"I am, but I do not know you very well at all, do I? Not nearly as well as you appear to know me. And that, madam, has finally begun to worry me."

"I do not see how I can persuade you of my innocence, nor will I lower myself to even attempt to do so."

"Then we have a problem on our hands, my dear." Marcus inclined his head a hare half inch at an acquaintance who nodded from the doorway of a snuff shop.

Iphiginia pretended to focus on some gloves that were displayed in a shop window. She could fed the avid curiosity in the gaze of the man who stood in front of the snuff shop. Indeed, she could feel a dozen pairs of eyes boring into her. I

There was very little privacy here in Town. Anonymity was impossible, especially for any woman whose name was linked with that of the Earl of Masters.

It was almost as bad as living in Deepford, Iphiginia thought resentfully. But at least here in London she would not he subjected to lectures on propriety from the vicar or from the parents of her sister's in-laws-to-be.

She merely had to listen to such lectures from Marcus.

"You are making a much more difficult problem out of this affair than is necessary," Iphiginia said forcefully. "But then, something tells me that you are a very difficult man.

"Regardless of how unpleasant this problem is for you, madam, you may rest assured that until it is resolved, you and I are going to be spending a great deal of time in each other's company."

"What is that supposed to mean, my lord?" "It means that until I am convinced that you are not involved in this blackmail scheme, I intend to keep you very near at hand." Marcus smiled without any trace of amusement. "Where I can keep an eye on you. How fortunate for me that you have chosen to masquerade as my mistress. It provides the perfect excuse for me to stay very close to you."

Iphiginia bristled. "What if I decide that I no longer wish to continue the masquerade?"

"It is far too late to change your mind about your role in this charming little play." Marcus acknowledged another acquaintance with a faint tilt of his head. "You are too deeply into the part."

"If that is the case, I give you fair warning that I fully intend to proceed with my inquiries. I am determined to discover the identity of the blackmailer."

"An odd coincidence. I have set myself precisely the same goal."

Fulminating, Iphiginia studied him in silence for a moment. "We are going to carry on with our pretense, then?"

"Yes." Marcus responded to the greeting of an elderly woman who was emerging from a bookshop. "Mrs. Osworth."

"Masters." Iphiginia recognized the heady-eyed lady. She managed a civil smile. "Good day, Mrs. Osworth."

"Good day to you, Mrs. Bright." Mrs. Osworth turned her sharp gaze on Marcus. "Lovely day, my lord, is it not?"

"Indeed," Marcus said. "I trust we shall be seeing you both at the Lartmores' ball this evening?" Mrs. Osworth murmured.

"Doubtful," Marcus said flatly. "I certainly plan to attend," Iphiginia said briskly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Marcus's mouth thin with disapproval. She deliberately brightened her smile. "I understand that Lord Lartmore has a very extensive collection of statuary."

"Yes, I believe he does," Mrs. Osworth said. "My husband mentioned it once. I have never seen it myself. I'm not terribly interested in antique statuary. Oh, dear, you must forgive me. I must be off." "Yes, of course," Iphiginia said. "I have an appointment to interview a woman who is being sent over from the Wycherley Agency. I am seeking a new companion, you know."

"No, I did not know," Iphiginia said. "My last one a flighty little thing if you must know the truth ran off two days ago with a young man of absolutely no background. Can you imagine? After all I'd done for the girl. Ungrateful wretch. This time I shall hire someone older. And a good deal plainer. Until this evening, then, my dear."

"Good day, Mrs. Osworth," Iphiginia said. Marcus was silent until Mrs. Osworth was out of earshot. "Why do you wish to go to the Lartmore ball? Bound to he a dead bore."

"Two reasons," Iphiginia said crisply. "The first is that I would dearly love to see Lord Lartmore's statuary collection."

"He allows only his closest acquaintances and certain, ah, connoisseurs to tour it."

"I hope to prevail upon him to show it to me."

"You wouldn't be interested. Rather poorly executed copies, for the most part."

Iphiginia momentarily forgot that she was annoyed with Marcus. "You've seen it?"

"Yes, and you may take my word for it. There is nothing to interest the scholar in Lartmore's statuary hall."

"How disappointing. I was so looking forward to viewing his antiquities."

"Save your time. What was the other reason you wished to attend?"

"To pursue my inquiries, of course. His name is on my list of men who connect your world with that of my aunt's. And you did play a few hands with Lartmore at your club that night before you left for Yorkshire."

Marcus eyed her speculatively. "You really have done a most thorough investigation of my activities, have you not?"

"I told you that I had made a close study of your habits."

"Lartmore is no blackmailer." "How do you know that?"

"He's extremely wealthy. He has no reason to resort to blackmail."

"Perhaps he has recently suffered some serious reverses in his fortunes."

"Unlikely," Marcus said. "As it happens, however, I intend to dine at my club this evening. Afterward I shall arrange to play some cards. One can learn a great deal at the card tables. I shall see if there is any hint of gossip concerning Lartmore's finances."

Iphiginia pursed her lips. "I wish I could arrange to play a few hands at some of the gentlemen's clubs. There is no telling what I might learn."

"Do not even think about it," Marcus said. "It's impossible and well you know it. I shall look for you at the Richardsons ball sometime around eleven. I can give you my report."

"You are attempting to dissuade me from attending the Lartmore ball, are you not?"

"Mrs. Bright, so that you are quite clear on this point, allow me to make it plain that I am ordering you not to go to Lartmore's."

"Hmm. My lord, I have a question for you." "Yes?"

"Would you care to tell me precisely why your friend is being blackmailed?"

"No, I would not," Marcus said bluntly. "Surely you do not expect me to divulge a confidence."

"No, of course not. I merely thought that if I knew the nature of your friend's secret, I might be able to compare it to the sort of secret information that is being used against my aunt. I cannot help but wonder if there might be some similarities."

Marcus narrowed his eyes. He looked intrigued in spite of himself. "I don't suppose you would care to tell me the nature of the secret material that you claim is being used to blackmail Lady Guthrie?"

"No." "So I am left to wonder if she really is being blackmailed."

Iphiginia gave him a lofty smile. "You cannot expect me to trust you with my secrets when you have made it clear that you are not prepared to trust me with yours."

Marcus's powerful band clamped more firmly around her arm. "Your lack of faith in me is going to make it somewhat awkward for us to work together."

"It certainly will," Iphiginia agreed. "And your lack of trust in me will have an equally chilling effect on our efforts."

Marcus gave her a disturbing smile. "It is clear that if we are to break down the barriers of distrust between us, we must become more intimately acquainted, Mrs. Bright."

"How do you suggest we go about becoming more closely acquainted, sir?"

"To begin, why don't you tee me what happened to Mr. Bright?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Marcus raised one brow. "I was referring to your late husband."

"Oh, him."

"Obviously you no longer grieve for the departed." "He wouldn't have wanted that." Iphiginia swallowed uneasily. She must learn to think of this man as an adversary, she warned herself. "He believed that one should put unhappy events behind one. After a suitable mourning period, of course."

"Of course. And was there a suitable mourning period after his death?"

"A reasonable one, considering the circumstances. Mr. Bright was considerably older than I," Iphiginia murmured.

"I see."

"He lived a very full and active life."

"I imagine it got considerably more active after he married you."

Iphiginia gave him a repressive look. "I do not wish to pursue this topic of conversation. I'm sure you comprehend, my lord. Much too painful."

"I understand," Marcus said.

"And so you should. I believe you have a rule of your own against discussing the past, do you not?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bright, I do have such a rule." "Personally, I am not overly fond of rules, but I believe that I shall adopt that particular one myself." Iphiginia caught sight of a discreetly painted sign hanging at the corner of a small street off Pall Mall. "Oh, look, there's Dr. Hardstaff's museum. Mr. Hoyt mentioned the establishment the other evening."

"I cannot imagine why."

"He said something about Lord Thornton having recently taken a treatment from Dr. Hardstaff." Iphiginia studied the sign.


DR. HARDSTAFF'S MUSEUM OF THE GODDESSES OF MANLY VIGOR LEARN THE SECRET AND INVIGORATING POWERS OF THE GODDESSES OF ANTIQUITY


Marcus glanced at the sign. "You would have no interest in Dr. Hardstaff's museum, Iphiginia."

"But I am always deeply interested in antiquities." Iphiginia turned her head to look back at the sign as Marcus urged her forward. She frowned. "I do not believe that I know which classical goddesses are particularly associated with manly vigor."