“Is there a way out of this?” Gareth asked.
“She thinks so. She tried to throw me over. She will again.”
“Then, perhaps, for a while—”
“She does not know about that box, you see. I made a choice that night that I cannot, and will not, undo. A love affair with the daughter of a criminal has become the least of it.”
Mood subdued, Gareth continued their walk.
They had almost circled the block when Ives resumed the conversation. “I have spent most of the night debating whether to ask something of you.”
“I hope you know you can ask for anything.”
“Do not be so quick. It draws you into it, and more than I like. I have scoured my mind for an alternative, however, and there is none. I need to trust the man involved completely. Other than you and Lance, there are no such men.”
“I hope you do not want me to commit highway robbery.”
“Not quite. I need you to stand guard at that building the next few nights. With a pistol this time.”
Gareth was not so foolhardy as to ignore the implications. “Just me? Will Lance—”
“Aylesbury should not be further involved. He would not be at all if he had not inserted himself the other night.”
“He inserted himself quite a lot that night, didn’t he? Especially after we left him, I think.”
Ives smiled at the bawdy entendre. “He did speak of the ultimate sacrifice.”
“He did not return the next morning until ten o’clock. Mrs. Lavender has how many young ladies? Ten? Twelve? You don’t suppose he enjoyed them all, do you?”
“I have tried not to wonder. Now I will picture him staggering from chamber to chamber until he drops from exhaustion.”
They laughed, and Ives was grateful at Gareth’s ability to lighten even the darkest night.
“I will clean my pistol,” Gareth said as they entered the house. “Just tell me where, when, and what. I will be there. Now, I am going to retire.”
“I think I will have a smoke before I leave.”
Gareth grinned. He came over and cocked his head closely. “The servant stairs are more convenient to her chamber. Also more discreet.”
***
Ives entered the library, prepared to dally for the length of one cigar before seeking the servant stairs. He did not find the chamber empty the way heexpected. Lance still sat in a comfortable chair near the fire, his port on a table near his arm.
“I thought you were retiring,” Ives said, taking a cigar from the box and preparing it.
“I have been thinking.”
“You cannot do that in your apartment?”
“I chose to do it here. Do you mind?”
He did. He would have to wait Lance out now. A very big, very comfortable bed waited, with a very lovely, very willing woman in it. He did not want to humor Lance when he could be with Padua instead.
Lance gestured lazily to a nearby chair, inviting him over. Ives poured himself some port and carried it and the cigar to the fireplace. He settled in. This might take hours.
“Miss Belvoir looked lovely tonight,” Lance said.
“I thought so.”
