She nodded, for lack of any words to respond. He loved her and he said it in front of Marianne.I cannot contemplate a world without you now.She watched him leave the room, a single tear falling onto her cheek.
“I think that is the most romantic thing I have ever heard.” Marianne sighed and took out her little notebook, one she took everywhere, and turned to a fresh page. “I think a list is in order. Pros and cons. Hopefully, this will help you make up your mind as to what to do.”
“What would you do?” Lucinda asked, wiping the tear from her cheek.
Her friend smiled. “It does not matter what I would do. I am not you, andthatis not my ring.”
He ended upat Warrington House. His brother was exceedingly happy to see him, which was a novel experience. He handed him a drink and settled on the sofa. Also, a strange sight. He very rarely sat in the parlor. He always seemed agitated and itching to get back to whatever he did in that room at the top of the stairs all day.
“Tell me all.” The duke actually looked like he wanted to know all.
Tony sipped at the brandy, contemplating his words. “Everyone is fine, if not bored.”
“What else?”
“Marianne was overjoyed to have Sasha with her again.”
“Of course. And?”
Tony was concerned. This was not like his brother. “Why not simply ask me what you want to know?
“Has Stafford provided you with any information regarding Lucinda, her father, and this so-called stolen note?”
“No, has he told you anything?”
His brother’s eyes narrowed. “No. I see in your eyes that you are itching to tell me something, so spit it out.”
“If I tell you, then you will be in danger.”
Edward frowned at his youngest brother. He stood and went over to the portrait of Lucinda’s parents and flipped the cloth back to reveal it. “Come and admire Dunstan’s work.”
Tony raised a brow. “You know art is not my thing.”
“But looking for clues is. What do you see?”
Tony walked over to the painting and stared at the faces of Lucinda’s parents. “Lucinda has her mother’s face and her father’s hair, but we already knew that.”
“Look closer.”
Tony studied the picture in full. “The note behind Foxton’s back! The ring on the mother’s hand is the same as Lucinda’s. There is a cradle, presumably Lucinda’s. A rattle on the floor with a letter L.”
“Puzzling, is it not? How was Dunstan able to put in these extra details if he knew nothing of her parents other than a miniature? Why would he put Lucinda’s ring on her mother’s hand? And what is the significance of the note half hiding behind her father? I have been ruminating over it for the last few days since he delivered it.”
“He knows about the secret Foxton stole! He put it in the picture to tell us he knew.”
“Why would someone like Dunstan know about the secret her father stole.”
“I would say he heard the rumors about why he had been murdered. It must be all over London by now. She has to give it up.”
“Give what up?”
“We have found the secret, and it is not good news. In fact, it is very dangerous, and she will not part with it?”
“Part with what?”
“You must not tell anyone I was here today.”
The duke looked around. “Pray, who would I tell?”
