"I see." Anthony hesitated. "You eventually realized what was going on?"

"Yes."

Anthony stared at him. "What did you do?"

Gabriel shrugged. "The obvious. I tricked Honora into giving Baxter false information and then I set a trap for him."

"I hesitate to ask this, but what, exactly, happened to Honora?"

"When her father found out she had given herself to Baxter and nearly ruined the company in which he had shares in the process, he married her off very quietly."

"To whom?" Anthony asked curiously.

"An aging partner in the shipping venture."

Anthony narrowed his gaze. "Any chance she's the mysterious Alice? Out for revenge?"

"Not likely. The last I heard, she was pregnant with her second child and still living out in the islands. The elderly partner has apparently decided to found himself a shipping dynasty."

"So that leaves us with the mysterious Alice and a possible connection to Neil Baxter." Anthony reflected on that for a moment. "What about Phoebe?"

Gabriel reluctantly pulled himself away from his thoughts. "What about her?"

"You are quite certain she is safe while you go about the business of trying to find Alice?"

"Yes, of course. Did you think I would leave her unprotected?"

"No," Anthony said. "But I thought that by now you would have realized it is rather difficult to protect Phoebe if she is not inclined to be cooperative. Where is she?"

"At home. The staff has been alerted not to allow any strangers into the house under any pretext."

Anthony scowled. "Phoebe's agreed to stay in the house all day?"

"She will stay there as long as it is necessary. I have given her instructions not to leave unless I accompany her or unless Stinton is free to keep an eye on her."

Anthony's jaw dropped. "You've confined Phoebe to the house?"

"Yes."

"Indefinitely?"

"Yes."

"She's agreed to this?" Anthony demanded warily.

Gabriel drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. "Phoebe will do as she is told."

"Devil take it, man. Are you mad? This is Phoebe we're talking about. She does exactly as she wishes. What makes you think she'll obey you?"

"She's my wife," Gabriel said.

"What difference does that make? She never went out of her way to obey her father or me, her older brother. Phoebe has always been guided by her impulsive nature. My God, she could be riding merrily off into danger at this very moment. She's probably convinced herself she's on another quest to find the mysterious Alice."

Gabriel got to his feet, unwilling to reveal how uneasy Anthony was making him. "I gave her strict orders to stay at home today. She knows better than to flaunt those orders."

"Brave words," Anthony growled. "But this is my sister we're talking about. She ran away from you once before, if you will recall."

Gabriel winced. "That was a different matter entirely."

"So you say. I'm going to call on her at once. I want to be certain she is at home."

"She will be there."

Anthony shot him a derisive look as he headed toward the door. "Ten pounds says she's not. I know Phoebe. She is too headstrong by far to take orders from a husband."

"I'll accompany you on this call you intend to pay on my wife," Gabriel said. "And make no mistake, I fully intend to collect my ten pounds."

"And if she is not at home? What will you do then?" Anthony challenged.

"Find her and lock her in her bedchamber," Gabriel vowed.

"Phoebe's very good at knotting bedsheets together," Anthony reminded him.

Meredith and Lydia arrived at the town house within half an hour after Phoebe sent her messages to them. They hastened into the drawing room, expressions of grave alarm on their faces.

"What is this about Wylde confining you to the house?" Lydia demanded as she pulled her spectacles out of her reticule and ran a worried eye over Phoebe. "What has happened? Has he beaten you? I vow, your Papa will not stand for that. And neither will I. We agreed to allow him to marry you because we thought he could deal with you, but he goes too far, by heaven."

Meredith gave Phoebe an anxious look as she untied her bonnet strings. "Has he hurt you, Phoebe? I warned you he was not a patient man. Nevertheless, rest assured we will not let him get away with abusing you."

Phoebe smiled serenely and reached for the teapot. "Please be seated. It is a very exciting story. And as I am longing to tell someone the tale, I decided to send for you and Mama."

Lydia eyed her warily as she seated herself. "Phoebe, this is not some sort of jest, is it? When I got your note, I was extremely worried. Are you or are you not confined to the house?"

"I have been forbidden to leave unless Wylde escorts me." Phoebe wrinkled her nose. "Or unless a certain Mr. Stinton is available to follow me about. It is most annoying, I assure you."

"Then it's true? You have been confined against your will?" Meredith searched her face as she accepted her cup of tea.

"It certainly was not my choice," Phoebe said.

"Then why, might one ask, are you staying put?" Lydia asked bluntly.

"Because Wylde is extremely worried about my safety." Phoebe sipped her tea. "Actually, I take it as a rather hopeful sign, if you must know the truth. I think he is worried because he loves me. Not that he will admit it, of course."

Meredith exchanged glances with Lydia and then turned back to Phoebe. "Perhaps you had better start from the beginning."

"Perhaps I should," Phoebe agreed. She ran through the tale quickly. "The thing is, we do not know who, precisely, this Alice is. Nor do we know how she came to learn of the curse in the back of The Lady in the Tower. Gabriel suspects Neil Baxter is involved somehow."

"Good grief," Lydia said. "Will we never be free of that abominable man?"

Phoebe pursed her lips. "I am not at all certain Neil has anything to do — with this. I feel it's quite possible that Wylde is leaping to conclusions simply because he does not have any liking for Neil and because he may be just a tiny bit jealous."

"Ah, that would explain his reaction, wouldn't it?" Meredith murmured.

"I like to think so," Phoebe agreed cheerfully. "However, the fact remains that Wylde has forbidden me to even communicate with Neil, so I cannot talk to him to get his side of the story."

"Just as well, if you ask me," Lydia said. "Well, then, what are Meredith and I to do? Entertain you during the course of your imprisonment?"

"Mother, really." Meredith frowned at her. "She is hardly a prisoner."

"Yes, I am," Phoebe said.

"Yes, she is," Lydia agreed.

Meredith scowled at both of them. "Wylde is quite right to keep you safely tucked up here until he can determine what is going on, Phoebe. I do not blame him in the least."

"I'm sure he means well," Phoebe said. "Wylde generally does mean well. It is just that he tends to go about things in a rather heavy-handed fashion. But I expect I shall be able to correct that bad habit in time."

"Excellent attitude." Lydia smiled with maternal approval. "Always knew you'd make a clever wife, Phoebe."

Meredith's lovely brow creased in another gentle frown. "You should not be plotting to correct your husband's habits, Phoebe. You should be grateful that he is able to guide you."

"I suggest we change the subject," Phoebe said determinedly. "Now, then, I asked both of you to come here today for a reason. I have every intention of getting myself out of prison as quickly as possible."

Lydia's brows rose. "And just how do you plan to do that?"

Phoebe smiled. "With your help, of course."

Meredith gasped. "You surely cannot mean you want Mama and me to help you sneak out of the house. Phoebe, it would not be right to go against your husband like that. Not when all he is trying to do is protect you. And Wylde would be furious if we did get you out."