Beth sat with her hands gripped together. She must be mad. This wasdefinitely against the law. Inexcusable. Except, of course, that it wouldsolve so many problems. “Deveril was reputed to be very rich,” she saidout loud. “When the will is found, Lucien’s solicitor could make sure atleast some of the money was tied up for Clarissa. Her family would takethe rest, no doubt. It should keep them out of the Fleet for a while.”
“And, little as I like the sound of them, they will make better use ofit than Deveril ever did,” said Blanche.
“And why should it go into the bottomless pit of the government? TheRegent would only buy another gold trinket or two.”
They looked at each other, both slightly awed by the plan.
“Can it be done?” Beth asked.
Blanche nodded. “Will you tell Lucien?”
“I don’t know,” said Beth.
There was a sharp rap of the knocker. Agnes came hurrying across thehall. Blanche said, “I have a feeling ...”
Beth said, “So do I.” She felt her nerves begin to twitch.
Lucien walked in. “You,” he said to Beth, “need to be locked up.”
Despite the words, he couldn’t help but smile, and she couldn’t helpbut echo it. It was nearly two hours since they’d parted, after all.
He sat down beside her and took her hand. “Tell me what you’re up to.The whole truth.”
Despite the smile, Beth knew the demand was serious. Wishing her heartwasn’t doing a nervous dance in the back of her throat, she gave him aspeedy outline of her idea.
“My God, woman!” he exploded. “I’m revising all my notions ofwife-beating.”
“Ha!” she snapped back. “As soon as you’re crossed ?”
“Crossed! You’re looking to me to save you from the noose! Peers of therealm have been hanged before now, you know. And having it done with asilken rope can’t be much consolation.”
Beth just looked at him. After a moment his lips twitched. “It is arather clever plan,” he said more moderately. “Better than Nicholas’s, infact.”
“Nicholas’s?” both women said.
“I’ve just come from there. Via Marlborough Square,” he said with amock frown, “where I discovered my poor exhausted wife had recovered herenergy.”
Beth just gave him a saucy smile. “What is this about a plan ofNicholas’s? What interest has he in Clarissa?”
“None, but he has his own reasons for wanting to deprive Deveril of hismoney. Since it’s all sitting there in his house in steel-banded chests,we had pretty well decided to go in and take it.”
“House-breaking!” exclaimed Blanche. “You’re all mad.”
“Not really. We have a peer of the realm, a de Vaux, and a member ofparliament on board, not to mention the disorder at Deveril’s placebecause of his disappearance and the growing chaos in the streets becauseof the celebrations. Which reminds me,” he said to Beth with exasperation,“of all the days to choose to walk about unescorted, why pick today?”
“Because today is today,” she retorted. “And, I should point out, I’vebeen walking the streets unescorted all my life. And,” she said, rollingover his attempt to speak, “it occurs to me to wonder how long youovergrown schoolboys have been hatching your plan and why you never said aword to me.”
“Overgrown schoolboys!” He swallowed that and continued, “It wasnothing to do with you, Beth. It was old, unfinished business.”
“It was to do with me when I expressed concern about Clarissa beingforced to marry the man. You just stormed out, thinking I was complainingabout our affairs.”
He frowned in puzzlement. “Oh, that time. But you never mentioned whothe husband was to be. It was only the other night that I realized Deverilwas involved. It was only then I developed any sympathy for the girl. Ithought she was just being missish.”
Blanche, who had been the fascinated audience of this squabble, clearedher throat.
“We were discussing burglary, forgery, and a number of other criminaloffenses,” she reminded them.
“So we were,” said Lucien. He turned to Beth. “I think what we ought todo is go over to Lauriston Street and put your idea to Nicholas, but Idon’t think we should involve Blanche any more than necessary.”
