Rakes Vow

But Minnie waggled her head at her and frowned. Recalling that she was supposed to be the anguished sister of a young sprig hauled off to face justice, Patience dutifully tried to mask her glow.

'Have you heard anything?' Henry's nod to Gerrard's empty chair clarified his question.

Patience hid her face behind her teacup. 'I haven't heard of any charges.'

'I fancy we'll hear by this afternoon.' Whitticombe, his expression coldly severe, reached for the coffeepot. 'I daresay the magistrate was not available yesterday. Theft, I fear, is a common enough crime.'

Edgar shifted uneasily. Agatha Chadwick looked shocked. But no one said anything.

Henry cleared his throat, and looked at Edmond. 'Where shall we go today, do you think?'

Edmond humphed. 'Not really in the mood for more sights today. Think I'll dust off my script.'

Henry nodded glumly.

Silence fell, then Whitticombe eased back his chair. He turned to Minnie. 'By your leave, cousin, I believe Alice and I should return to Bellamy Hall.' Patting his thin lips with his napkin, he laid it aside. 'We are, as you know, somewhat rigid in our beliefs. Old-fashioned, some might call it. But neither my dear sister nor I can countenance close association with those we believe transgress acceptable moral codes.' He paused long enough for his meaning to sink in, then smiled, unctuously patronizing, at Minnie. 'Of course, we appreciate your position, even applaud your devotion, misguided though it sadly seems to be. However, Alice and I seek your permission to repair to the Hall, there to await your return.'

He concluded with an obsequious nod.

Everyone looked at Minnie. There was, however, nothing to be read in her unusually closed expression. She studied

Whitticombe for a full minute, then solemnly nodded. 'If that is what you wish, then certainly, you may return to the Hall. However, I warn you I do not have any immediate plans to return there myself.'

Whitticombe raised his hand in a gracious gesture. 'You need not concern yourself with us, cousin. Alice and I can entertain ourselves well enough.' He glanced at Alice, all in black. At no time since she'd entered the room had she looked anywhere but at her plate. 'With your permission,' Whitticombe continued, 'we'll leave immediately. The weather looks like turning, and we have no reason to dally.' He glanced at Minnie, then looked up at Masters, standing behind her chair. 'Our boxes could be sent on.'

Minnie nodded. Tight-lipped, she glanced up at Masters, who bowed. 'I'll arrange it, ma'am.'

Bestowing a last unctuous, ingratiating smile on Minnie, Whitticombe rose. 'Come, Alice. You'll need to pack.'

Without a word, without a glance, Alice rose and preceded Whitticombe from the room.

The instant the door closed behind them, Patience looked at Minnie. Who waved her to silence. To some semblance of discretion.

Patience bit her lip, and munched her toast, and waited.

A few minutes later, Minnie heaved a sigh and pushed back her chair. 'Ah, me. I'm going to rest for the morning. All these unexpected happenings.' Shaking her head, she rose and looked down the table. 'Patience?'

She didn't need to be summoned twice. Dropping her napkin on her plate, Patience hurried to assist Timms help Minnie from the room. They went straight to Minnie's bedchamber, summoning Sligo on the way.

He arrived as Minnie sank into her chair.

'Whitticombe's making a dash for the Hall.' Minnie pointed her cane at Sligo. 'Go fetch that godson of mine-fast!' She shot a glance at Patience. 'I don't care if you have to drag him from his bed, just tell him our hare has finally bolted.'

'Indeed, ma'am. Right away, ma'am.' Sligo headed for the door. 'Even in his nightshirt.'

Minnie grinned grimly. 'Right!' She thumped the floor with her cane. 'And not before time.' She looked up at Patience. 'If it does turn out to be that worm, Whitticombe, behind it all, I'll disown him utterly.'

Patience gripped the hand Minnie held out to her. 'Let's wait and see what Vane thinks.'

There was one problem with that-Vane couldn't be found.

Sligo returned to Aldford Street an hour later, with the news Vane was not at any of his habitual haunts. Minnie sent Sligo back out with a flea in his ear and a dire warning not to return without Vane.

'Where could he be?' Minnie looked at Patience.

Mystified, Patience shook her head. 'I'd assumed he'd gone home-to Curzon Street.'

She frowned. He couldn't possibly be walking the streets with a creased, reused cravat. Not Vane Cynster.

'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