Calliope leaned forward in her chair. "If you tell me who your friend is, perhaps I could ask him." She threw an extra dash of feminine helplessness and appeal into her entreaty.
Terrence suddenly straightened. "I say, Miss Stafford, I think I could ask around and see if I can find a similar type of seal. Maybe one with a true eagle emblem."
She chewed on her lip. "I did so hope to give it to my employer soon."
"I will find it! I promise. What is the name of your barrister’s office?"
"Yes, Miss Stafford, tell him the name of the office."
Calliope jumped at the sound of the unexpected voice. It was cold and silky. She shivered and turned in her chair.
Terrence jumped to his feet. "You’re early, my lord."
"Yes, and it is fortuitous, I see."
A startled look appeared on Terrence’s face and Calliope saw the intruder. A tall, distinguished man with dark hair shot with strands of silver was standing in the drawing room doorway, a coat elegantly draped over his arm.
A wave of apprehension spread through her. A rustle in the hallway alerted her to the presence of another. A second man appeared, this one much stockier in stature. The look in the second man’s beady eyes chilled her. Her entire body screamed danger.
"Miss Stafford, is it? I’m glad you’re here. It makes things so much easier, you see."
Terrence stared at them, open-mouthed. "Did you know Miss Stafford was coming today? What does she have to do with this?"
"A great many things, I’m afraid." The earl uttered the words and the short man rubbed his pudgy hands together in anticipation. Calliope took several short breaths to calm herself.
"I don’t understand." Terrence remained stupefied.
The earl merely smiled. "Yes, I expected no less of you, Terrence. What did you find out about Angelford?"
Terrence anxiously looked at Calliope, but the earl motioned him on.
" He was roaming the streets today with his lightskirt. I trailed them to the Strand. They didn’t stay for long. They returned to Chalmers’s townhouse, and he left shortly thereafter. Unaccompanied."
Calliope could hear her own heart beating madly. Why in heaven’s name had she come here alone? And without informing anyone of her whereabouts?
"Good. Angelford will be cooped up there for hours. He is like a dog sniffing out a bone. He won’t leave Holt’s until he is assured of his innocence. Or his guilt." A sly smile appeared. "Hopefully the latter."
Terrence glanced nervously back at Calliope. "Why are you discussing this in front of her?"
"Oh, she won’t talk. My associate here will make sure of that."
Calliope rose to her feet and the earl arched an eyebrow. "And where do you think you’re going, Calliope?"
Her breath caught.
Terrence frowned. "Her name is Margaret."
The earl sent a condescending look in Terrence’s direction. "That is why I let you trail Angelford. You would have too difficult a time keeping up with his woman."
Terrence looked thoroughly confused. It showed in every muscle of his body. "I told you, the woman is at her house."
"Would you like to tell him or should I?"
Calliope sent him an angry look and mustered her temper. "No, my lord, I would not deny you the chance."
"Feisty little thing. I see why he keeps you around. I thought I was rid of you after the Killroys’ ball. A couple of well-meaning hints in Lady Simpson’s ear…" He smiled and shrugged.
So her firing had nothing to do with James after all. Calliope balled her hands.
"Are you implying that Miss Stafford is that Esmerelda woman?" Terrence was naive and a bit slow at times, but not stupid.
"Actually, there is no Miss Stafford. There is no Esmerelda either. I have no idea how many other guises she has taken, but this is Miss Calliope Minton, daughter of the Viscount Salisbury."
"And I assume you are the man who killed him."
The earl cocked an eyebrow at her. "That credit will fall to Holt, not to me."
"I don’t know why you did it. I barely know who you are. But it was you."
The earl produced an unpleasant laugh. "My dear, you wound me to the core. Nevertheless, Holt will take the blame for your father’s untimely death and your dear lover will die proving it."
A surge of fear shot through Calliope, but she tried to maintain her composure. "How exactly is that going to happen?"
Terrence was looking at the earl as if he were the Hydra, sporting multiple heads. "See here, what is this about dying and murdering? I don’t want anything to do with that. You said I could court Lucinda and marry her if I fulfilled my end of the bargain."
"Keep your mouth shut and stop blubbering, you twit."
"Lucinda?" The pieces began to assemble.
"He’s her uncle and guardian. Lucinda listens to him, she’ll eventually begin to know the real me."
"Oh, Terrence," Calliope said sadly. He looked miserable and her heart went out to him, but she focused on the scowling earl. "Terrence was just supposed to keep tabs on James, wasn’t he? He knows nothing about any of this."
"Now that he does, however, we will need to rearrange our bargain."
Terrence looked terrified and Calliope didn’t blame him.
"Miss Minton, tell me where the ring is."
"A ring? That is what this is all about?" she asked innocently.
The earl was not amused. "Where is it?"
"Did my father take it from you? Is that why you killed him?"
"It is my ring and I want it back."
"And our townhouse… you set the fire to destroy the evidence, didn’t you?"
"Give it to me."
Calliope gave him a superior look. "By now James has shown Holt the ring. It will only be a matter of time before they find you."
The earl gave her a withering look. "I doubt that, my dear, but if so it will be of no interest to you."
The stocky man ambled forward. He had crooked teeth, a hooked nose and an extremely pockmarked face. "Shall I take care of both of them now?" His eyes didn’t touch on Terrence, he was totally focused on Calliope.
"We don’t want to worry our young helper, Curdle. He is still our friend, after all. Come, Terrence, tie up Miss Minton, here, and then we’ll talk."
Terrence looked at Calliope but she gave a firm shake of her head. It would do no good to argue. Save that for later.
In fascinated horror Calliope watched as the stocky man moved forward, but Terrence had obviously read his intentions correctly because he reached out and gripped Calliope’s arm.
Curdle yanked her away and roughly pushed Terrence back. Her body instinctively recoiled and she struggled.
Curdle laughed unpleasantly.
They tied a cord around her arms and legs and she was helpless to move. His fetid breath brushed her brow. She spat in his face and he backhanded her and stuffed a wad of cloth in her mouth. He grabbed the top of her dress and callously ran his hands over the material.
"Enough, Curdle," ordered the earl. "There will be time for that later."
After some argument, Curdle shoved her in a small, dark storage room. Terrence was barely able to throw the cane in after her before Curdle slammed the door. She could hear them arguing on the other side.
"I’ll stay with the filly. Never know who might be visiting."
"You can have your sport later. She’s not going anywhere. I need you to head over to Holt’s. If Angelford is there, kill them both. Terrence and I will be waiting for your return."