Rakes Vow

"She came to me this morning." Mi

"What?" Patience prompted.

"Her earrings." Her expression as grim as it ever got, Mi

"When last did she see them?" Patience remembered the earrings well. While handsome enough, they couldn't have been overly valuable.

"She wore them to di

"Indeed," Mi

Patience frowned. "I thought she seemed a bit distracted last night."

"Agitated." Timms nodded grimly.

"She searched everywhere later," Mi

"Not vanished," Patience corrected. "They're with the thief. We'll find them when we catch him."

The door opened at that moment; Vane, followed by Gerrard, strolled in.

"Good morning, ladies." Vane nodded to Mi

She suppressed a warning scowl. "Did you enjoy your ride?" Her tone was as guilelessly i

"Actually," Vane drawled, gracefully settling in a chair facing the daybed, "I've been introducing Gerrard to all the hedge-taverns within reach.",

Patience's head jerked up; aghast, she stared at him.

"We've been checking if any of the others have been there," Gerrard eagerly explained. "Perhaps selling small things to tinkers or travelers."

From beneath her lashes, Patience threw Vane a darkling glance. He smiled, far too sweetly. His halo continued to glow. Patience sniffed and looked down at her work.

"And?" Mi

"Nothing," Vane replied. "No one from the Hall-not even one of the grooms-has visited any of the local dives recently. No one's heard any whispers of anyone selling small items to tinkers and the like. So we still have no clue as to why the thief is stealing things, nor what he's doing with his ill-gotten gains."

"Speaking of which." Briefly, Mi

"So," Vane said, his expression hardening, "whoever it is has not been dissuaded by our pursuit of the Spectre."

"So what now?" Timms asked.

"We'll need to check Kettering and Northampton. It's possible the thief has a co

The mantel clock chimed the half hour-twelve-thirty. Mi

"I'll leave the rest of this'til later." Timms folded the shawl they'd been fringing.

Vane rose and offered Mi

Suppressing her reaction to those i

Gerrard held the door open for Mi

Patience whipped her head around, just in time to catch Gerrard's brotherly wave as he went out of the door. It shut behind him. In disbelief, she stared at the polished panels.

What were they all thinking of-leaving her alone with a wolf? She might be twenty-six-but she was an inexperienced twenty-six. Worse, she had a strong notion Vane viewed her age, let alone her inexperience, more as a positive than a negative.

Looking back at her work, she recalled his earlier jibe. Her temper rose, a helpful shield. Lifting her head, she studied him, standing before the daybed some four feet away. Her gaze was coolly measuring. "I do hope you don't intend to drag Gerrard into every i

His gaze, already fixed on her, didn't waver; a slow, untrustworthy smile curved his lips. "No i

Lowering her embroidery to her lap, Patience frowned. "Perhaps they need the money for something else."

"I can't see the General or Edgar-much less Whitticombe-paying upkeep for some village maid and her brat."

Patience shook her head. "Henry would be shocked at the notion-he's stolidly conservative."

"Indeed-and, somehow, the notion doesn't ring true for Edmond." Vane paused. Patience looked up-he trapped her gaze. "As far as I can see," he said, his voice lowering to a purr,"Edmond seems more inclined to pla

The implication, so strong Patience couldn't doubt she'd read it aright, was that he placed more emphasis on the latter. Ignoring the vise slowly choking off her breathing, she raised a haughty brow. "Indeed? I would have thought pla

Vane's slow smile curved his lips. Two prowling strides brought him to the daybed's side. "You misunderstand me-good pla

Patience blinked free of his hold as the linen slipped from her lax grasp. "I daresay." She frowned-just what were they talking about? She followed the embroidery as Vane lifted it-and met his eyes over the top of the hoop.

He smiled-all wolf-and tossed her work-linen, hoop and needle-into the basket beside the daybed. Leaving her without protection.

Patience felt her eyes grow round. Vane's smile deepened-a dangerous glint gleamed in his grey eyes. Languidly, he lifted a hand and, long fingers sliding beneath her chin, gripped it gently. Deliberately, he brushed his thumb-gently-over her lips.

They throbbed; Patience wished she had the strength to pull free of his light hold, to wrench free of his gaze.

"What I meant," he said, his voice very deep, "was that pla

He meant she should have hung on to her embroidery. Too late, Patience caught his drift. He'd seen through her plan to use her work as a shield. Breath bated, she waited for her temper to come to her aid, to rise in response to being read so effortlessly, to being affected so readily.

Nothing happened. No searing fury erupted.

The only thought in her head as she studied his grey eyes was what he was pla

Because she was watching, was so deep in the grey, she caught the change, the subtle shift, the flash of what looked suspiciously like satisfaction that glowed, briefly, in his eyes. His hand fell; lids lowering, he turned away.