“Chilton to get the extra glasses.”

“Ask her to put a couple of those little currant cakes on the tray, will you?” Tobias collected his brandy bottle and went leisurely toward the door. “I believe she mentioned that she had a few left over.”

“Oh, very well. Off with you.”

He went down the hall toward the parlor. She turned left and rushed into the kitchen.

“Brandy glasses for the gentlemen, Mrs. Chilton,” she said. “And Mr. March requested some currant cakes.”

Mrs. Chilton hoisted the kettle. “Aye, madam. I’ll be right in with the tray. You go tend to your guests.”

“Yes, of course.”

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and went back down the hall. The door of the parlor was open. She swept into the room with what she hoped was a degree of aplomb.

Vale stood at the window with Tobias. Joan was ensconced on the sofa, every fold of her fine azure-blue gown arranged with perfect precision and grace.

“Ah, there you are, Mrs. Lake.” Vale inclined his head. “I must say you look quite well for a lady who spent the afternoon playing cat-and-mouse with a villain in a graveyard.”

“I see Tobias has already brought you up to date.” She made her curtsy.

“You were not hurt?” Joan asked with an anxious look.

“I am fine, thank you.” She sat down on one of the chairs, hoping that her skirts would fall as elegantly as Joan’s. “Tobias and I were just discussing the villain’s motives. He believes that the killer has decided that I am a complication and wants to frighten me into abandoning my inquiries.”

“Your particular inquiries are what bring me here this afternoon.”

Joan slanted a quick glance at Vale. “I have some information that may be helpful. Indeed, I think I have almost managed to convince his lordship that these murders are all connected to the canceled weddings.”

Tobias gave Vale a considering look. “Is that true?”

“I still have some difficulty with the notion,” Vale said. “But I must allow that Joan has come up with the names of three elderly ladies who do, indeed, have undeniable motives for murder. And there is no doubt but that all three of them could afford to pay a killer, if they so chose.”

Elation soared through Lavinia. She looked at Joan. “Three elderly ladies? Tell me about them.”

“The first is Lady Huxford. I believe she might have had good reason to commission the death of Lord Fullerton at Beaumont Castle. You will recall that he had recently got engaged to Panfield’s daughter.”

“Yes, go on,” Lavinia said.

“Lady Huxford is the girl’s maternal grandmother. She is in her sixties, about the same age as Fullerton. According to a very reliable source, he seduced her years ago when she was in her first Season.

“But he broke off the affair to contract a more advantageous marriage. Her father was wealthy enough to be able to find her another suitor before it was generally known that she had been ruined. But she was heartbroken and never forgave Fullerton.”

“Then, one day, years later, she learns that the man who took advantage of her has made an offer for her granddaughter.” Lavinia was struck by the horror of it all. “Lady Huxford must have been beside herself with rage.”

“But there was nothing she could say or do to stop the wedding from going forward. Everyone else in the family thought it an excellent match. She could hardly tell them the truth about her own past, and it might not have done any good if she had.”

Mrs. Chilton entered with the tea tray. Tobias poured brandy into a glass and handed it to Vale.

“Who is the second suspect on your list of possible clients?” he asked.

“The Dowager Lady Ferring,” Joan said. “I believe she may have hired the killer to get rid of Lady Rowland, the woman who supposedly took an overdose of her own sleeping medicine. You will recall that Lady Rowland’s death resulted in the cancellation of her grand daughter’s engagement to Lady Fen-ing’s grandson.”

Lavinia nodded. “You told me that Lady Rowland was obsessed with seeing her eldest daughter married into the Ferring family because she had once conceived a great passion for the young man’s grandfather.”

Yes, well, it seems that Lord Fen-ing’s wife, Lady Ferring, was well-aware of the affair and was insanely jealous of Lady Rowland, who was a great beauty in her younger days. Indeed, I am told that the two ladies engaged in some spectacularly outrageous scenes that shocked Society. Those quarrels occurred some thirty years ago,

“but rumor has it that the animosity between the two women has never abated.”

“Then one day the Dowager Lady Ferring awakens to the news that her old nemesis, Lady Rowland, is plotting to link the two families by marrying her granddaughter off to young Ferring,” Lavinia whispered. I’ll wager she was enraged.”

“I do not understand,” Tobias said. Why would the wedding plans have been canceled after Lady Rowland’s death?”

“Because she was the only one in the family who was determined to marry the chit off to Ferring,” Joan said. “Once he got his hands on his mother’s fortune, the young lady’s papa made other plans for the money. It transpires that he has not one but seven daughters to see settled. He intends to divide up the inheritance equally among all of the girls. The eldest will not receive such a huge portion as Lady Rowland had intended and she is thus no longer considered a great prize. Young Ferring will be looking elsewhere for a bride.”

“Who do you believe commissioned the third murder?” Tobias asked, looking thoroughly intrigued now.

“The third death was that of Mr. Newbold,” Joan said. “In some ways it is the simplest to explain. Newbold was exceedingly wealthy, but he was a truly dreadful man. When he made his offer for young Miss Wilson, everyone in the family was willing to over look his ghastly reputation in favor of his finances. Everyone, that is, except the young woman’s maternal grandmother, Mrs. Stockard.

“She herself had been married to just such a lecherous rake hell in her youth, and she was not about to see her granddaughter suffer the same fate.”

“This is excellent work, Joan.” Intense satisfaction swept through Lavinia. She turned to Tobias. “There you have it, sir, strong motives and the financial means to accomplish their objectives.”

Tobias exchanged a look with Vale.

“There is a certain logic to the conclusion,” Vale said.

“Joan cleared her throat. There is also one more rather significant link. These three women appear to share a long-standing friendship, one that goes back for many years. I can vouch for the fact that two of them, Lady Huxford and Lady Ferring, are almost inseparable.”

“Now, that is interesting,” Tobias said quietly. “A close personal connection might explain how they all managed to happen upon the same helpful murderer. One discovered him and told her companions.”

Lavinia tapped her fingers on the arm of the sofa and concentrated on how to proceed. “I would very much like to have an opportunity to question some of these ladies.”

No one said a word. She realized they were all watching her quite intently.

“With great subtlety, of course,” she added smoothly.

“Of course,” Tobias growled into his brandy. You are so extremely skilled in the art.”

“Now, Tobias-”

“As I recall, the last time you attempted great subtlety, you managed to get us chucked out of Beaumont Castle. Without breakfast.”

“Really, sir, do you intend to throw that tiny little incident in my face every time you see an opportunity?”

“Yes,” Tobias said.

Joan smiled. “I had a feeling you might want to question the ladies, Lavinia. There is not much I can do about Mrs. Stockard, as she does not reside in Town. But I might be able to arrange for you to meet Lady Huxford and Lady Ferring.”

“That would be most helpful,” Lavinia said. “How do we go about it?”

“According to my friend who told me the old gossip, both ladies are very fond of attending the summer concerts at Vauxhall on the evenings when a fireworks display is scheduled. In fact, they rarely miss such entertainments. There is such an event scheduled for tomorrow night. I thought you and I might go together. I can arrange for a casual introduction. Will that do?”

“Perfectly.” Lavinia felt anticipation swirl through her. “This is great news. I have a feeling that we are very near the end of this case.”

Tobias looked out the window. “Then why do I have the sense that we are missing some vitally important clue?”

“No doubt because it is your nature to view every occurrence from the most depressing vantage point,” Lavinia said crisply. You ought to cultivate a more positive, optimistic outlook, sir. It would do wonders for your spirits.”

Somewhat to Tobias’s surprise, Vale elected to join him when he left

Number 7 to walk back to his club. One did not think of a man of Vale’s notoriously secretive and reclusive nature as given to going about Town on foot, Tobias thought. On the other hand, the man did spend a great deal of his time in the country digging up his Roman ruins, so he evidently was not opposed to physical exertion on principle.

The long light of the fading summer day bathed the streets and parks in that clear, soft radiance that was peculiar to the time of year. There was a depth and definition about the street scenes that drew the eye. Each window and doorway was picked out with a crisp precision that would have been far beyond the skill of any human artist. Yet the clarity and warmth of the sunlit spaces only served to heighten the intensity of the shadows in the narrow lanes and alleys.