“What marriage plans were altered by his death?”

“His own.” Joan gave a tiny shudder. “He was quite a dreadful man who was known to seek out the brothels that would supply him with very young children.”

“Vile creature,” Lavinia whispered.

“Yes. But a very rich vile creature. As was the case with Fullerton, he had recently got engaged to a young lady. I wonder if the chit knows how very fortunate she is to have had her wedding date canceled.”

“Well,” Lavinia said again.

Joan frowned. “The thing is, Lavinia, as with the other two instances, no one involved appeared to be opposed to Newbold’s marriage plans. Indeed, all three of these proposed alliances were excellent matches in terms of money and social connections. In Society, those are the only things that matter. You know that as well as I do.”

“In most cases, perhaps, but not always. For example, I know that you were very concerned for Maryanne’s happiness when the plans were made for her marriage.”

“Yes, that is true.” Joan looked at the portrait of Fielding Dove that hung above the mantel, her expression unreadable. “Fielding was equally concerned. Our own marriage had been such a warm and happy alliance, you see.”

Lavinia realized that Joan was working hard to conceal some strong emotion. She did not know whether to ignore her friend’s mood or try to offer comfort. She and Joan were still in the process of forging a friendship. There were some boundaries she did not want to cross unless she was invited to do so.

She walked back to the chair she had occupied earlier and stopped beside it.

“I know you loved Fielding Dove very much,” she said carefully.

That seemed sufficiently noncommittal, she thought. If Joan wanted to maintain her privacy, she could let the remark pass with a simple acknowledgment.

Joan nodded, never taking her eyes off the portrait.

For a moment Lavinia thought that would be the end of the conversation.

Joan got to her feet and went back to stand at the window.

“Shortly before you arrived, my daughter took great pains to remind me of that very fact.”

“I do not wish to pry,” Lavinia said. “But I sense that you are unhappy. Is there anything I can do?”

Joan’s elegant jaw tightened. She blinked several times, as though she had something in her eye. “Maryanne called today to lecture me about the impropriety of my new friendship with Lord Vale.”

“Oh, dear.”

“She seems to feel that I am somehow being unfaithful to Fielding’s memory.”

“I see.”

“It is rather unsettling to be lectured on such matters by one’s daughter.”

Lavinia winced. “If it is any consolation, I recently endured a similar talk, from my niece. Emeline made it clear that in her opinion my connection with Mr. March has gone on long enough without the formality of a marriage license.”

“Joan cast her a quick, wryly sympathetic glance. Then you can perhaps understand some of my feelings in this matter. Tell me truthfully, do you think that my connection with Vale is evidence that I no longer treasure and respect Fielding’s memory?”

“Joan, the nature of your friendship with Lord Vale is none of my concern. However, since you have asked for my opinion, I will give it to you. From what you have said of your marriage, I believe that Fielding Dove loved you very much. Therefore, I cannot imagine that he would have wanted you to deny yourself the opportunity to experience happiness and affection after he was gone.”

“That is what I have told myself.”

“If you doubt it, try reversing the situation in your mind. If you were the one who had been taken off first, would you have wanted Fielding to be alone for the rest of his life?”

“No,” Joan said quietly. “Above all else, I would have wanted him to be happy.”

“I suspect that is precisely what he would have said about you if someone had asked him the question.”

“Thank you.” Joan sounded somewhat relieved. She turned around and smiled. “It is very kind of you to reassure me. I confess, Maryanne’s tears and accusations today rattled me. I began to wonder if I was, indeed, failing to honor Fielding in my heart.”

“I assure you, Emeline’s little homily on the proprieties sent a few tremors through me also.”

“I must say, under any other circumstance, our predicament would almost be amusing. You and I have both spent many years and a great deal of effort instructing two young ladies in the rules of decorum and proper behavior, and now they see fit to turn the tables on us.”

“It does give one pause, does it not?” Lavinia frowned. “I wonder if it is an indication that the younger generation may be developing a taste for prudery.”

Joan shuddered. “What a ghastly thought. Discretion and decorum are all very well, but it would be a great pity, indeed, if this current crop of young ladies and gentlemen were to become a nation of narrow-minded, straitlaced prigs.”

Tobias went up the steps of Number 7 with a sense of anticipation that he had been savoring since breakfast. The prospect of an afternoon tryst with Lavinia was the only bright spot in what had proven to be an extremely frustrating and unproductive day. He wanted nothing more than to sink down onto the bed in the bed chamber upstairs and lose himself in his lover’s arms for a stolen hour or two.

His hopes crumbled when Mrs. Chilton opened the door.

“Mrs. Chilton, this is a surprise. I could have sworn that at breakfast this morning you mentioned that you would be going out to shop for currants this afternoon and that Mrs. Lake would be here alone for a time.”

“There’s no need to look at me like that, sir.” Mrs. Chilton drew herself up, glowering. “Plans changed. Not my fault. First, out of the blue, Mrs. Lake announces she’s off to pay a visit to Mrs. Dove. Says she’ll return by three.”

“It is just now three, Mrs. Chilton.”

“Well, she isn’t back yet and that’s all there is to it. Wouldn’t make much difference to your plans if she were here, and that’s a fact.”

“And why is that?”

Mrs. Chilton glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the closed parlor door and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Because not ten minutes past a lady called. When I informed her that Mrs. Lake was out, she demanded to know when she was expected. I told her around three o’clock, and the next thing I know the lady declares that she’ll wait.”

“Damnation. She’s still here?”

“Aye. I put her in the parlor and gave her some tea. Wasn’t anything else I could do.” Mrs. Chilton wiped her large, rough hands on her apron. “Claims she’s a client. Thought perhaps she’d come in response to the notice Mrs. Lake put into the newspaper a while back. You know how enthusiastic Mrs. Lake is about advertising her services in the papers. Says it’s the modern way to go about running a successful business enterprise.”

“Kindly do not remind me of that bloody advertisement.” Tobias stalked into the hall and sent his hat sailing toward the small end table. You know my feelings on that subject.”

“Aye, sir. You’ve made em clear.” Mrs. Chilton closed the door. “But as there haven’t been any serious clients until now, it didn’t seem to be doing any harm. To tell you the truth, I think Mrs. Lake was getting a bit depressed about the entire project.”

“Unfortunately, she was not sufficiently cast down to call off the scheme.”

Thus far his fears that Lavinia’s attempt to advertise her private inquiry services in the newspapers would draw an unsavory crowd of potential clients to her door had gone unrealized. To date, only three people had responded to the notice concerning an expert available for the purpose of conducting inquiries of a personal and private nature. To his secret relief, all three potential clients had immediately changed their minds when they discovered that the expert in question was a female.