drawing room were almost finished; she'd be glad to see the last of them. She was still confined to the daybed, her knee still bound, her foot propped on a cushion. Her suggestion, made earlier that morning, that she could probably hobble perfectly well using a stick, had made Mrs. Hen-derson purse her lips, shake her head, and pronounce that four days' complete rest would be wiser.
When, after breakfast, Vane had carried her here and laid her on the daybed, he'd reminded her of his earlier threat to tie her to it should he discover her on her feet. The reminder had been couched in sufficiently intimidating terms to keep her reclining, attending to the household linens with apparent equanimity.
Minnie and Timms had come to bear her company; Timms was busy knotting a fringe while Minnie watched, lending a finger whenever an extra was needed. They were all used to spending hours in quiet endeavors; none saw any reason to fill the peace with chatter.
Which was just as well; Patience's mind was fully occupied elsewhere-mulling over what had ensued the first time Vane had carried her to this room. What with hiding her reaction, and her worries over Gerrard and the accusations hurled his way, it had been that night before she'd had time to fully examine the event.
Ever since, she had, at one level or another, thought of little else.
She should, of course, feel scandalized, or at the very least, shocked. Yet whenever she allowed herself to recall all that had happened, sweet pleasure washed through her, leaving her skin tingling and her breasts deliciously warm. Her 'shock' was exciting, thrilling, an enticing reaction, not one of revulsion. She should feel guilty, yet whatever guilt she possessed was swamped beneath a compulsion to know, to experience, and an intense recollection of how much she'd enjoyed that particular experience.
Lips firming, she set a stitch. Curiosity-it was her curse, her bane, the cross she had to bear. She knew it. Unfortunately, knowing didn't quell the impulse. This time, curiosity was prompting her to waltz with a wolf-a dangerous enterprise. For the last two days, she'd watched him, waiting for the pounce she'd convinced herself would come, but he'd behaved like a lamb-a ridiculously strong, impossibly arrogant, not to say masterful lamb, but with a guileless newborn innocence, as if a halo had settled over his burnished locks.
Squinting at her work, Patience swallowed a disbelieving humph. He was playing some deep game. Unfortunately, due to lack of experience, she had no idea what.
'Actually'-Minnie settled back in her chair as Timms shook out the shawl they'd been working on-'this thief is worrying me. Vane might have scared the Spectre off, but the thief seems made of sterner stuff.'
Patience glanced at Timms. 'Your bracelet's still missing?'
Timms grimaced. 'Ada turned my room upside down, and Minnie's, too. Masters and the maids have hunted high and low.' She sighed. 'It's gone.'
'You said it was silver?'
Timms nodded. 'But I wouldn't have thought it of any great value. It was engraved with vine leaves-you know the sort of thing.' She sighed again. 'It was my mother's and I'm really quite…'-she looked down, fiddling with the fringe she'd just knotted-'
Patience frowned absentmindedly and set another stitch.
Minnie sighed gustily. 'And now here's Agatha similarly afflicted.'
Patience looked up; so did Timms. 'Oh?'
'She came to me this morning.' Minnie frowned worriedly. 'She was quite upset. Poor woman-what with all she's had to cope with, I wouldn't have had this happen for the world.'
'What?' Patience prompted.
'Her earrings.' Her expression as grim as it ever got, Minnie shook her head. ' The last small piece she had left, poor dear. Oval drop garnets surrounded by white sapphires. You must have seen her wearing them.'
'When last did she see them?' Patience remembered the earrings well. While handsome enough, they couldn't have been overly valuable.
'She wore them to dinner two nights ago,' Timms put in.
'Indeed,' Minnie nodded. 'That was the last she saw of them-when she took them out that night and placed them in her box on her dressing table. When she went to get them last night, they were gone.'
Patience frowned. 'I thought she seemed a bit distracted last night.'
'Agitated.' Timms nodded grimly.
'She searched everywhere later,' Minnie said, 'but she's now quite sure they've vanished.'
'Not vanished,' Patience corrected. 'They're with the thief. We'll find them when we catch him.'
The door opened at that moment; Vane, followed by Gerrard, strolled in.
'Good morning, ladies.' Vane nodded to Minnie and Timms, then turned his smile on Patience. His eyes, teasing grey, met hers; the quality of his smile, the expression at the back of his eyes, altered. Patience felt the warmth of his gaze as it slid lazily over her, over her cheeks, her throat, the swell of her upper breasts revealed by the scooped neckline of her morning gown. Her skin tingled; her nipples tightened.
She suppressed a warning scowl. 'Did you enjoy your ride?' Her tone was as guilelessly innocent as his; both yesterday and today had been gloriously fine-while she'd been stuck inside, metaphorically tied to the daybed, he and Gerrard had enjoyed themselves on horseback, cantering about the county.
'Actually,' Vane drawled, gracefully settling in a chair facing the daybed, 'I've been introducing Gerrard to all the hedge-taverns within reach.',
Patience's head jerked up; aghast, she stared at him.
'We've been checking if any of the others have been there,' Gerrard eagerly explained. 'Perhaps selling small things to tinkers or travelers.'
From beneath her lashes, Patience threw Vane a darkling glance. He smiled, far too sweetly. His halo continued to glow. Patience sniffed and looked down at her work.
'And?' Minnie prompted.
'Nothing,' Vane replied. 'No one from the Hall-not even one of the grooms-has visited any of the local dives recently. No one's heard any whispers of anyone selling small items to tinkers and the like. So we still have no clue as to why the thief is stealing things, nor what he's doing with his ill-gotten gains.'
'Speaking of which.' Briefly, Minnie described the loss of Timms's bracelet and Mrs. Chadwick's earrings.
'So,' Vane said, his expression hardening, 'whoever it is has not been dissuaded by our pursuit of the Spectre.'
'So what now?' Timms asked.
'We'll need to check Kettering and Northampton. It's possible the thief has a connection there.'
The mantel clock chimed the half hour-twelve-thirty. Minnie gathered her shawls. 'I'm due to see Mrs. Henderson about the menus.'
'I'll leave the rest of this'til later.' Timms folded the shawl they'd been fringing.
Vane rose and offered Minnie his arm, but she waved him away. 'No, I'm all right. You stay and keep Patience company.' Minnie grinned at Patience. 'Such a trying thing-to be tied to a daybed.'
Suppressing her reaction to those innocent words, Patience smiled graciously, accepting Minnie's 'gift'; once Minnie had passed on her way to the door, Patience lifted her embroidery, fixed her gaze upon it, and grasped the needle firmly.
Gerrard held the door open for Minnie and Timms. They passed through; he looked back at Vane. And grinned engagingly. 'Duggan mentioned he'd be exercising your greys about now. I might just nip down and see if I can catch him.'
Patience whipped her head around, just in time to catch Gerrard's brotherly wave as he went out of the door. It shut behind him. In disbelief, she stared at the polished panels.
What were they all thinking of-leaving her alone with a wolf? She might
Looking back at her work, she recalled his earlier jibe. Her temper rose, a helpful shield. Lifting her head, she studied him, standing before the daybed some four feet away. Her gaze was coolly measuring. 'I do hope you don't intend to drag Gerrard into every inn-every '
