Jeremy looked uncomfortable. He glanced at Sebastian. "I don't know if I'll have time."

"You'll have plenty of time to drink a cup of tea," Sebastian as­sured him coldly. "Sit down, cousin."

Jeremy took the teacup from Prudence. "Thank you, madam." He stood waiting until Prudence had seated herself and then he lowered himself uneasily into a chair across from Sebastian.

"Well?" Jeremy inquired brusquely. "Let us get on with it, then. Why did you send for me, sir?"

Sebastian studied him for a long moment. Prudence suspected the silence was a deliberate act of intimidation. She was about to speak up when Sebastian moved. Without a word, he opened the desk drawer, took out the ring he had found in Oxenham's library, and tossed it at Jeremy.

"What in blazes?" Jeremy caught the ring with an angry reflexive action. He glanced down at it.

Prudence could not miss the jolt of surprise that went through Jeremy when he realized what he held in his hand. She glanced at Sebastian and saw that he was watching his cousin very intently. There was no hint of cold amusement in Sebastian's eyes this morning, only an unnervingly alert intelligence that gleamed like fire-heated gold.

"Damnation." Jeremy looked up with an expression of wary confu­sion. "Where the devil did you get this?"

Sebastian stroked Lucifer very slowly. "Do you recognize it?"

"Yes, of course. It's mine." There was a strange edge in Jeremy's voice. "I lost it about three years ago. I never mentioned it because I knew Mother would kick up a fuss. You know how she is about family traditions."

"Yes." Sebastian's hand stilled on Lucifer. "I know."

"Didn't want to overset her by telling her I'd lost the heirloom ring my father had given me. So I had another one made to replace it."

"Who is Lillian?" Sebastian asked softly.

"I have no notion." The teacup rattled in its saucer as Jeremy picked it up.

"Who is Lillian?" Sebastian repeated, his voice lethally soft. Luci­fer twitched his tail.

"I don't know who you're talking about, I tell you," Jeremy said loudly. "I don't know any Lillian." He set the cup down with a crash.

"I think you do," Sebastian said. "You are not leaving here until you tell me who she is."

"Damn you, Angelstone. Who the hell do you think you are?"

"He is the head of the family," Prudence said quickly. She shot a quelling glance at Sebastian, who ignored it. "And he is only trying to help. Isn't that right, Angelstone?"

"The only thing I am attempting to do at the moment," Sebastian said evenly, "is ascertain who Lillian is."

Prudence glared at him. "There is no need to sound so threaten­ing, my lord. We are trying to establish some facts. We don't wish to alarm your cousin."

Sebastian did not take his eyes off Jeremy. Nor did he respond to Prudence's appeal. She gave up trying to control his manners and turned to Jeremy.

"Please understand, Mr. Fleetwood," she said gently. "We are merely seeking to determine why your ring was found in some very unusual circumstances last night."

Jeremy looked at her. "What circumstances?"

"It was found lying next to the body of Lord Oxenham," Sebastian said bluntly. "You wouldn't happen to know how it got there, would you?"

"Body?" Jeremy frowned in confusion. "Oxenham is dead?"

"Very," Sebastian said.

Jeremy's eyes widened slightly. "My ring was nearby?"

"Yes."

"You think I killed him, is that it?" Jeremy's outrage overwhelmed his confusion. "Because someone found my ring near the body?"

"That question did arise." Sebastian's smile was laconic. Lucifer blinked his golden eyes.

Prudence scowled at Sebastian. "Do stop trying to intimidate him, my lord."

"Stay out of this, madam." Sebastian did not glance at her.

She ignored the warning and turned back to Jeremy with a reassur­ing smile. "Mr. Fleetwood, at this point the authorities do not know that your ring was found near Oxenham's body. And we certainly do not intend to tell them, do we, Sebastian?"

"That remains to be seen," Sebastian said coolly.

"But I didn't kill him." Jeremy's desperate glance swung back and forth between Prudence and Sebastian. "I swear it. Why would I kill Oxenham?"

Sebastian rubbed Lucifer's ears. "Perhaps because you think he might have had something to do with Lillian's death?"

"But Lillian's death was an accident. She drowned, for God's sake." Jeremy broke off abruptly as he obviously realized he had just admitted to knowing who Lillian was. He gave Prudence a pleading look. "I was told that she drowned."

Prudence reacted instinctively to Jeremy's pain and bewilderment. She leaned forward and touched his hand in a gesture of comfort. She was aware of the brief anger that flashed in Sebastian's eyes, but he said nothing.

"Who was Lillian, Mr. Fleetwood?" Prudence asked quietly.

Jeremy closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them again, his expression was one of bleak resignation.

"I suppose you may as well know the whole story, although why it has surfaced after all this time defeats me." Jeremy took a steadying sip of tea. When he put down the cup he kept his gaze focused on Prudence. "I loved her."

"Did you?"

"She was the daughter of a prosperous merchant. His only child and the light of his life after his wife died. He saw to it that she was gently reared. She was well educated and her manners were above reproach. She was a lady in every way but for the circumstances of her birth."

"I understand," Prudence whispered.

"I met her sometime after her father had died. She had been left in the care of an aging uncle who consumed her inheritance and forced her to work in his tavern."

Out of the corner of her eye Prudence saw Sebastian open his mouth to ask a question. She silenced him with a tiny motion of her hand. Somewhat to her surprise, he subsided.

"How did you meet Lillian?" Prudence asked.

"At a fair here in town three years ago." Jeremy's mouth curved in a reminiscent smile. "She was eating an ice. I accidentally bumped into her and the ice went all over my coat. It was love at first sight."

"Then what happened?" Prudence asked.

"I started seeing her whenever I could. I knew Mother would never approve, of course. In her eyes Lillian would have been a mere tavern wench, without even a merchant's fortune to make up for her lack of background." Jeremy's mouth hardened. "You must remember that at the time Mother thought I would become the next Earl of Angelstone."

"I think it's safe to say that my aunt would have found a tavern wench totally unacceptable as the next Countess of Angelstone," Se­bastian said dryly. "Almost as unacceptable as an actress."

Jeremy flushed. "If it's any consolation to you, Angelstone, I have often thought that I understood your father's decision to marry the woman he loved. I had made plans to do the same. Regardless of the consequences."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "Did you?"

"Yes. I truly loved Lillian. She was a beautiful creature. Gentle and pure." Jeremy sighed. "But she died before we could be wed."

"How tragic," Prudence said.

"I never mentioned her name to Mother or anyone else in the family," Jeremy said. "With Lillian in her grave, there did not seem any reason to do so."

"Who told you she had drowned?" Sebastian asked.

"Her uncle. He said she had gone to stay with a friend in the country for a few days. While she was there she fell into a stream that was in flood after a recent storm. She was swept away and drowned."

"I am so sorry, Mr. Fleetwood," Prudence said quietly. "It must have been terrible for you."

Jeremy looked down at the ring. "The worst part was that I could tell no one of my grief. There was no one who would have understood or approved." He glanced up again. "I have recovered. One does eventually. Lillian is in the past. But I shall never forget her."