"He gave you no hint as to any lead he might be following?" Timms asked.

Patience grimaced. "I was under the impression he'd run out of possiblities."

Minnie humphed. "So was I. So where is he?"

No one answered. And Sligo didn't return.

Not until late afternoon, by which time Minnie, Timms, and Patience had reached the end of their collective tether. Whitticombe and Alice had departed at noon in a hired carriage. Their boxes were piled in the front hall, awaiting the carter. Lunch had come and gone, the household marginally more relaxed. Edmond and Henry were playing billiards. The General and Edgar had taken their usual constitutional to Tattersalls. Edith was tatting with Mrs. Chadwick and Angela for company in the drawing room.

In Minnie's room, Patience and Timms took turns by the window; it was Patience who saw Vane's curricle bowl up and stop before the door. "He's here!"

"Well you can't run downstairs," Minnie admonished her. "Just contain your transports until he gets here. I want to hear where he's been."

Minutes later, Vane strolled in, smoothly elegant as ever.

His eyes went straight to Patience, then he bent and kissed Minnie's cheek.

"Where, by all that's holy, have you been?" she demanded.

Vane raised his brows. "Out. Sligo told me Whitticombe's left. What did you want to see me for?"

Minnie stared at him, then swiped at his leg with one hand. "To find out what comes next, of course!" She glared at him. "Don't try your high-handed Cynster ways with me."

Vane's brows rose higher. "I wouldn't dream of it. But there's no need for any panic. Whitticombe and Alice have gone-I'll follow, and see what they get up to. Simple."

"I'm coming, too," Minnie declared. "If Humphrey's nephew's a bad egg, I owe it to Humphrey to see the proof with my own eyes. After all, it's me who'll have to decide what to do."

"Of course, I'll go with Minnie," Timms added.

Patience caught Vane's eye. "If you think I'm staying behind, think again… Gerrard's my brother-if Whitticombe's the one who knocked him on the head…" She didn't finish her sentence-her expression said it all.

Vane sighed. "There's really no need-"

"Cynster! Have to show you-"

With a clatter of boots, the General, followed by Edgar, burst into the room. Seeing Minnie, the General flushed, and ducked his head. "Apologies, Minnie, and all that, but thought you'd all be interested. Best see this."

Crossing the room, he bent and awkwardly slid a small object from his large palm onto Minnie's lap.

"Great heavens!" Minnie picked the object up, and held it to the light. "Agatha's earring." She looked at the General. "The other one?"

"Must be," Edgar put in. He glanced at Vane. "We found it in the elephant sitting in the front hall."

"The elephant!" Vane looked from Edgar to the General.

"Indian contraption. Recognized it instantly. Seen ones like it in India, don't y'know." The General nodded. "Couldn't resist opening it-showed it to Edgar here. One of the tusks is the catch. Twist it, and the beast's back opens up. Indian wallahs used the things to store treasure."

"It's full of sand," Edgar said. "Fine, white stuff."

"Used for weight," the General explained. "The sand stabilizes the beast, then the treasure's settled in the sand. I grabbed up a handful to show Edgar-sharp eyes, he has-spotted the gleam of that trinket in the pile."

"I'm afraid we made rather a mess unearthing it." Edgar looked at the earring in Minnie's fingers. "But it is Agatha's, isn't it?"

"Isn't what?"

They all looked up; Mrs. Chadwick entered, followed by Angela, with Edith Swithins trailing vaguely behind. Agatha Chadwick grimaced apologetically at Minnie. "We heard the commotion…"

"Just as well." Minnie held up the earring. "This is yours, I believe."

Agatha took it. The smile that broke across her face was all the answer anyone needed. "Where was it?" She looked at Minnie-who looked up at Vane.

Who shook his head in amazement. "In Alice Colby's room, in the elephant she kept by her hearth." He glanced at Patience-

"There's sand all over the front hall!" Mrs. Henderson swept in, a galleon in full sail; Henry, supported by Edmond and Masters, hobbled in in her wake. Mrs. Henderson gestured at him. "Mister Chadwick slipped and nearly broke his head." She looked at Vane. "It's from inside that evil elephant!"

"I say." Edmond had focused on the earring in Agatha Chadwick's hand. "What's going on?"

The question drew a spate of garbled answers. Recognizing opportunity, Vane edged to the door.

"Stop right there!" Minnie's order brought an abrupt end to the cacophony. She waved her cane at Vane. "Don't you dare try to leave us behind."

Patience swung about-and glared daggers at Vane.

"What's afoot?" Edmond demanded.

Minnie folded her arms and snorted, then glared at Vane. Everyone turned and looked at Vane.

He sighed. "It's like this." His explanation-that whoever attempted to return to the Hall without the rest of the household was odds on to be the Spectre, and said Spectre was almost certainly the villain who'd coshed Gerrard in the ruins-even stripped to the bare bones, still raised everyone's hackles.

"Colby! Well!" Henry straightened, and eased his full weight onto his wrenched ankle. "First, he coshes young Gerrard, then he makes out Gerrard's the thief, and then he gloats so… so… superiorly." He tugged his coat straight. "You may count me in-I certainly want to see Whitticombe get his just desserts."

"Blissful thought!" Edmond grinned. "I'll come, too."

"And me." The General glowered. "Colby must have known his sister was the thief-or perhaps it was him, and he used his sister's room as a store. Whatever, the bounder talked me into sending for the Runners-wouldn't have entered my head but for him. He should be strung up!"

Vane drew a deep breath. "There's really no need-"

"I'm coming, too." Agatha Chadwick lifted her head high. "Whoever was the thief, whoever has so grievously wronged Gerrard, I want to see justice done!"

"Indeed!" Edith Swithins nodded determinedly. "I even had my tatting bag searched, all because of this thief. I'll certainly want to hear his-or her-explanation."

It was at that point Vane gave up arguing. By the time he'd crossed the room to Minnie's side, the whole household, bar only Masters and Mrs. Henderson, had resolved to follow Whitticombe and Alice back to the Hall.

Bending over Minnie, Vane spoke through his teeth. "I'm taking Patience-I'll pick Gerrard up on the way. As far as I'm concerned, the rest of you would do well to remain in London. If you want to hie across the counties with the weather closing in, you'll have to organize it yourselves. However!"-he let his exasperation show-"whatever you do, for God's sake remember to come up the back track, not the main drive, and don't come closer to the house than the second barn."

He glared at Minnie, who glared belligerently back. Then tipped her nose in the air. "We'll wait for you there."

Swallowing a curse, Vane grabbed Patience's hand and strode for the door. In the corridor, he glanced at Patience's gown. "You'll need your pelisse. There's snow on the way."

Patience nodded. "I'll meet you outside." She hurried down the steps minutes later, rugged up against the deepening chill. Vane handed her into the curricle, then climbed up beside her. And sprang his horses for Grosvenor Square.

"Well, the drought's broken." Looking up as Vane walked through his library door, Devil grinned. "Who is it?"

"Colby." Vane nodded to Gerrard, perched on the arm of a chair beside Devil, who was sprawled on the rug before the hearth.

Following Vane in, Patience noted that last with surprise, until, moving closer, she saw the small being rolling on the soft rug, fists and feet waving madly, protected from any chance of a flying cinder by Devil's large body.

Following the direction of her gaze, Devil grinned. "Allow me to present Sebastian, Marquess of Earith." He looked down. "My heir."

The last words were infused with such deep and abiding love, Patience found herself smiling mistily. Devil scratched the baby's tummy; Sebastian cooed and gurgled and batted clumsily at his father's finger. Blinking rapidly, Patience glanced at Vane. He was smiling easily-he clearly found nothing odd in the sight of his powerful, domineering cousin playing nursemaid.

She looked at Gerrard; he laughed as Sebastian latched on to Devil's finger and wrestled.

"Vane?" All turned as Honoria swept into the room. "Ah-Patience." As if they were already related, Honoria enveloped Patience in a scented embrace and touched cheeks. "What's happened?"

Vane brought them up-to-date. Honoria sank onto the chaise beside Devil. Patience noted that, after a quick glance to check, Honoria left Sebastian in Devil's care. Until, recognizing her voice as she questioned Vane, Sebastian lost interest in Devil's finger and, with a cry, waved his arms for his mother. Devil passed his heir over, then glanced at Vane.

"Is Colby likely to prove dangerous?"

Vane shook his head. "Not in our terms."

Patience didn't need to ask what their terms were. Devil got to his feet, and the room shrank. It was clear that, if Vane had said there'd be danger, Devil would have accompanied them. Instead, he grinned at Vane. "We're going back to the Place tomorrow. Head our way once you've finished tidying up for Minnie."