded killer, and whoever seeks to take his place is obviously of the same temperament. And you must admit that she’s right: This notion that there is a connection between three possible murders and three changes of marital plans is not a particularly substantial theory at the moment.”

“Mmm.”

“Lavinia, I can see that you are disturbed. Did you and Mrs. Dove discuss some other matter that you have not yet mentioned?”

“Joan asked me if I thought that she was betraying her husband’s memory by forming a liaison with Lord Vale. Evidently her daughter is quite distraught about the relationship.”

“I see.” Whatever it was he had been expecting to hear, this was not it. What did you tell her?”

“I reminded her that her husband had loved her very deeply. I told her that I was certain he would have wanted her to be happy again, just as she would have wanted him to find happiness if she had been taken first.”

“Indeed,” he said, for lack of anything more inspired. What the devil was this about? Well, I’m certain that you reassured her. Now, then, Mrs. Chilton mentioned that she is going out to shop for some items that she needs for dinner. What do you say we”

“Tobias?”

“What is it?” he asked, deeply cautious now.

“If anything were to happen to me and you were left alone, I would want you to find happiness.”

Of their own accord, his hands clamped fiercely around her elegantly curved shoulders. He felt himself turn to stone at the thought of her being snatched from him by death. A crimson haze filled his head. It occurred to him that he would likely go mad if he ever lost her.

“I would want you to find happiness,” she reiterated softly, apparently unaware of the impact her words were having on him. “But not withAspasia Gray.”