They sat together in silence for a time. After a while Tobias shifted slightly in his chair.

“What was it Aspasia wanted to discuss with you today?”

Lavinia swirled the sherry in her glass and took a quick sip. “She wanted to assure me that she has no designs on you.”

“I could have told you that.” He scowled. “In fact, if memory serves, I did tell you that. In no uncertain terms.”

“Not exactly. What you told me was that you had no romantic interest in her.”

He shrugged. “It amounts to the same thing.”

“Not quite,” she said coolly. “But be that as it may, I got the impression that she was ill-treated by both her father and her husband.

“She had vowed never to give her heart or to marry. And then she met Zachary Elland. You were right, she did, indeed, believe that they were true soul mates. She was stunned when she discovered the truth about him.”

“I am glad that the two of you have reached a degree of mutual understanding. I just wish she hadn’t dragged you off to that damned graveyard for that particular conversation.”

“It was not her fault. Sweet Ned followed me from the moment I left the house today. He was merely waiting for an opportunity to get me alone. If it had not been that lane outside the cemetery, it would have been somewhere else. An alley or a park, no doubt.”

“Do not remind me.” He drank more brandy and then he set the

“glass down on the arm of the chair. We must talk about why the killer would hire someone like Sweet Ned to warn you off the case.”

“Have you a theory?”

“I think it is likely that this new Memento-Mori Man sees you as a complication,” Tobias said. “His goal is to challenge me and to frighten Aspasia, but he has no use for you.”

“So he wants me to simply go away?”

“He probably believes that I will not allow you to continue to assist me on this case if I think that your life is in danger.” Tobias met her eyes. “He may be right.”

“Do not even think about it,” she warned. “You cannot order me to stop my inquiries. I am too deeply involved now.” She broke off at the sound of a knock on the study door. Yes, Mrs. Chilton?”

The door opened. “Mrs. Dove and Lord Vale to see you, madam,”

Mrs. Chilton said in the resonant tones she reserved for announcing distinguished guests.

“Good heavens. Both of them?” Lavinia leaped from her chair. She had grown almost blase about entertaining Joan, but the knowledge that Vale was here was another matter altogether. “Kindly show them into the parlor, Mrs. Chilton. And bring a tray of tea, if you would. Use the new oolong. Tell them that Mr. March and I will join them immediately.”

“Yes, madam.” Mrs. Chilton retreated, closing the door behind her.

“I can’t believe that Lord Vale is here in my house.” Lavinia shook out the folds of her gown and went to the mirror to check her hair.

“Do you think tea is sufficient for refreshments, Tobias? Perhaps I should offer him some sherry.”

Tobias got to his feet with a leisurely air. “Something tells me that Vale would much prefer a glass of my new French brandy.”

She turned away from the mirror. “Excellent notion. We’ll need glasses. You go on into the parlor and I’ll have a word with Mrs. Chilton.”

Tobias was amused. “You were not nearly this rattled this afternoon when I found you running out of that damned graveyard with a villain in pursuit.”

“This is Lord Vale we are talking about. There are hostesses in this town who would kill to have him in their ballrooms, and he is sitting right there in my little parlor.” She made shooing motions with both hands. “Hurry. I certainly do not want him to feel that he is obliged to cool his heels when he comes to call. I’ll tell Mrs.

“Chilton to get the extra glasses.”

“Ask her to put a couple of those little currant cakes on the tray, will you?” Tobias collected his brandy bottle and went leisurely toward the door. “I believe she mentioned that she had a few left over.”

“Oh, very well. Off with you.”

He went down the hall toward the parlor. She turned left and rushed into the kitchen.

“Brandy glasses for the gentlemen, Mrs. Chilton,” she said. “And Mr. March requested some currant cakes.”

Mrs. Chilton hoisted the kettle. “Aye, madam. I’ll be right in with the tray. You go tend to your guests.”

“Yes, of course.”

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and went back down the hall. The door of the parlor was open. She swept into the room with what she hoped was a degree of aplomb.

Vale stood at the window with Tobias. Joan was ensconced on the sofa, every fold of her fine azure-blue gown arranged with perfect precision and grace.

“Ah, there you are, Mrs. Lake.” Vale inclined his head. “I must say you look quite well for a lady who spent the afternoon playing cat-and-mouse with a villain in a graveyard.”

“I see Tobias has already brought you up to date.” She made her curtsy.

“You were not hurt?” Joan asked with an anxious look.

“I am fine, thank you.” She sat down on one of the chairs, hoping that her skirts would fall as elegantly as Joan’s. “Tobias and I were just discussing the villain’s motives. He believes that the killer has decided that I am a complication and wants to frighten me into abandoning my inquiries.”

“Your particular inquiries are what bring me here this afternoon.”

Joan slanted a quick glance at Vale. “I have some information that may be helpful. Indeed, I think I have almost managed to convince his lordship that these murders are all connected to the canceled weddings.”

Tobias gave Vale a considering look. “Is that true?”

“I still have some difficulty with the notion,” Vale said. “But I must allow that Joan has come up with the names of three elderly ladies who do, indeed, have undeniable motives for murder. And there is no doubt but that all three of them could afford to pay a killer, if they so chose.”

Elation soared through Lavinia. She looked at Joan. “Three elderly ladies? Tell me about them.”

“The first is Lady Huxford. I believe she might have had good reason to commission the death of Lord Fullerton at Beaumont Castle. You will recall that he had recently got engaged to Panfield’s daughter.”

“Yes, go on,” Lavinia said.

“Lady Huxford is the girl’s maternal grandmother. She is in her sixties, about the same age as Fullerton. According to a very reliable source, he seduced her years ago when she was in her first Season.

“But he broke off the affair to contract a more advantageous marriage. Her father was wealthy enough to be able to find her another suitor before it was generally known that she had been ruined. But she was heartbroken and never forgave Fullerton.”

“Then, one day, years later, she learns that the man who took advantage of her has made an offer for her granddaughter.” Lavinia was struck by the horror of it all. “Lady Huxford must have been beside herself with rage.”

“But there was nothing she could say or do to stop the wedding from going forward. Everyone else in the family thought it an excellent match. She could hardly tell them the truth about her own past, and it might not have done any good if she had.”

Mrs. Chilton entered with the tea tray. Tobias poured brandy into a glass and handed it to Vale.

“Who is the second suspect on your list of possible clients?” he asked.

“The Dowager Lady Ferring,” Joan said. “I believe she may have hired the killer to get rid of Lady Rowland, the woman who supposedly took an overdose of her own sleeping medicine. You will recall that Lady Rowland’s death resulted in the cancellation of her grand daughter’s engagement to Lady Fen-ing’s grandson.”

Lavinia nodded. “You told me that Lady Rowland was obsessed with seeing her eldest daughter married into the Ferring family because she had once conceived a great passion for the young man’s grandfather.”