“Because the vacancy was created by my husband’s death a year ago. He was a member of the Connoisseurs for many years.”
“I wonder why Vale has not filled the opening in the club membership,” Tobias said.
“Perhaps no suitable candidate has applied,” Joan said. “Do not forget, the prospect must present not simply a very fine artifact but one that is considered unusual or extremely rare. It is not easy to find such a relic.”
Lavinia caught her breath. “The Medusa bracelet would almost certainly qualify as an acceptable membership artifact.”
“Indeed. The club’s museum is a very private collection, one that is never open to public viewing. I doubt that Vale or any of the members would be inclined to question the source of a relic provided that it was suitably exotic and rare.” Joan contemplated Vale. “Given his lordship’s appearance here tonight, I think we must assume that he has no intention of sitting back in hopes that some other collector will find the Blue Medusa and present it to the club’s museum. Vale plans to acquire it himself.”
Tobias glanced at her. “Do you know him well?”
Joan hesitated. “He was a guest in our home on occasion when my husband was alive. Fielding liked him. The two respected each other. But I cannot say that I know Vale well. I do not think anyone can make that claim.”
“No,” Tobias agreed. “Probably not.”
“Have you met him?” Joan asked.
“Crackenburne introduced us. But like you, I cannot claim a close acquaintance. We certainly do not move in the same circles.”
“Look, he has left his companions,” Lavinia said. “He’s coming toward us.”
“So he is,” Tobias said quietly. “You were right, Joan. He knows about Lavinia and me.”
They watched Vale glide smoothly around the edge of the dance floor, bestowing an almost imperceptible nod here and there, pausing once or twice to greet someone. But although his path appeared random, it was clear to Lavinia that he was working his way toward where the three of them stood in the alcove.
“He’ll no doubt attempt to interrogate both of you,” Joan warned. “He will be very polite about it, of course, but he is a very clever man. Be careful what you say if you wish to keep your secrets.”
Vale materialized out of the crowd at that moment and stopped in front of them. Lavinia studied him covertly and saw that there was another way in which he differed from Tobias in terms of physical appearance.
Vale had the haunting eyes of a romantic artist.
“Joan.” He bent gracefully over her gloved hand. “It is good to see that you are getting out into Society again. It has been too long.”
“Good evening, Vale.” She retrieved her hand with a smooth motion. “Do you know my friends? Mrs. Lake and Mr. March.”
“March.” Vale nodded once in Tobias’s direction and then he turned to Lavinia. “A pleasure, Mrs. Lake.”
When he took her hand she noticed the odd iron ring he wore. It was shaped like a small key. She tried for a truly charming smile and added a little curtsy for good measure.
“Lord Vale.”
He did not look particularly dazzled, she noticed. He merely bowed briefly over her hand and turned back to Joan.
“May I have the honor of a dance, madam?” he said.
Joan stiffened ever so slightly. The tiny hesitation was almost undetectable. If Lavinia had not been watching her she would have missed it altogether.
“Yes, of course,” Joan said, recovering quickly.
She flicked a puzzled glance back at Lavinia as Vale led her away.
Lavinia watched the pair move out onto the dance floor.
“Well, so much for being interrogated,” she said. “It appears that the only thing Vale had in mind was a dance.”
“Don’t be too certain of that. As Joan said, Vale is subtle.” Tobias clamped a hand under her arm. “Come, there is nothing more we can do at the moment and I find myself in need of some fresh air.”
“It is a bit stuffy in here, is it not?”
She allowed him to steer her toward the French doors that opened onto the terrace. They walked out into the cool of the spring night.
Tobias did not stop at the low rock wall. He kept going, drawing her with him down the stone steps into the lantern-lit garden.
They strolled along a path toward the darkened conservatory attached to the rear of the mansion. The windows of the large greenhouse glinted in the moonlight.
Lavinia pondered the surprise and uncertainty that she had seen in Joan’s eyes when Vale had led her out onto the floor. There were very few things that could fluster Joan, but Vale’s invitation to dance had come close to achieving that rare state.
“I wonder if perhaps you and Joan are both wrong about the reasons for Vale’s presence here tonight,” she said.
“What the devil makes you think we might be wrong?”
“It is simply that I gained the distinct impression that Vale’s goal was to dance with Joan, not to find out how our investigation was proceeding.”
“Vale is an expert at concealing his goals. Joan is equally skilled at the business, if you ask me.”
She blinked at the unmistakable thread of irritation in his voice. “You are annoyed.”
“No.”
“Yes, you are. I can sense it quite clearly. You are in an ill temper. What on earth is the matter? Are you irritated because Vale did not attempt to question us?”
“No.”
“Tobias, really, you are being very difficult.”
He came to a halt in front of the conservatory and opened the glass-paned door.
Lavinia hesitated when she saw that he intended to enter. “Do you think we should go inside?”
“If the owner had wanted no one to enter, he would have seen to it that the door was kept locked.”
“Well, I suppose-”
He tugged her gently into the humid atmosphere and shut the door. The heavy scents of rich earth and growing things teased her senses. There was enough moonlight streaming through the myriad windows to reveal the ranks of palms, ferns, and other plants arrayed in neat rows. She smiled as the pleasant warmth enveloped her.
“Isn’t this spectacular?” She surveyed the heavy foliage and started slowly down an aisle, pausing here and there to sample the fragrance of a flower. “I imagine that this is how it feels to stroll through a jungle. I trust we will not encounter any snakes or wild beasts.”
Tobias fell into step beside her. “I would not depend on that if I were you.”
“Your mood is not improving.” She stroked a long, glossy leaf.
“Do not get too close to that.” Tobias pulled her back from the plant. “I do not recognize the species and there is no point taking chances.”
She swung around, exasperated. “I have had quite enough of your surly mood. Tell me what is wrong, Tobias.”
He looked at her, eyes dark and brooding in the moonlight. “If you must know, when I watched Vale lead Joan out onto the floor, I was suddenly overtaken with an overpowering desire to ask you to dance.”
She could not have been more astonished if he had suddenly announced that he could fly.
“You wished to dance with me?”
“I don’t know what the bloody hell came over me.”
“I see.”
“I have never taken much interest in dancing,” he continued. “And with this damned leg of mine, that sort of exercise is entirely out of the question. I would make a complete fool of myself on the floor.”
In the distance she could hear the muted strains of the waltz emanating from the ballroom. A deliciously exhilarated sensation swirled through her. She smiled at him in the shadows.
“There is no one to see you make a fool of yourself in here,” she said softly.
“Except you.”
“Ah, but I am already well aware that you are not a fool, and there is nothing that you could say or do that would make you out to be one in my eyes.”
He looked at her for a long moment. Then, very deliberately, he reached for her and drew her into his arms.