“What sort of inquiries did you and Mr. March make?” Miss Gilway asked without taking her eyes off Tobias.

“We tried to ascertain that there had been no foul play,” Lavinia said.

“Foul play.” Miss Richards shared a look of delighted horror with her friend. “Never say it was murder?”

“Heavens.” The second woman fanned herself with her hand. “How perfectly dreadful. Who would have thought it?”

“Murder.” Pierce stared at Lavinia. “Are you quite serious, Mrs Lake?”

It dawned on Tobias that he had seen that same fascinated expression on Anthony’s face. It was the reflection of a young man’s enthusiasm for all matters macabre.

“According to Lord Beaumont and the local doctor, it could not possibly have been a case of murder,” Lavinia said neutrally.

“Oh.” Pierce’s excitement evaporated.

The two companions appeared equally disappointed.

“Thank goodness,” Miss Gilway said politely.

“Such a relief,” Miss Richards added in a dutiful tone. “One would hate to think that there was a murderer running about Beaumont Castle.”

They both returned to gazing fixedly at Tobias.

“Indeed,” Lavinia said. “There is no great cause for concern. I’m sure you will all be quite safe in your beds tonight. Don’t you agree, Tobias?”

“Yes.” He took her arm. “Allow me to see you to your door. The hour grows late, and we must leave early in the morning.”

“You are going back to London tomorrow?” Miss Gilway asked quickly. Why so soon?”

“Personal business,” Lavinia said coolly. She smiled at the three. “I will say my farewells now, as you will all no doubt be asleep when I depart.”

“I wish you a very pleasant journey, madam.” Pierce made another graceful little bow. “And remember what I said earlier this evening when you went downstairs to the ball. I would be delighted to take you on as a client. I feel I could do wonders with your hair.”

“Thank you, Mr. Pierce, I will bear that in mind.” She hooked her hand under Tobias’s arm and then hesitated. “By the by, speaking of the business of hairdressing, I have a question for you, sir.”

“I am at your service, madam,” Pierce said gallantly. “Would this question by any chance be in regard to the events of this evening?”

“Just a minor point,” she assured him. “In your career you are required to have a great expertise with wigs and false hair and the like, are you not?”

“Every fashionable young lady simply must possess a false chignon or two at the very least,” he said in a voice that rang with absolute conviction. “After a certain age it is imperative that a woman invest in a variety of full wigs. There is simply no alternative available if she wishes to remain in style.”

“You watched the guests go downstairs to the costume ball tonight. Did you by any chance spot any ladies wearing blond wigs?”

“Blond?” Pierce gave a shudder. “Good God, no, madam, I did not.

“Indeed, I should have been positively horrified if I had seen such a sight.”

Tobias scowled. “Why the devil would you have been shocked? You just said no fashionable woman should be without a couple of wigs.”

“Yes, but not blond ones.” Pierce raised his eyes to the heavens, evidently seeking to be delivered from such stupid inquiries. “Really, sir, it is obvious that you know nothing of style. Allow me to inform you that when it comes to wigs, switches, puffs, and the like, blond hair is very nearly as unfashionable as red.”

There was a short, heavy silence. Everyone looked at Lavinia.

Her very red hair gleamed in the light of the wall sconce.

It occurred to Tobias that the hairdresser had just insulted her.

He fixed Pierce with a hard look.

“I happen to think that Mrs. Lake’s hair suits her perfectly,” he said quietly.

Although he had not raised his voice, Miss Richards and Miss Gilway both flinched. Each took a step back. They were still staring at him, but not with the same peculiar interest they had been displaying. Now they looked as though he had turned into a ravening beast before their eyes.

“Tobias,” Lavinia hissed in a low voice,” stop this at once.”

He was in no mood to stop. He was annoyed. It had been a long, extremely difficult evening.

Pierce seemed oblivious to the fact that he was in some danger.

His attention was concentrated on Lavinia.

“Madam, you really must allow me to pay you a visit after we all return to London,” he urged with what appeared to be genuine concern. “There is so much I could do with you. I vow, you would look splendid in a dark brown wig. Such a dramatic contrast with your green eyes.”

=

Lavinia frowned and raised a hand to touch her hair. “Do you really think so?”

“There is no doubt about it.” Pierce folded one arm across his chest, propped his elbow on it, and stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner. He contemplated Lavinia in the manner of a sculptor studying a half-completed statue. “I can envision the results, and they would be astounding, I assure you. I believe I would use some puffs and a bit of frizzing to add height, of course. You lack the stature required for true elegance.”

“Bloody hell,” Tobias growled. “Mrs. Lake is just the right size, as far as I am concerned.”

Pierce spared him only a fleeting look that somehow managed to sum up every aspect of his appearance and dismiss him out of hand.

The Cut Direct, Tobias thought, grimly amused. From a hairdresser, no less.

“Indeed, sir,” Pierce murmured, “you are hardly an authority on fashion, so you are in no position to judge Mrs. Lake’s potential.”

Tobias contemplated the pleasure of ripping Pierce’s head off his shoulders, but he reluctantly abandoned the prospect when he felt Lavinia’s fingers clench very tightly around his elbow. She was right, he thought. It would be a messy project, and the hour grew late.

“You are so kind to give me your professional opinion, Mr. Pierce.”

Lavinia smiled her brightest, most polished smile. “I shall consider your offer.”

“Allow me to give you my card.” Pierce whipped one out of the pocket of his trousers and presented it to her with a flourish. “Please feel free to send word to that address when you are ready to move to a higher plane of elegance and style. I shall be delighted to fit you into my schedule.”

“Thank you.” Lavinia took the card and inclined her head in farewell to Miss Richards and Miss Gilway. “Good night. I trust you will all have a safe journey home.”

There was a small chorus of farewells. Pierce retreated to his bed chamber. Miss Gilway and Miss Richards retired to the room they shared.

Tobias and Lavinia continued down the hall.

“Why are you glowering so, sir?” Lavinia opened the door of her bed chamber, stepped into the room, and turned to face him. “I vow, you put me in mind of an oncoming storm.”

“Tobias glanced back along the now vacant hall, thinking about the conversation that had just transpired. Your question to Pierce concerning a blond wig was very astute. It raised some interesting possibilities.”

“Thank you.” She did not trouble to hide her pleasure in the small compliment. “Of course, if blond wigs are so very unfashionable, it stands to reason that the killer would not have purchased one that would stand out in the memory of possible witnesses. Therefore, perhaps it is safe to assume that the murderer is, indeed, a woman who possesses very vivid blond hair.”

“On the contrary, I think we can conclude precisely the opposite.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Consider it closely, Lavinia. The killer’s yellow hair seems to have been his most striking feature. That and the very large cap are the two things that made the strongest impression upon you when you saw the maid in the hall, correct?”

Yes, but She broke off, eyes widening in comprehension. “I understand. You believe the murderer intended those two features to be the most memorable in the event that he was seen by a witness?”