For some reason those last words freed him from the terrible spell. He discovered that he could breathe again. He used his hands to turn her around to face him.

“I cannot imagine wanting any other woman the way I want you,”

he said. His voice sounded raw and harsh, even to his own ears.

“Oh, Tobias.” She put her arms around him and pressed her head against his shoulder. “I do love you so.”

“I am delighted to hear that.” He kissed her hair. Her scent filled his head, driving out the last remnants of the red haze. “But, please, if you have any regard for me at all, never, ever talk about being taken from me. I cannot bear the thought.”

Her arms tightened around him. “Just as I cannot bear the thought of losing you.”

He folded her close, letting the sunlight warm them both. After a while, he drew her out of the parlor and up the stairs.

Later he raised himself up on his elbow and glanced at his watch on the bedside table. A quarter past four. Time to get dressed. It was becoming harder and harder to leave her bed, he thought.

Reluctantly, he sat up and swung his feet to the floor.

“Tobias?”

He turned to look at her. She was lying back against the pillows, her eyes very green in the afternoon light.

“I must go, my love. Emeline will be home in less than forty-five minutes. I am to meet with Anthony at five. With luck he will have some news of the rings.”

“I know.” She folded her arms behind her head. The movement caused one neatly shaped breast to escape the sheet. “Tobias, I gave Joan the right advice, did I not? Don’t you think that Dove would have wanted her to find happiness with someone else after he was gone?”

He did not reply. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her bare breast. Her skin was soft and warm from his lovemaking. He caught a trace of his own scent on her and knew a rush of fierce, unbridled possessiveness. His woman.

She frowned. “You do agree with me, don’t you? About how Fielding Dove would have felt in this situation?”

He looked at her for a long time and then very deliberately he leaned over her, caging her between his arms. He bent his head and brushed his mouth across hers.

“I cannot speak for Fielding Dove,” he said. “But I can promise you this, Lavinia. If you should ever find with another man what we have found together, I would come back from the grave to haunt you.”

Thirteen

At half past five that afternoon, Tobias was back in his study, feet propped on the corner of his desk. The hour in Lavinia’s bedchamber had relieved some of the tension that had plagued him since the events at Beaumont Castle, but he could feel the sense of urgency returning as he listened to Anthony’s report.

“There were no recent sales or thefts of memento-mori rings at any of the antiquities shops we’ve checked thus far.” Anthony examined his notes. We have several more dealers left to question, however. Do you want us to continue our interviews tomorrow?”

“Yes.” Tobias studied the list of dealers they had compiled. “Those damned rings are among the few real leads we’ve got. The killer had to obtain them somewhere. What about the blond wigs?”

“Emeline and I had enough time to talk to only two wig-makers yesterday afternoon. One of them did take a commission for a blond wig in recent months.”

Tobias looked up swiftly. “Did you get the name of the client?”

“Yes, but it won’t do you any good. The wig-maker has known her for years. He described her as very elderly and quite eccentric. She lives in the country and only comes to Town twice a year to shop. I doubt that she’s your professional murderer, Tobias.”

“Damnation.” Tobias went back to contemplating the list for a moment longer and then he deliberately tore off a section at the bottom. “You and Miss Emeline will finish questioning the antiquities dealers. Mrs. Lake and I will take the remainder of the wig-makers. With all four of us working on the project, we should be able to speak with every establishment on this list within the next two or three days.”

“Very well.” Anthony sat back in his chair. Whitby said you are planning to meet with Smiling Jack at the Gryphon tonight. Do you want me to accompany you? That is not the safest of neighborhoods at night.”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I’ll take a hackney and pay the driver to wait.”

“Anthony gave him a curious look. Why seek Smiling Jack’s assisstance on this case? From what you’ve told me, the previous Memento-Mori Man had nothing to do with the sort of common criminal who comes out of the stews. Do you think this new killer is different?”

“No. But it struck me last night that we actually knew very little about Zachary Elland. He had no family, apparently. After his death, no one came forward to collect his personal effects. There was, in fact, no trace of him in Society. After he was gone it was as though he had never existed. I wondered if perhaps I was overlooking some aspect of his past that might give us a clue.”

“I see.” Anthony uncoiled from his chair and started across the room. “Good luck to you.” He paused at the door and glanced back with a small frown. “Tobias, I have a question to ask. It is of a, uh, somewhat personal nature.”

“What is it?”

“I realize that Fullerton’s murder upset your plans, but before he fell off that roof, did you and Mrs. Lake have an opportunity to discuss your private affairs?”

Tobias slowly lowered the severed sheet of paper. “Our what?”

Anthony reddened a little, but he made no move to slip out the door. “Emeline and I both naturally assumed that you invited Mrs. Lake to accompany you to the country-house party because you wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to bring up the subject of your intentions.”

“What intentions would those be?” Tobias asked evenly.

Disapproval coalesced in Anthony’s eyes. “Never say that you did not even mention the matter.”

“What the devil are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about whether or not you asked Mrs. Lake to marry you, of course.”

“Bloody hell,” Tobias said softly.

“What happened?” Anthony’s frown turned to alarm. “Good lord, man, never say that you lost your nerve?”

“The status of my intentions toward Mrs. Lake is none of your affair.”

“The two of you have been seeing a great deal of each other privately for some months now.”

“What of it? We are partners.”

“Partners? What about the business of sending Mrs. Chilton out for currants?”

Tobias could feel himself turning surly. “Mrs. Chilton’s currant tarts are far and away the best I have ever tasted.”

“This has nothing to do with Mrs. Chilton’s currant tarts and well you know it.” Anthony planted his booted feet a little apart on the carpet. “Mrs. Lake is a respectable lady. It’s obvious that the two of you have formed a great attachment for each other. Don’t you think it’s time you did the gentlemanly thing?”

“You know damned well that I am not yet in a position to ask Mrs. Lake to marry me. I invested everything I’ve got in those shares in Crackenburne’s shipping venture. Until that bloody vessel returns to port, I have nothing to offer her.”

Anthony assumed a sympathetic air. “I know you’re concerned about your finances. I am equally concerned about my own. But as it happens, I have been thinking about our situation and I believe I have come up with a solution that will solve all our problems.”

“What do you suggest we do?” Tobias tossed the list of wig-makers onto the desk. “Find ourselves an alchemist who can transmute lead into gold?”

Anthony swept his arm out, vaguely indicating the study. “The way I see it, the answer is this house.”

“There is nothing wrong with this house. I own it. It is, in point of fact, my most substantial asset.”

“Yes, I know,” Anthony said smoothly. While I, on the other hand, can barely manage the rent on my rooms in Jasper Street.”

You cannot place the blame for your inadequate lodgings on me.

“It was your decision to move out. I believe you said something about wanting your own rooms. As I recall, there was a good deal of talk about needing private quarters where you could entertain your friends at all hours of the day or night.”

“The thing is, while my lodgings are adequate for a single gentleman, I could not possibly ask Emeline to set up housekeeping in such a small space. She is accustomed to that very nice little house in Claremont Lane.”

“On that we agree.”

“The way I see it, Tobias, there is one residence too many here.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I have worked it out and it is really very simple. If you were to do the honorable thing and marry Mrs. Lake, the pair of you could move into Number Seven Claremont Lane together. I could give up my lodgings on Jasper Street, marry Miss Emeline, and move into this house with her. You see how neat and tidy it would be for all of us?”

Tobias suddenly understood.

“My house” He took his heels down off the desk and got to his feet very deliberately. You’re trying to get your hands on my house so that you can ask Miss Emeline to marry you. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”

Anthony took a step back toward the door, palm up in a placating manner. “Now, Tobias, there is no call to lose your temper. I thought it was a very sensible plan, one that would benefit all of us. In addition, it would enable me to stop paying rent. Also, we would not need a third housekeeper. You could take Whitby with you, and Mrs. Chilton could come to live with Emeline and me.”